Luke 1:35-45 ~ The Most High +

Fox News reports Chelsea Banton was healed as she was dying. Her mom, Collen Banton, and the nurse ran to get cell phones to record the Angel of Light. 

 The phones recorded the image. The Hospital security camera also caught this Angel of light from the hallway going into the hospital room. The Bible reports Angels are Messengers of Light.

Daniel 9:21
while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice.

Gabriel confronted Satan. He is an Archangel and is not going to be a weak character. He stands in the Presence of God Almighty.

Luke 1:35-45

35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 

37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 

38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 

41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. 

And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”



Dr. Albert Mehrabian, author of Silent Messages, conducted several studies on nonverbal communication. He found that 7% of any message is conveyed through words, 38% through certain vocal elements, and 55% through nonverbal elements - facial expressions, gestures, posture. We are not privileged to hear the Word of God. Yet Father Almighty God is able to give us insight to the Word of God as we look closely.

The Word of God is written by - The Most High. We shall live by every Word of God.


 


Mary tells us about her family. Another very true story. Very real. Not sweet, not perfect.  The Bible is gracious. We see Elizabeth encouraging.

Only the Talmud of the Time of Jesus Christ tells us her father's name is Heli. The Bible does not link the family together with wonderful stories (other than a sister of Mary's is with her at Jesus' death), yet we learn about her family. Mary is told not to fear this news. And yet the Passage records, " Mary arose and went with haste".   And "into the hill country, to a town in Judah" this could be 70 miles from Nazareth. No one accompanies Mary. She goes alone. Mary stays 1,2,3 months.

 


When Mary gets to the town in Judah,  Zechariah - does not show up to greet her. Jesus, remember with me, tells us about hospitality and is point blank - up front -  with what is required for hospitality of a mere guest. Evidently Zechariah is a lot about, thinks about, goes about, doesn't go about - being about - himself.  An "I am me" attitude.

Anointing a Guest  - Anointing the head with oil- an ancient custom among nations of the East. Olive oil alone was often used, but sometimes it was mixed with spices. Simon the Pharisee was accused of lack of hospitality for failure to anoint Jesus (Luke 7:46). This indicates the custom is common in the Gospel accounts. Travelers discover this practice of anointing still exists in some quarters. Suggestions are the feet being anointed occurs to get dust off of the feet and prevent feet cracking. A tonic for sun. And hydration.

Maybe Zechariah was busy? Probably not. He is a Priest and a voice is needed. He is going to be mostly "off duty".  A traveler from far away is a time of celebration. Elizabeth knows what is going on. This is not a surprise. And if we are as gracious as Elizabeth, in this family story of verse 36, we see no overt gracious hospitality from her husband.

 





Gabriel has been portrayed in recent movies as having a grudge against mankind. And we have Mary pleasing Gabriel with her willingness to be His Servant. Yesterday we read:

Revelation 22:3
His servants will serve him.

Mary is headed to what John records as high honors to serve the Lord. And God has blessed her with the timing to go second in seeing and hearing the Archangel of the Lord. Heads up!

Gabriel has ascertained in Zechariah an unwillingness to receive an Angel of God with Faith. A priest who did not grab hold of the altar horns - a place of safety - right at hand. (Perhaps... this is from demanding a child for many years as a favor of God for his own righteousness and anger? Maybe.)


My bets are on Gabriel being correct as to the placement of Zechariah's heart.

 



Then Zechariah, 
by Elizabeth's reaction, depicts he is unwilling to receive someone meeting an - - - Archangel??? The very same one? And he realizes she has traveled 70 miles 'in haste' and  probably alone. Are you miffed with Zechariah, yet?!   And here is this priest being held closely in Father God's plan for salvation - And where is Zechariah's gratitude level??? Amazing.

Mary must want to stay rather zealously - away from Nazareth.  Ok... we will give Zechariah points for Mary staying for 3 months. And no points for zero Biblical messages that Zechariah made signs of - anything - to the Mother of God.



 

This total non-communicating, evasive, demanding, too quiet Zechariah - well - God decided to forget Zechariah?

We will not write off Zechariah. Instead seeing all of the New Testament is a Testament to the struggles of Christians to attain and sustain loving each other. The Bible is real.

The Overwhelming, Pervasive, Steadfast, Wondrous Love of God. Loudly and with trumpets? No, Jesus never healed this way - often. Heals Zechariah. For? Doing like Joseph - reacting to God with obedience. Now. Don't you like Joseph better? God seems to have a knack for people.  Yet, because Zechariah has this in him - he was going to turn to the Lord God Almighty and eloquently, fervently, thoroughly, with joyful abandon - exclaim - proclaim and become exuberant - over the Mercy, Love and Wonder of God's Unfailing Love.







 

Luke 1 - an entire Chapter of God's Willingness, as a Father -  from the Creation of the Light of the World - Jesus!  God who sees inside each of us and finds JOY, LOVE, MERCY. Giving us HIS Mighty Acts of Encouragement.


67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,

68“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people
69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71 that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;

72 to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
74 that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,

75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

76And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,

78 because of the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high

79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”






Father God,

You are our Rock. Our Redeemer. In You, we have Abundant Life. Praise God from Whom ALL Blessings Flow.

Thank You Jesus. For the care and love given to me and to my loved ones.

Rock on Father God  Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Zechariah 8:1-12 ~ The Word of the Lord of hosts came, saying, +

I see a new Heaven from an old earth. Glimpses of a mirror darkly. Living Parables.

Zechariah 8:1-12

1 And the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying, 2“Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath.

3 Thus says the Lord: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, the holy mountain.

4 Thus says the Lord of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of great age. 5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.

6 Thus says the Lord of hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, declares the Lord of hosts?

7 Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country, 8and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.”

9 Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Let your hands be strong, you who in these days have been hearing these words from the mouth of the prophets who were present on the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.

10 For before those days there was no wage for man or any wage for beast, neither was there any safety from the foe for him who went out or came in, for I set every man against his neighbor.

11 But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, declares the Lord of hosts.

12 For there shall be a sowing of peace. The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.




Yesterday we spoke of the Work of God our Father and in Heaven.

Would it ever please a very vast, wondrous and Amazing God if all His Children celebrated and enjoyed Abundant Life equally?

Doesn't our heart rejoice in the variations of climate, archaeology, and fierce wonders of this world?

6 Should it also be marvelous in my sight, declares the Lord of hosts?

7 Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will save my people



Some will be old, some young. God Himself will decide.

Revelation 22:3
His servants will serve him


Some will labor, some will rest.

Hebrews 4

9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.

11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Jesus describes the Body of Christ being made up of people. All different, all part of the Body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12.

14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.



Father God,

Your Love for us is as high as the Heavens.

Romans 5:8
God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

We can have all hopes of Heaven in Jesus.

Romans 12:9
Let love be genuine. Hold fast to what is good.


For all of this goodness, Father.

We shall love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind.

And we will be close to the Kingdom of Heaven, our prayers enter the 12 open Gates. And we will see the river of Life flowing from His Throne, where Love, Righteousness, Mercy and Justice are held forth in His Splendor of Holiness.

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice!

Let the sea roar, and all that fills it!
let the field exult, and everything in it!

Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord !

Our LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; 7 who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin. For HE has so loved the world, our Father gave His Jesus, that we believes in Jesus, should not perish but have eternal life.

Amen in Jesus.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Matthew 9:1-13 ~ And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold

Matthew 9:1-13

And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. 2 And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. 

And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” 

3 And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” 

4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 

7 And he rose and went home. 

8 When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 

11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Jesus was eating a meal. And we know this house probably had a man-sized sky light.


But if someone needed Jesus... then.

If Jesus had been called from the house, in need. He was known to do that. Jesus was interrupted constantly. And His Ministry called Jesus to go.

Imagine, not even eating a meal.



Colossians 3:14
Love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
Jesus put His own life down all the time. For an example, coming down from the Mountain - seeing Peter and John meet Moses and Elijah. The return from this was not pleasant - Jesus met the Disciples squabbling. Needs were unmet. And Jesus dealt with this perfectly. As God.





Jesus saw this in Himself with His people:

1 Peter 4:8
Above all. Keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.



And this is what Jesus displayed:

1 John 4:18
No fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear



Who was this, the Jesus crowd?

Matthew, the ill, and .... sinners. God always works with sinners. Alleluia.



Why would Jesus do this? What is the motivation of God?

God sees us fully. And His reaction is to Give Life, Joy and Love of Relationship into Eternity... Where Jesus is - there is Joy.

Father God,

Jesus is our Savior, and has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the Kingdom of Your beloved Son.

Because of Jesus we have redemption, forgiveness of sins.

The warmth and heart of Jesus - the Joy and Kindness of Jesus is the image of the invisible God,

Jesus is before all things, and in Jesus all things hold together. Jesus is preeminent.

For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

Jesus is the Ministry of Reconciliation. To reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.

Because of Your Son Jesus we are able to be presented as holy and blameless and above reproach before God.

In Father God, indeed we will continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the Gospel.

Jesus our Steadfast God. Alleluia. Thank You, Father God. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Luke 2:8-11 ~ “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord"

Luke 2:8-11

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9

And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.

10 And the angel said to them,

“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord"





If you've experienced a child passing on to Heaven, you are aware - you would far rather remember LIFE. And if the sacrifice was Noble - then this is spoken of in correlation to Life. Peter defines Jesus as the Word of LIFE.

Adam began with the charge to, "subdue the earth." To garden and cultivate in his path, making the most of what was available to him.

As relationship with God goes forth in Scripture, the charge became to shepherd. In making the most of the Way, Life and Truth of Jesus - to seek conversation with Father God. As the Scriptures continue, we see, to have conversation with Him at all times.


David began with an obligation to shepherd his family herd. He used this time to speak with His Lord.

And like the Blessings of 7 loaves becoming the Abundance of God Blessing, the remnants are 7 baskets of from Living Bread.


David took the Kingdom of Israel literally under his wing. Many came to David in His victories which included slowly taking up the nation in fragments at first. One of David's first battles was to claim, the lands of the Tribe of Judah which had not become Israel until David's anointing was coming into fulfillment.

Just as the loaves and fishes- the fulfilling of God's Word:

This is the foreshadowing of Jesus, greater than Adam and greater than Moses, servant of God.


Hebrews 11:24
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter.


Jesus did this as well Palm Sunday.


Mark 11:11
And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.


Giving thought to the graciousness of our borders. Fully understanding the 2nd Amendment of the safety of our refugees. Numbers 6, one of the Largest Blessings of the Bible, asks for the Graciousness of God to cover us. Even in the Exodus Joshua was told to be in the center of the Vast Attributes of God.

Telling us of the forward call of the Church in peace. And in the comfort of the Word of God and in the direction and leadership of His Blessing of His Creation: This is our call as a Nation.


Matthew 28:19
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Father God,

There is a separation of Church and State in this Nation celebrating Freedom. Father God, You, have taught us exactly how to do this. Be in the world and not of the world.

We are the seeds of Living Parables. Our lives, words and actions may be the only Scripture another Person ever witnesses. Our words might be the only kindness this Person hears all week.

The Spirit is God is recognized by this. Love, Joy, Peace, Encouragement, Scripture Living Words, Hope, Faith, Endurance, Character, Perseverance, Steadfast Love. The True Nobility of mankind know Father God in Jesus Christ. He who is noble, plans noble things, and on noble things he stands.


Striving side by side for the faith of the Gospel! 

Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and make good profession of Jesus as Lord.

In all circumstances, take up the shield of faith, with which you will extinguish all the flaming darts of darkness.

We Live abundantly working, seeing, proclaiming the very goodness of God.
Thanking God for the sisters and brothers beloved by the Lord.
Living in the Fruit of His Love.

Seeing the Genuineness of Love.
This is the heart of the Gospel.
Stand firm and hold to the Joy of Jesus Christ.

Father God, be our Help and direct, guide, lead each of us Shine
with the Light of Jesus Christ in all mankind
and we shall see goodness in this land -
and in the renewing of seeing the God we will recognize
in the Land of the Living,
Blessing God in Whom We Trust.

Now may our Jesus, Himself,
and God, our Father,
they love us and give us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,
comfort our hearts
and establish us in every good work and Word.

Live in us Lord Jesus! Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

2 Chronicles 30 ~ yield yourselves to the Lord

Passover in Israel - 50,000 people attend at the Western Wall

Renewal, new Success. A Nation in Joy.

2 Chronicles 30

1 Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem to keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel. 2 For the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem had taken counsel to keep the Passover in the second month— 3 for they could not keep it at that time because the priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient number, nor had the people assembled in Jerusalem— 4 and the plan seemed right to the king and all the assembly.  

5 So they decreed to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that the people should come and keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem, for they had not kept it as often as prescribed.

6 So couriers went throughout all Israel and Judah with letters from the king and his princes, as the king had commanded, saying, “O people of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may turn again to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. 7 Do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were faithless to the Lord God of their fathers, so that he made them a desolation, as you see. 8 Do not now be stiff-necked as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the Lord and come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever, and serve the Lord your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you.

9 For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your children will find compassion with their captors and return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him.”

10 So the couriers went from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but they laughed them to scorn and mocked them. 11 However, some men of Asher, of Manasseh, and of Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.

12 The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of the Lord.

13 And many people came together in Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month, a very great assembly. 14 They set to work and removed the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for burning incense they took away and threw into the Kidron Valley. 15 And they slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. And the priests and the Levites were ashamed, so that they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings into the house of the Lord. 16 They took their accustomed posts according to the Law of Moses the man of God. The priests threw the blood that they received from the hand of the Levites. 17 For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves. Therefore the Levites had to slaughter the Passover lamb for everyone who was not clean, to consecrate it to the Lord.

 18 For a majority of the people, many of them from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than as prescribed. 

For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying,
“May the good Lord pardon everyone 19 who sets his heart to seek God, the Lord, the God of his fathers, even though not according to the sanctuary's rules of cleanness.” [not according to the cleanness of holiness]  

20 And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people. 21 And the people of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great gladness, and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with all their might [with instruments of might] to the Lord.  

22 And Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good skill in the service of the Lord. So they ate the food of the festival for seven days, sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the Lord, the God of their fathers.

23 Then the whole assembly agreed together to keep the feast for another seven days. So they kept it for another seven days with gladness. 24 For Hezekiah king of Judah gave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep for offerings, and the princes gave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep. And the priests consecrated themselves in great numbers.

 25 The whole assembly of Judah, and the priests and the Levites, and the whole assembly that came out of Israel, and the sojourners who came out of the land of Israel, and the sojourners who lived in Judah, rejoiced. 26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem. 27 Then the priests and the Levites arose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard, and their prayer came to his holy habitation in heaven.

Passover in the country of Israel, in Jerusalem, at the Wailing Wall.


Deuteronomy 6:4-6
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.

Imagine your parents, grandparents or great-grandparents being told the country of Israel was to be reformed after World War II. They would be incredulous. We live in an amazing time.

Ecclesiastes 1:9 9

 What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.

Even Israel has been reformed from exiles flung all around the world before.

We are told in Jesus Christ we are grafted into God's family by adoption. Israel fought the countries surrounding them for generations:




Perhaps if we were to honor and love the Lord more, we would have more of the peace Hezekiah miraculously found even as the Assyrian Empire chose not to enter into Judea. Peace in the face of danger.




Father God,

We ask Your Hand and Your Heart turn to us. That our prayers may align with Your Will. And in that agreement, our loved ones, our dearly held people will rejoice seeing the Wonders of God. In expectations, we open our hands and pray with Jesus.

Thank You, You hear us, Father God. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †