Tuesday, March 12, 2024

I AM A MERCIFUL AND FAITHFUL GOD, I ANSWER ALL PRAYERS.

IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME I WILL ANSWER YOU.

"Thus says the LORD:

In a time of favor I answer you,

on the day of salvation I help you;

"and I have kept you and given you as a covenant to the people,

To restore the land

and allot the desolate heritages,

"Saying to the prisoners: Come out!

To those in darkness: Show yourselves!

"Along the ways they shall find pasture,

on every bare height shall their pastures be.

They shall not hunger or thirst,

nor shall the scorching wind or the sun strike them;

"For he who pities them leads them

and guides them beside springs of water.

I will cut a road through all my mountains,

and make my highways level.

"See, some shall come from afar,

others from the north and the west,

and some from the land of Syene.

"Sing out, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth,

break forth into song, you mountains.

For the LORD comforts his people

and shows mercy to his afflicted.

"But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me;

my Lord has forgotten me."

Can a mother forget her infant,

be without tenderness for the child of her womb?

Even should she forget,

I will never forget you." (Isaiah 49: 8 - 15).

Wednesday March 13th in the 4th Week in Lent.

This first Reading on Lenten weekday is full of God's gracious promises. The first thing that attracted me to Sacred Scriptures when I started studying the word of God is Promise.

Webster Defines Promise as:

"The meaning of PROMISE is a declaration that one will do or refrain from doing something specified."

So, is God going to fulfill all the promises in Isaiah 49: 8 - 15?

The answer is upfront in the very first sentence:

"Thus says the LORD:

In a time of favor I answer you,

on the day of salvation I help you;"

God answers every prayer. To deny this is to accuse God to be a liar which is outright heresy.

What is confusing for many people is the timing of God's answer. In our Scripture of today God says:

"In a time of favor I answer you,

on the day of salvation I help you;"

Another word for "In a time of favor", on the day of salvation I help you;" is: IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME.

Every Promise God makes has a date and a time. We do not know the date and the time.

Scripture promises that God will not be late to fulfill His promises by even one second.

The Scripture urges us to wait for the timing of the fulfillment of the Promise of God. If you think the delay is unbearable, wait for the fullness of time.

God says: In the fullness of time, I will make everything beautiful. (Cf Ecclesiastes 3: 11). And in fullness of time, I shall move fast. (Cf Isaiah 60: 22).

NOVENA OF ST JOSEPH: MARCH 10 TO 19.

St Joseph is the man chosen by God to be the foster father and guardian of Jesus.

Joseph is a man of high purity and chastity. God chose him to be the husband of Mary because God had fitted him with the appropriate graces to protect the perpetual virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Church considers St Joseph the greatest Saint after the Blessed Virgin Mary. Joseph is so fittingly named the Patron of the Universal Church. Remember that he was the Guardian of Jesus and in his intercessory role, you can believe that Jesus will deny nothing to Joseph.

For Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/05/devotion-to-st-joseph.html?m=1

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Daily Bible Verse @

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com

SeekFirstcommunity.com

Monday, March 11, 2024

DO YOU WANT TO BE HEALED?

DO YOU WANT TO BE WELL?

"There was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep Gate a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes.

"In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years.

"When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be well?”

"The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.”

"Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your mat, and walk.” Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked.

Now that day was a sabbath.

"So the Jews said to the man who was cured, “It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.” He answered them, “The man who made me well told me, ‘Take up your mat and walk.’”

"They asked him, “Who is the man who told you, ‘Take it up and walk’?” The man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away, since there was a crowd there.

"After this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him, “Look, you are well; do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may happen to you.”

"The man went and told the Jews that Jesus was the one who had made him well.

"Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus because he did this on a sabbath." (John 5: 1 - 16).

Tuesday 12th March 2024 in the 4th Week in Lent.

Prayer for healing is the most common type of prayer. We pray for our own healing, for members of our family and for friends.

There is no enjoyment in life greater than good health.

What do we make of what Jesus said to the man who had been praying for healing for 38 years, whom He had just healed?

“Look, you are well; do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may happen to you.”

There is a tight connection between SIN, SUFFERING, SALVATION.

The whole truth of the Gospel is that Sin causes Suffering. The desperate effort to get rid of the suffering is what brings us to Salvation.

Whose Sin causes us to suffer? Our own Sin, Family members, Neighbors, Country's, World.

Jesus had no personal Sin. He suffered for the Sin of the world.

Lent is a great time to reflect on SIN, SUFFERING and SALVATION.

NOVENA OF ST JOSEPH: MARCH 10 TO 19.

St Joseph is the man chosen by God to be the foster father and guardian of Jesus.

Joseph is a man of high purity and chastity. God chose him to be the husband of Mary because God had fitted him with the appropriate graces to protect the perpetual virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Church considers St Joseph the greatest Saint after the Blessed Virgin Mary. Joseph is so fittingly named the Patron of the Universal Church. Remember that he was the Guardian of Jesus and in his intercessory role, you can believe that Jesus will deny nothing to Joseph.

For Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/05/devotion-to-st-joseph.html?m=1

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Daily Bible Verse @

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com

SeekFirstcommunity.com

Sunday, March 10, 2024

THE MIRACLE OF BELIEF.

"At that time Jesus left [Samaria] for Galilee. For Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his native place. When he came into Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, since they had seen all he had done in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves had gone to the feast.

"Then he returned to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine.

"Now there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, who was near death.

"Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”

"The royal official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Jesus said to him, “You may go; your son will live.” The man believed what Jesus said to him and left.

"While the man was on his way back, his slaves met him and told him that his boy would live. He asked them when he began to recover. They told him, “The fever left him yesterday, about one in the afternoon.” The father realized that just at that time Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live,” and he and his whole household came to believe.

"Now this was the second sign Jesus did when he came to Galilee from Judea." (John 4: 43 - 54).

Monday 11th March 2024 of the 4th week of Lent.

In our key Scripture for today, we see an example of faith. Faith is the radical trust and confidence in the word of Christ. Jesus said simply to the Royal Official: “You may go; your son will live.” The Scripture records:

"The man believed what Jesus said to him and left." (John 4: 50).

Our faith contains our obedience. We see the example in the Gospel of today. To say that "I believe" and act contrary to what you believe is not faith but hypocrisy.

If any Christian invests time and resources to learn what Faith is and how Faith works, the harvest will be incredibly huge and this gift will keep giving and giving all your life.

Consider Faith as Obedience. The Royal Official heard Jesus say: Don't worry. Go home. Your son is OK. He believed and went home. He obeyed the directive. No questions. No arguments. Are you able to imitate his action and show the Obedience of Faith?

Consider also that the man's faith was prepared by what he heard about Jesus before he met Him.

"When he heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, who was near death."

When we read the Gospel, we see many healings and miracles. The stories are preparing us to believe and deepen our Faith in Jesus. You do not know when you will stand face to face with Jesus needing His help. Faith comes from hearing. Hearing the word of God and believing it.

"Many priests do not have a real and practical faith in My Eucharistic presence. Do they not know that the Eucharist encloses within itself all the merits of My Passion? Let them recover the faith of their childhood. Let them come to find Me there where I am waiting for them and I, for My part, shall work miracles of grace and holiness in them." (IN SINU JESU, Monday, October 29, 2007).

NOVENA OF ST JOSEPH: MARCH 10 TO 19.

St Joseph is the man chosen by God to be the foster father and guardian of Jesus.

Joseph is a man of high purity and chastity. God chose him to be the husband of Mary because God had fitted him with the appropriate graces to protect the perpetual virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Church considers St Joseph the greatest Saint after the Blessed Virgin Mary. Joseph is so fittingly named the Patron of the Universal Church. Remember that he was the Guardian of Jesus and in his intercessory role, you can believe that Jesus will deny nothing to Joseph.

For Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/05/devotion-to-st-joseph.html?m=1

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Daily Bible Verse @

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com

SeekFirstcommunity.com

Saturday, March 09, 2024

GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD...

GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD.

"Jesus said to Nicodemus: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil.

For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed.

But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God." (John 3: 14 - 21).

Sunday March 10th 2024 is Laetare Sunday. Rejoice brothers and sisters for Easter is ONLY 3 Weeks away. God is rich in mercy and is waiting for you at Easter with lots of love and goodies.

Therefore brothers and sisters, experience Faith! For the rest of Lent 2024, pray with Expectant Faith. If God is your Father, whom shall you fear? Nobody! If God is your Father, what shall you fear, Nothing!

St Joseph is the man chosen by God to be the foster father and guardian of Jesus.

Joseph is a man of high purity and chastity. God chose him to be the husband of Mary because God had fitted him with the appropriate graces to protect the perpetual virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Church considers St Joseph the greatest Saint after the Blessed Virgin Mary. Joseph is so fittingly named the Patron of the Universal Church. Remember that he was the Guardian of Jesus and in his intercessory role, you can believe that Jesus will deny nothing to Joseph.

JESUS IS LORD. ALWAYS!

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

"Thus says the LORD:

In a time of favor I answer you,

on the day of salvation I help you;

"and I have kept you and given you as a covenant to the people,

To restore the land

and allot the desolate heritages,

"Saying to the prisoners: Come out!

To those in darkness: Show yourselves!

"Along the ways they shall find pasture,

on every bare height shall their pastures be.

They shall not hunger or thirst,

nor shall the scorching wind or the sun strike them;

"For he who pities them leads them

and guides them beside springs of water.

I will cut a road through all my mountains,

and make my highways level.

"See, some shall come from afar,

others from the north and the west,

and some from the land of Syene.

"Sing out, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth,

break forth into song, you mountains.

For the LORD comforts his people

and shows mercy to his afflicted.

"But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me;

my Lord has forgotten me."

Can a mother forget her infant,

be without tenderness for the child of her womb?

Even should she forget,

I will never forget you." (Isaiah 49: 8 - 15).

This first Reading on Lenten weekday is full of God's gracious promises. The first thing that attracted me to Sacred Scriptures when I started studying the word of God is Promise.

Webster Defines Promise as:

"The meaning of PROMISE is a declaration that one will do or refrain from doing something specified."

So, is God going to fulfill all the promises in Isaiah 49: 8 - 15?

The answer is upfront in the very first sentence:

"Thus says the LORD:

In a time of favor I answer you,

on the day of salvation I help you;"

God answers every prayer. To deny this is to accuse God to be a liar which is outright heresy.

What is confusing for many people is the timing of God's answer. In our Scripture of today God says:

"In a time of favor I answer you,

on the day of salvation I help you;"

Another word for "In a time of favor", on the day of salvation I help you;" is: IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME.

Every Promise God makes has a date and a time. We do not know the date and the time.

Scripture promises that God will not be late to fulfill His promises by even one second.

The Scripture urges us to wait for the timing of the fulfillment of the Promise of God. If you think the delay is unbearable, wait for the fullness of time.

God says: In the fullness of time, I will make everything beautiful. (Cf Ecclesiastes 3: 11). And in fullness of time, I shall move fast. (Cf Isaiah 60: 22).

NOVENA OF ST JOSEPH: MARCH 10 TO 19.

St Joseph is the man chosen by God to be the foster father and guardian of Jesus.

Joseph is a man of high purity and chastity. God chose him to be the husband of Mary because God had fitted him with the appropriate graces to protect the perpetual virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Church considers St Joseph the greatest Saint after the Blessed Virgin Mary. Joseph is so fittingly named the Patron of the Universal Church. Remember that he was the Guardian of Jesus and in his intercessory role, you can believe that Jesus will deny nothing to Joseph.

For Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link:

SeekFirstcommunity.com

Monday, March 11, 2024

"There was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep Gate a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes.

"In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years.

"When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be well?”

"The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.”

"Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your mat, and walk.” Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked.

Now that day was a sabbath.

"So the Jews said to the man who was cured, “It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.” He answered them, “The man who made me well told me, ‘Take up your mat and walk.’”

"They asked him, “Who is the man who told you, ‘Take it up and walk’?” The man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away, since there was a crowd there.

"After this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him, “Look, you are well; do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may happen to you.”

"The man went and told the Jews that Jesus was the one who had made him well.

"Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus because he did this on a sabbath." (John 5: 1 - 16).

Tuesday 12th March 2024 in the 4th Week in Lent.

Prayer for healing is the most common type of prayer. We pray for our own healing, for members of our family and for friends.

There is no enjoyment in life greater than good health.

What do we make of what Jesus said to the man who had been praying for healing for 38 years, whom He had just healed?

“Look, you are well; do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may happen to you.”

There is a tight connection between SIN, SUFFERING, SALVATION.

The whole truth of the Gospel is that Sin causes Suffering. The desperate effort to get rid of the suffering is what brings us to Salvation.

Whose Sin causes us to suffer? Our own Sin, Family members, Neighbors, Country's, World.

Jesus had no personal Sin. He suffered for the Sin of the world.

Lent is a great time to reflect on SIN, SUFFERING and SALVATION.

NOVENA OF ST JOSEPH: MARCH 10 TO 19.

St Joseph is the man chosen by God to be the foster father and guardian of Jesus.

Joseph is a man of high purity and chastity. God chose him to be the husband of Mary because God had fitted him with the appropriate graces to protect the perpetual virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Church considers St Joseph the greatest Saint after the Blessed Virgin Mary. Joseph is so fittingly named the Patron of the Universal Church. Remember that he was the Guardian of Jesus and in his intercessory role, you can believe that Jesus will deny nothing to Joseph.