christian rebuking is something that you will have to face in your journey with GOD. if you aren't backing it with scripture and you are just plain, outright being judgemental and selfish. then you are being mean and hurtful. this one is a hard one, because individuals will see it as an attack sometimes, or they will learn from it. i have said this before that scripture is offensive, and we must own our words and actions. if you are speaking about the christian life, but aren't living that life then you are open for rebuking when you ask for guidance, or a trusted individual in life gives you that.
when hurtful things happen to us we usually can only see our side. we don't take the time to put ourselves in another's shoes. i have been called bitter, angry and unhappy with my life. i'm not unhappy with my life, i'm unhappy with situations in my life. there is difference. for most of us we aren't unhappy with the way our life is going, we're just upset by the circumstances that have unfolded around us. it's all apart of the cycles that we go through. their will be months in your life where nothing tests you, and then bam out of no where a test or trial comes our way.
i go to a few friends, or pastors more for guidance then i do my parents now. it's not that i don't trust my parents judgement it's just if it is something about my marriage they don't need to know. they will only see my side and that is a dishonor to my husband. the other problem of course is whether i say something or not to them they know when i am hurting.
paul was a master at rebuking. i don't mean that in a bad way. he just knew what others were to be doing because GOD had told him what they should be doing. i have had to humbly admit when i was wrong in a situation and try to learn from that. when i was in my teens and twenties i would say whatever even more than i do now. which is amazing if you think about it for those of you that know me. my husband has had to make sure i hold my tongue. i am quite grateful that he has done this over the years. i still can put my foot in my mouth, but he has saved me numerous times from causing damage.
a situation occurred a little over a month ago where i put my foot in my mouth and said aloud my judgements about another. i judged everything about this individual and the choices they had made, because i was deeply hurt by them. it's not my life; i had no right do that. i turned my hurt and anger around onto this individual and attacked them verbally. i was rebuked by my husband and he made me see what i had done. i apologized because i knew i was wrong about what i had done. this should have been the end of it.
i have thought about how to handle this and sought guidance from much wiser individuals and scripture. the written words that followed were not true about by my character and they were done to hurt me intentionally. i had caused this person great pain in this situation, but this person also caused me great pain. we were both wrong. i forgive this person because GOD has told me to. i confessed my sin to HIM and to others, now i'm doing it here. if i am to live a christian life then i must learn to forgive.
what we do on this earth and the choices we make will affect our journey to eternal life in heaven. that is not a lie. if we are not seeking guidance from scripture or seeking repentance for our sins, we may not make it to heaven. GOD does not give wiggle room. we all must take accountability and humility for our words and actions.
"We usually think of a rebuke as a bad thing, but when it's used in love to put somebody on the correct path, it can be a blessing to them." 2 timothy 4:2
"When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom." proverbs 11:2
Thursday, December 30, 2010
mind games the devil plays
for years i have tried to read "the screwtape letters" by c.s. lewis. i have started reading it over and over again, but can never finish because i know that it is the mind game that the devil plays with each of us. i didn't always believe that he could so easily penetrate your life, but he can and will always try to find a door to slip through.
the games he plays with your mind and heart can destroy you if you're not careful. the way he always gets me is to feed on my insecurities and low self-esteem. i am quite an emotional person by nature. my heart breaks very easily. i used to be much better at putting a wall up around myself that was hard to break, not always, but most of the time. now that i have let GOD in the devil is trying harder to get in and since i have been writing this blog he is constantly at my door knocking.
the misconception that most christians believe is that if they sin they will be forgiven. you have to confess your sin and then try you damnedest not to do it again. that is hard, because some things are hard to stop. anger is probably his greatest ally. when you are angry about something he feeds on it and makes you fester about it. in our anger we sometimes become something we're not and lash out. i have failed at this many, many times. i have a terrible temper.
yesterday, a dear friend emailed me beautiful affirmation about myself and in only my way i had a very hard time believing it. they are beautiful compliments about who i am as a person and a friend. for the last couple of months i have been put through some of the hardest tests that i have had to face in my life; some in my control and some out of my control. i didn't handle the stress of some of them very well and i got sick with all of them combined. GOD JUST PULLED ME RIGHT BACK TO HIM! HE is pulling me deeper into HIS words and what i need to learn from them, but the devil is playing his game much harder now.
spiritual warfare goes on all day, everyday if we don't know how to fight it. we must be aware of what is going on inside us and let GOD take over to flow freely to help us. age plays a big role in it. i can see things differently than i did 10, 15, or 20 years ago when my mind was still growing to maturity. when we continually seek wisdom and discernment from GOD it may take HIM a while to show you the error of your ways, or what that trial is about over the long term but HE will show you the greater picture.
with that said GOD will show you where you were right also. if you are following his rules to best of your ability then you are right. GOD knows your not perfect, but HE also knows that you are capable of following HIS laws the best way you can.
over the last few weeks i have been reading and studying mostly about paul. his letters and teachings to the churches that GOD instructed him to write were by far in my opinion one of the greatest gifts to the new testament. paul was favored as most of you know by GOD, but at one time he was a murderer of christians. GOD knew his spiritual gifts and HE made sure to pull him back to HIM, so that he would become one of the greatest apostles that world has known.
the devil is betting on each one of us right now to fail to go to GOD. with all the anger in the world he is winning whether you believe that or not. we are losing hope in GOD as a nation, but we are also allowing it. when i continue to let my insecurities take over he is winning in me. it scares me that i would allow that to happen. we all have fight in us. we all have great strength. we just have to use GOD's words and rules to fight. don't ever let someone tell you that you are not a worthy person - GOD thinks your worthy when you follow HIM and that is all that matters.
"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." james 4:7
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33
the games he plays with your mind and heart can destroy you if you're not careful. the way he always gets me is to feed on my insecurities and low self-esteem. i am quite an emotional person by nature. my heart breaks very easily. i used to be much better at putting a wall up around myself that was hard to break, not always, but most of the time. now that i have let GOD in the devil is trying harder to get in and since i have been writing this blog he is constantly at my door knocking.
the misconception that most christians believe is that if they sin they will be forgiven. you have to confess your sin and then try you damnedest not to do it again. that is hard, because some things are hard to stop. anger is probably his greatest ally. when you are angry about something he feeds on it and makes you fester about it. in our anger we sometimes become something we're not and lash out. i have failed at this many, many times. i have a terrible temper.
yesterday, a dear friend emailed me beautiful affirmation about myself and in only my way i had a very hard time believing it. they are beautiful compliments about who i am as a person and a friend. for the last couple of months i have been put through some of the hardest tests that i have had to face in my life; some in my control and some out of my control. i didn't handle the stress of some of them very well and i got sick with all of them combined. GOD JUST PULLED ME RIGHT BACK TO HIM! HE is pulling me deeper into HIS words and what i need to learn from them, but the devil is playing his game much harder now.
spiritual warfare goes on all day, everyday if we don't know how to fight it. we must be aware of what is going on inside us and let GOD take over to flow freely to help us. age plays a big role in it. i can see things differently than i did 10, 15, or 20 years ago when my mind was still growing to maturity. when we continually seek wisdom and discernment from GOD it may take HIM a while to show you the error of your ways, or what that trial is about over the long term but HE will show you the greater picture.
with that said GOD will show you where you were right also. if you are following his rules to best of your ability then you are right. GOD knows your not perfect, but HE also knows that you are capable of following HIS laws the best way you can.
over the last few weeks i have been reading and studying mostly about paul. his letters and teachings to the churches that GOD instructed him to write were by far in my opinion one of the greatest gifts to the new testament. paul was favored as most of you know by GOD, but at one time he was a murderer of christians. GOD knew his spiritual gifts and HE made sure to pull him back to HIM, so that he would become one of the greatest apostles that world has known.
the devil is betting on each one of us right now to fail to go to GOD. with all the anger in the world he is winning whether you believe that or not. we are losing hope in GOD as a nation, but we are also allowing it. when i continue to let my insecurities take over he is winning in me. it scares me that i would allow that to happen. we all have fight in us. we all have great strength. we just have to use GOD's words and rules to fight. don't ever let someone tell you that you are not a worthy person - GOD thinks your worthy when you follow HIM and that is all that matters.
"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." james 4:7
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
GOD told us and tells us to forgive
forgiveness is a hard one. individuals harbor their resentment on how someone has hurt them, or wronged them in their lives. it is probably one of the hardest acts to do in human nature. for most of us, including me, it is sometimes hard to move forward and forgive. GOD told us and tells us that we must forgive, or HE will not forgive us.
the grace of forgiving someone that has wronged you has got to be a struggle. some things are easily forgivable, others are not. i just got done reading a book that really spoke to my heart about forgiving and what that means. this family went through horrific events done to them by a church member and a church member's husband. the surviving family members had to forgive, because GOD told them to and this family's faith is what pulled them through.
we usually want instant forgiveness from the person we have wronged, but that isn't going always to be the case. sometimes we will never get an apology for a wrong that was done to us. the paradox of course is that it usually takes two to create a bad situation to begin with, so you have to look into your hearts and see what you have done wrong also. most individuals don't want to do that, because then they would have to admit their failings. GOD doesn't work that way i have found out through years of studying and seeking wisdom from HIM.
being the bigger person, or just setting aside your pride is something that HE will tell you over and over again to do. growing in HIM isn't just about learning HIS words, it's how you execute those words in your life and by example. a trap you fall into sometimes is that you may know scripture down to the last word and if you use that against someone, you better know your own failures because GOD will hold you accountable for that. when HE says love your enemies as you would yourself HE means that. all of us have demons we just have to be able to recognize that about ourselves before we judge another, so we can learn to forgive another.
i recently read on revive our hearts.com that you can have checklist about what GOD has taught you and if you have executed that throughout the day. it asked the question "did you bring GLORY to GOD today by your actions?" that doesn't just mean if you were pure in your actions, it's how you treated another. it's how you wrote about another. it's how you thought about another. it's about what you gave to another that day.
some of us in our pride will never be able to forgive. i ask you the question then "how can you ask for GOD's forgiveness and grace?" in all HIS glory HE still will not forgive you for it. we have been taught that GOD forgives all and gives grace for all things, but that's not true. you MUST learn to forgive and give grace. you MUST learn to set aside your pride. you MUST do it because HE commands you to - there is no wiggle room.
"43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[i] and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." matthew 5:43-48
"9 This, then, is how you should pray:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,[a]
but deliver us from the evil one.[b]
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." matthew 6:9-15
the grace of forgiving someone that has wronged you has got to be a struggle. some things are easily forgivable, others are not. i just got done reading a book that really spoke to my heart about forgiving and what that means. this family went through horrific events done to them by a church member and a church member's husband. the surviving family members had to forgive, because GOD told them to and this family's faith is what pulled them through.
we usually want instant forgiveness from the person we have wronged, but that isn't going always to be the case. sometimes we will never get an apology for a wrong that was done to us. the paradox of course is that it usually takes two to create a bad situation to begin with, so you have to look into your hearts and see what you have done wrong also. most individuals don't want to do that, because then they would have to admit their failings. GOD doesn't work that way i have found out through years of studying and seeking wisdom from HIM.
being the bigger person, or just setting aside your pride is something that HE will tell you over and over again to do. growing in HIM isn't just about learning HIS words, it's how you execute those words in your life and by example. a trap you fall into sometimes is that you may know scripture down to the last word and if you use that against someone, you better know your own failures because GOD will hold you accountable for that. when HE says love your enemies as you would yourself HE means that. all of us have demons we just have to be able to recognize that about ourselves before we judge another, so we can learn to forgive another.
i recently read on revive our hearts.com that you can have checklist about what GOD has taught you and if you have executed that throughout the day. it asked the question "did you bring GLORY to GOD today by your actions?" that doesn't just mean if you were pure in your actions, it's how you treated another. it's how you wrote about another. it's how you thought about another. it's about what you gave to another that day.
some of us in our pride will never be able to forgive. i ask you the question then "how can you ask for GOD's forgiveness and grace?" in all HIS glory HE still will not forgive you for it. we have been taught that GOD forgives all and gives grace for all things, but that's not true. you MUST learn to forgive and give grace. you MUST learn to set aside your pride. you MUST do it because HE commands you to - there is no wiggle room.
"43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[i] and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." matthew 5:43-48
"9 This, then, is how you should pray:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,[a]
but deliver us from the evil one.[b]
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." matthew 6:9-15
Monday, December 27, 2010
a poem
this poem was written by ramona nichols. the book that it comes from is "the devil in pew number seven" written by her daughter, rebecca nichols alonso. the story of their lives is an incredible journey of faith and forgiveness.
"has the meditation of my heart been acceptable to my LORD, or have the words of my mouth caused some soul to go astray?
have i shed enough tears to wash my SAVIOR'S feet, or is my hair long enough to dry them with?
have i pointed HIM to the world with judas's finger, and lost my love for HIM because of gold?
have i forsaken all to follow HIM the last mile, or do i prefer the mob that scorned HIM?
could i have watched HIS blood trickle down the stones without a guilty conscience, or stood in silence from of man?
did i hold the nail they pierced HIM with, or did the thorns pain HIM with my sins?
do i, as peter, deny that i ever knew HIM by not confessing HIM to my friends?
do i love my brothers and sisters enough that i would lay down my own life for them, or do i love HIM enough to introduce my SAVIOR to a lost world?
oh LORD, may i be aware daily of thy sufferings for me, for i am not worthy of cavalry.
"has the meditation of my heart been acceptable to my LORD, or have the words of my mouth caused some soul to go astray?
have i shed enough tears to wash my SAVIOR'S feet, or is my hair long enough to dry them with?
have i pointed HIM to the world with judas's finger, and lost my love for HIM because of gold?
have i forsaken all to follow HIM the last mile, or do i prefer the mob that scorned HIM?
could i have watched HIS blood trickle down the stones without a guilty conscience, or stood in silence from of man?
did i hold the nail they pierced HIM with, or did the thorns pain HIM with my sins?
do i, as peter, deny that i ever knew HIM by not confessing HIM to my friends?
do i love my brothers and sisters enough that i would lay down my own life for them, or do i love HIM enough to introduce my SAVIOR to a lost world?
oh LORD, may i be aware daily of thy sufferings for me, for i am not worthy of cavalry.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
definitions
i have been thinking about the sisters martha and mary. my first bible study was the book "having a mary heart in a martha world" and their story blessed my heart. i have gone back to this book and these verses trying to remember what i should learn from them today's world. men and women today put too much pressure on themselves to be more physically and emotionally than what GOD created them for.
first of all this christmas was the first time in a long time that i did not get everything done that i wanted to. this was also the first time that i didn't apologize for it. it feels pretty good. maybe people noticed, or maybe they didn't. it doesn't matter. we make the choices that stress us out - no one else does. i started thinking about the term that i hear most often from women and that is "i have been so busy." i am starting to wonder if we are choosing that instead of actually putting what's first, first.
women are powerhouses. we work; inside the home and outside the home. we are wives. we are mothers. we are shoppers. we are chauffers. we are everything. men over the years have started to put these roles on as well. we have told them they have to, because we do. it's interesting when you think about it though most men in the bible did not have the woman's role. GOD clearly defined roles for men and women, but somewhere a long the road in the journey of the world women decided that men should be doing what women do.....why? WE HAVE BASICALLY SAID GOD WAS WRONG!
women are notorious complainers. we ask men to do something and then complain about the way it was done. then why ask? in our household due to my illness, i have to ask my husband to do some things that normally i would do...guess what i complain about it afterwards! no wonder he doesn't want to do it. i am realizing as i a get older and study the bible more that he will do it differently than me and in his time frame. why is that wrong? it's not, it's just that society has told me since the time of my birth that it was wrong. we have totally confused our roles. i think that my grandmother was right when she said "women decided to be men and that is what is wrong with the world."
we can't have it both ways. it is a MYTH that we can. if GOD wanted us to be the same, HE would have made us the same. can you imagine if you stopped thinking that way how much pressure you would relieve from yourself physically and emotionally? there are things that i can do better than my husband and there are things that he can do better than me. for the first time in our marriage it is ok that we do not do it the same way. when you do something that is against your nature, it's only going to stress you out more.
stop getting pissed (sorry for the word, needed emphasis!) about what the other isn't doing in your mind and just let them do what they can do. we are making the choice to be this way - no one else. GOD didn't tell us to be this way and if you are HIS child then listen to what HE is saying to you.
38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[f] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
first of all this christmas was the first time in a long time that i did not get everything done that i wanted to. this was also the first time that i didn't apologize for it. it feels pretty good. maybe people noticed, or maybe they didn't. it doesn't matter. we make the choices that stress us out - no one else does. i started thinking about the term that i hear most often from women and that is "i have been so busy." i am starting to wonder if we are choosing that instead of actually putting what's first, first.
women are powerhouses. we work; inside the home and outside the home. we are wives. we are mothers. we are shoppers. we are chauffers. we are everything. men over the years have started to put these roles on as well. we have told them they have to, because we do. it's interesting when you think about it though most men in the bible did not have the woman's role. GOD clearly defined roles for men and women, but somewhere a long the road in the journey of the world women decided that men should be doing what women do.....why? WE HAVE BASICALLY SAID GOD WAS WRONG!
women are notorious complainers. we ask men to do something and then complain about the way it was done. then why ask? in our household due to my illness, i have to ask my husband to do some things that normally i would do...guess what i complain about it afterwards! no wonder he doesn't want to do it. i am realizing as i a get older and study the bible more that he will do it differently than me and in his time frame. why is that wrong? it's not, it's just that society has told me since the time of my birth that it was wrong. we have totally confused our roles. i think that my grandmother was right when she said "women decided to be men and that is what is wrong with the world."
we can't have it both ways. it is a MYTH that we can. if GOD wanted us to be the same, HE would have made us the same. can you imagine if you stopped thinking that way how much pressure you would relieve from yourself physically and emotionally? there are things that i can do better than my husband and there are things that he can do better than me. for the first time in our marriage it is ok that we do not do it the same way. when you do something that is against your nature, it's only going to stress you out more.
stop getting pissed (sorry for the word, needed emphasis!) about what the other isn't doing in your mind and just let them do what they can do. we are making the choice to be this way - no one else. GOD didn't tell us to be this way and if you are HIS child then listen to what HE is saying to you.
38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[f] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Friday, December 24, 2010
one nation under GOD
a story that would normally make me angry, made me sad. when a class of students were sent home a permission to say the pledge of allegiance in class my heart broke with what this country has become. with christmas coming and the true meaning of what that day is i have no idea what our future will hold. i am confused really at why it is become so offensive to some to worship such a beautiful GOD.
at the beginning of my journey i still knew where we came from and what this country believed at the start of it no matter where my faith stood. why in the world did we lose that? i think about those that are celebrating christmas, but say they don't believe in JESUS CHRIST. why are you celebrating then? christmas is the day where we pour our hearts out in joy over the birth of the HEAVENLY FATHER that saved us from ourselves. christmas is about what we give to others that we love and cherish. we learned from GOD that we were to give.
in the coming year i hope that this country returns to something simpler and meaningful. i hope that we learn the value of humility and give up our pride. i pray that we become the nation that we once were and give up our idols. i pray that we return to HIM on bended knee and beg forgiveness for what we have done. it doesn't matter what political views you have, if GOD isn't first then none of that will matter. we can't fix anything if we don't learn from HIS WORDS.
we as a world were given the greatest GIFT by the birth of HIS SON and the death of HIS SON; please don't take that for granted. in the grand scheme of things, it won't be GOD that destroys us, it will be us if we make that choice. i pray for those that don't understand what they are giving up by not accepting HIM into there hearts. it shouldn't be about what you think you are going to lose by doing it, it's about what you will gain by letting HIM in.
let HIM flow freely in your veins, let HIM conquer your hardened hearts, and most of all let HIM show you HIS grace.
"may the GOD of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in HIM, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of THE HOLY SPIRIT." romans 15:13
at the beginning of my journey i still knew where we came from and what this country believed at the start of it no matter where my faith stood. why in the world did we lose that? i think about those that are celebrating christmas, but say they don't believe in JESUS CHRIST. why are you celebrating then? christmas is the day where we pour our hearts out in joy over the birth of the HEAVENLY FATHER that saved us from ourselves. christmas is about what we give to others that we love and cherish. we learned from GOD that we were to give.
in the coming year i hope that this country returns to something simpler and meaningful. i hope that we learn the value of humility and give up our pride. i pray that we become the nation that we once were and give up our idols. i pray that we return to HIM on bended knee and beg forgiveness for what we have done. it doesn't matter what political views you have, if GOD isn't first then none of that will matter. we can't fix anything if we don't learn from HIS WORDS.
we as a world were given the greatest GIFT by the birth of HIS SON and the death of HIS SON; please don't take that for granted. in the grand scheme of things, it won't be GOD that destroys us, it will be us if we make that choice. i pray for those that don't understand what they are giving up by not accepting HIM into there hearts. it shouldn't be about what you think you are going to lose by doing it, it's about what you will gain by letting HIM in.
let HIM flow freely in your veins, let HIM conquer your hardened hearts, and most of all let HIM show you HIS grace.
"may the GOD of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in HIM, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of THE HOLY SPIRIT." romans 15:13
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
mary - the mother of CHRIST
recently i purchased a book of GOD'S promises for women. there is a section that talks about dynamic women of faith. there are 3 scriptures they have included for mary that are beautiful. what a courageous woman that GOD chose to bear HIS son. i can't even imagine what she went through giving birth to HIM and knowing that one day HE would die for us.
"The Birth of Jesus Foretold
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[b] the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her." luke 1:26-31
"25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman,[b] here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home." john 25-27
"Mary’s Song
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,
just as he promised our ancestors.”
luke 1:46-55
"The Birth of Jesus Foretold
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[b] the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her." luke 1:26-31
"25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman,[b] here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home." john 25-27
"Mary’s Song
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,
just as he promised our ancestors.”
luke 1:46-55
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