Anglican Church of St. John the Baptist in England

Luke 1:57-66

57 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60 but his mother spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John."
61 They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who has that name."
62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, "His name is John." 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. 66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, "What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord's hand was with him.

Zechariah's Song

67His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

68 "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. 69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David 70(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), 71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us— 72 to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 74to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 76And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, 77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven 79to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace."

Luke 1:46-56
46 And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers."
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

Luke 1:39-45
39 Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

Luke 1:26-38
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” 34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” 35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible.” 38 Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Judges 13:2-7,24-25

Judges 13:2-7,24-25
2 A certain man of Zorah, named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, had a wife who was sterile and remained childless. 3 The angel of the LORD appeared to her and said, "You are sterile and childless, but you are going to conceive and have a son. 4 Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean, 5 because you will conceive and give birth to a son. No razor may be used on his head, because the boy is to be a Nazirite, set apart to God from birth, and he will begin the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines."
6 Then the woman went to her husband and told him, "A man of God came to me. He looked like an angel of God, very awesome. I didn't ask him where he came from, and he didn't tell me his name. 7 But he said to me, 'You will conceive and give birth to a son. Now then, drink no wine or other fermented drink and do not eat anything unclean, because the boy will be a Nazirite of God from birth until the day of his death.' "

24 The woman gave birth to a boy and named him Samson. He grew and the LORD blessed him, 25 and the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him while he was in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

Psalm 84 ~ For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere

Psalm 84

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible

How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of hosts!
2 My soul longs, yes, faints
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
to the living God.

3 Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house,
ever singing your praise! Selah

5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
6 As they go through the Valley of Baca
they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength;
each one appears before God in Zion.

8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
9 Behold our shield, O God;
look on the face of your anointed!

10 For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does he withhold
from those who walk uprightly.
12 O Lord of hosts,
blessed is the one who trusts in you!

<><

Matthew 18:12-14
12 What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.

Psalm 85: 8-13

Psalm 85:8-13

8 Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts. 9 Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.
10 Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. 11 Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky. 12 The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. 13 Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps.

1 Thessolonians 4: 1-12

1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

4 Finally, brothers and sisters, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus that, as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God (as, in fact, you are doing), you should do so more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from fornication; 4 that each one of you knows how to control your own body * in holiness and honour, 5 not with lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one wrongs or exploits a brother or sister in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, just as we have already told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7 For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever rejects this rejects not human authority but God, who also gives his Holy Spirit to you.

9 Now concerning love of the brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anyone write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another; 10 and indeed you do love all the brothers and sisters throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, beloved, to do so more and more, 11 to aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we directed you, 12 so that you may behave properly towards outsiders and be dependent on no one.

Matthew 15: 29-39 ~ The great mercy in Jesus

Sea of Galilee

Matthew 15: 29-39
29 Jesus went on from there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain and sat down there. 30 And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them, 31 so that the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.
32 Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.” 33 And the disciples said to him, “Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?” 34 And Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” 35 And directing the crowd to sit down on the ground, 36 he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 37 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 38 Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. 39 And after sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan.

2 Samuel 22, Psalm 118

Zion Gate - exterior of the Old City. King David is buried on the exterior about 150 meters from here

2 Samuel 22, Psalm 118 - Written by David.

v1 I will love you, LORD. In you I am strong.
v2 The LORD is my rock and my fortress. He gives me help. God is my rock. I run and hide in his shadow. He is my shield. He is the one that saves me. He is my high tower.
v3 The LORD is someone that I must praise. He will save me from my enemies.
v4 Death was all round me. God's enemies were following me.
v5 Sheol was tying me down. Death was catching me.
v6 In my trouble I prayed to the LORD. I shouted to my God for help. He heard my voice from his temple. My words went into his ears.
v7 So, the earth moved and shook. The foundations of the mountains shook. They moved because God was angry.
v8 Smoke rose from his nose. Burning fire came from his mouth. Burning coals shot out from him.
v9 God opened the heavens and came down. Dark clouds were under his feet.
v10 He sat on a cherub and he flew. God flew in the arms of the wind.
v11 God covered himself with darkness. He was in the dark waters and clouds in the skies.
v12 It was very bright where God was. Out of the clouds came hail and lightning.
v13 The LORD sent thunder from the heavens. People heard the voice of the Most High. There was hail and there was lightning.
v14 (The LORD) shot his arrows (of lightning). He made his enemies very frightened. He sent a lot of lightning and he beat his enemies.
v15 People saw how deep the sea was. They saw the foundations of the earth. This was because God blew on them through his nose.
v16 (The LORD) came down to me. He held me. He took me out from deep waters.
v17 He saved me from my powerful enemy. He saved me from people that hated me. They were too strong for me.
v18 It was a bad day for me when I met them. But the LORD gave me help.
v19 He led me out to a wide place. He saved me because he found pleasure in me.
v20 - v21 The LORD did this because: · I am righteous · my hands are clean · I obeyed the rules of the LORD · I did no evil · I did not turn away from God
v22 Really, all his rules are in front of me. I did not turn away from them
v23 I did nothing wrong before him. I did no sin.
v24 (The LORD) made me righteous. My hands are clean when he looks at me.
v25 To people that are kind, you (God) are kind. To people that do nothing wrong, you do nothing wrong.
v26 To people that are clean, you are clean. To people that turn away from you, you turn away from them.
v27 You will save humble people. You will not save people unless they are humble.
v28 LORD, you make my light burn brightly. My God is my light in the dark.
v29 Really, in you I run up to a troop (of soldiers). In my God I can jump over a wall.
v30 The way of God is perfect. The word of the LORD is true. He is a shield for everyone that hides in him.
v31 Because who is God? Only the LORD! Who is a rock? Only our God!
v32 It is in God that I am strong. He makes my way perfect.
v33 He makes my feet like the feet of a goat. I do not fall on the hills.
v34 He teaches my hands to fight. My arms can bend a metal bow.
v35 (God) you made me into a winner. You bent down (to earth). You made me great.
v36 You made me take long steps. My ankles did not turn.
v37 I ran after my enemies. I caught them. I did not turn back until I had killed them.
v38 I knocked them down. They did not get up again. They fell beneath my feet.
v39 You made me strong for fighting. You made my enemies bend in front of me.
v40 You gave their necks to me. I destroyed my enemies.
v41 They cried for help but nobody saved them. They cried to the LORD but he did not answer.
v42 I cut them into small pieces in the wind. I put them on the streets as sand.
v43 You saved me from the people that attacked me. You made me the leader of the nations. I even rule people that I do not know.
v44 When they hear about me they obey me. Foreign people are afraid of me.
v45 They will not fight me. They do not hide in their fortresses.
v46 The LORD is alive. Praise my Rock. Lift high the God that saves me.
v47 He is the God that fights for me. He makes the nations obey me.
v48 He saves me from my enemies. You lifted me above those enemies. You saved me from angry men.
v49 LORD, I will praise you in all the nations. I will praise your name with songs.
v50 (The LORD) will give his king great power. He will always show kindness to his Messiah, to David. He will show kindness to his children.

Psalm 122 ~ The house of the Lord

Garden of Gethsemane


Psalm 122
1 I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD."
2 Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together.
4 That is where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, to praise the name of the LORD according to the statute given to Israel.
5 There the thrones for judgment stand, the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May those who love you be secure.
7 May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels."
8 For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say, "Peace be within you."

The Olive Tree ~ It is interesting that the trees are claimed to go back to the time of Jesus. They could be the same olive trees at the time of Christ, but are reported by Josephus that the Romans tore down every tree during the invasion of Jerusalem in 70 AD. There are trees today - for new shoots come forth from apparently dead roots - that are actual horticultural studies show to be 1800 years old.

Olive trees can be a wild thing without cultivation, but after long, patient culturing, it becomes productive. It continues to be productive, with age ( which is a gift of the Holy Spirit) .
Olive oil was the substance of light in Israel. Olive lamps, provided, even in a darkened room, light. Not only all this, but the balming influence, the soothing, salving influence of oil, was well known. The olives had to be crushed with huge stones to bring the oil out.

Jesus prayed in this garden. This garden is a symbol of the Light of the World, seeking the Father before bringing forgiveness from sins. When the forgiveness of God was given, the temple building wasn't as important as being a temple ourselves for the Holy Spirit. The olive trees in Gethesemane today are symbolic of the the joy, the oil of gladness and the olive branch.

Psalm 132

The Tomb of King David, also, centuries later, in the same site the upper room was The Last Supper of Jesus Christ & His Disciples

Psalm 132
1 Remember, O LORD, in David's favor, all the hardships he endured; 2 how he swore to the LORD and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob, 3 "I will not enter my house or get into my bed; 4 I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, 5 until I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob." 6 Lo, we heard of it in Eph'rathah, we found it in the fields of Ja'ar. 7 "Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool!" 8 Arise, O LORD, and go to thy resting place, thou and the ark of thy might. 9 Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness, and let thy saints shout for joy. 10 For thy servant David's sake do not turn away the face of thy anointed one.
11 The LORD swore to David a sure oath from which he will not turn back: "One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne. 12 If your sons keep my covenant and my testimonies which I shall teach them, their sons also for ever shall sit upon your throne." 13 For the LORD has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his habitation: 14 "This is my resting place for ever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it. 15 I will abundantly bless her provisions; I will satisfy her poor with bread. 16 Her priests I will clothe with salvation, and her saints will shout for joy. 17 There I will make a horn to sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed. 18 His enemies I will clothe with shame, but upon himself his crown will shed its luster."

Psalm 128

Psalm 128 -

1 Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways.
2 You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table.
4 Thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD.
5 May the LORD bless you from Zion all the days of your life; may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem, 6 and may you live to see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel.

Psalm 120

Psalm 120
A thanksgiving, reporting divine rescue .
1 I call on the LORD in my distress, and he answers me.
2 Save me, O LORD, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues.
3 What will he do to you, and what more besides, O deceitful tongue?
4 He will punish you with a warrior's sharp arrows, with burning coals of the broom tree.
5 Woe to me that I dwell in Meshech, that I live among the tents of Kedar!
6 Too long have I lived among those who hate peace.
7 I am a man of peace; but when I speak, they are for war.

Psalm 104

Psalm 104
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, thou art very great! Thou art clothed with honor and majesty, 2 who coverest thyself with light as with a garment, who hast stretched out the heavens like a tent, 3 who hast laid the beams of thy chambers on the waters, who makest the clouds thy chariot, who ridest on the wings of the wind, 4 who makest the winds thy messengers, fire and flame thy ministers. 5 Thou didst set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be shaken. 6 Thou didst cover it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. 7 At thy rebuke they fled; at the sound of thy thunder they took to flight. 8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place which thou didst appoint for them. 9 Thou didst set a bound which they should not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth.
10 Thou makest springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills, 11 they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild asses quench their thirst. 12 By them the birds of the air have their habitation; they sing among the branches. 13 From thy lofty abode thou waterest the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy work. 14 Thou dost cause the grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth, 15 and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread to strengthen man's heart. 16 The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon which he planted. 17 In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees. 18 The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the badgers.
19 Thou hast made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting. 20 Thou makest darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep forth. 21 The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God. 22 When the sun rises, they get them away and lie down in their dens. 23 Man goes forth to his work and to his labor until the evening. 24 O LORD, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all; the earth is full of thy creatures. 25 Yonder is the sea, great and wide, which teems with things innumerable, living things both small and great. 26 There go the ships, and Leviathan which thou didst form to sport in it. 27 These all look to thee, to give them their food in due season. 28 When thou givest to them, they gather it up; when thou openest thy hand, they are filled with good things. 29 When thou hidest thy face, they are dismayed; when thou takest away their breath, they die and return to their dust. 30 When thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they are created; and thou renewest the face of the ground.
31 May the glory of the LORD endure for ever, may the LORD rejoice in his works, 32 who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke! 33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being. 34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD. 35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the LORD, O my soul! Praise the LORD!