"The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey. " (Exodus 3: 7 - 8 NIV)
"The LORD secures justice and the rights of all the oppressed." (Psalm 103: 6 RM)
God is still in the business of Redemption.
"Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.
He pardons all your iniquities he heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,he crowns you with kindness and compassion."
The Lord is kind and merciful.
He will not always chide, nor does he keep his wrath forever.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us, nor does he requite us according to our crimes." (Psalm 103: 1 - 3 RM)
"Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain by killing our brother? We’d have to cover up the crime. Instead of hurting him, let’s sell him to those Ishmaelite traders. After all, he is our brother—our own flesh and blood!” And his brothers agreed." (Genesis 37: 26 - 27 NLT)
"When the LORD called down a famine on the land and ruined the crop that sustained them, He sent a man before them,
Joseph, sold as a slave." (Psalm 105: 16 - 17 RM)
"Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the scriptures:
‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done,
and it is wonderful in our eyes’?" (Matthew 21: 42 NABRE)
Forgive again and again and again!
"Sometimes it can occur that people forgive and feel the forgiveness; but after a while, aversion returns. Do not be surprised. A deep wound needs many healings. Forgive again and again until the wound is completely healed." (Ignacio Larranaga)
Seekfirst.blogspot.com
Lord direct our hearts to Yourself.
This is what the Lord says:
“Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future.
They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land."
“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green,
and they never stop producing fruit." (Jeremiah 17: 5 - 8 NLT)
"As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him. “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die. Then they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead.” (Matthew 20: 17 - 19 NLT)
"Your attitude must be like my own, for I, the Messiah, did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give my life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20: 28 TLB)
"Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, saying: “The scribes and Pharisees have seated themselves in Moses’ chair [of authority as teachers of the Law]; so practice and observe everything they tell you, but do not do as they do; for they preach [things], but do not practice them." (Matthew 23: 1-3 AMP)
"But the greatest among you will be your servant. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be raised to honor." (Matthew 23: 11-12 AMP)
"Feed the flock of God; care for it willingly, not grudgingly; not for what you will get out of it but because you are eager to serve the Lord. Don’t be tyrants, but lead them by your good example."
"And when the Head Shepherd comes, your reward will be a never-ending share in his glory and honor."
(1 Peter 4: 2 - 4 TLB)
"From the shining cloud the Father’s voice is heard:
This is my beloved Son, listen to him." (Cf Matthew 17: 5 RM)
"My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.”
And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” (Psalm 27: 8 NLT)
“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty.
"If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that." (Matthew 5: 43 - 47 MSG)
"Thus says the Lord GOD:
If the wicked man turns away from all the sins he committed,
if he keeps all my statutes and does what is right and just,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.
None of the crimes he committed shall be remembered against him;
he shall live because of the virtue he has practiced.
"Do I indeed derive any pleasure from the death of the wicked?
says the Lord GOD.
Do I not rather rejoice when he turns from his evil way that he may live?" (Ezekiel 18: 22-23 RM)
“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened." (Matthew 7: 7 - 8 NLT)
"And if you hard-hearted, sinful men know how to give good gifts to your children, won’t your Father in heaven even more certainly give good gifts to those who ask him for them?" ( Matthew 7: 11 TLB)
"Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” (Jonah 3: 1-2 NIV)
"When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened." (Jonah 3 : 10 NABRE)
When God saw their actions: Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving.....
“This is how you are to pray:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one."
"If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions." (Matthew 6: 9 - 15 NABRE)
"The Lord said to Moses: Speak to the whole Israelite community and tell them: Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy." (Leviticus 19: 1-2 NABRE)
"You shall not go about spreading slander among your people; nor shall you stand by idly when your neighbor’s life is at stake. I am the Lord.
"You shall not hate any of your kindred in your heart. Reprove your neighbor openly so that you do not incur sin because of that person. Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your own people. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord." (Leviticus 19: 16 - 18 NABRE)
You need more than money to stay alive.
"Then the devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread.”
"But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone.’" (Luke 4: 3-4 NLT)
"For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world." (1John 2: 16 NLT)
"Family life has been in disarray for many years. We like to think that the families of the last generation were better than the families of today. Even if this is true, "better" does not mean "good." Look at the alcoholism, abuse, and racism which has characterized so many families for many generations. Family life has been and continues to be in ruins."
(http://www.presentationministries.com/pope/latest.asp)
Marriage Equality or Gay Marriage cast in terms of civil rights is an affliction for stubborn and unrepentant racism. This happens in a nation that cast itself as the most Christian nation on earth. The Bible says that God can never be mocked.
Look at how America has mocked God with stubborn and unrepentant racism and naked anti-immigration hostilities in God's own country! God is enjoying the last laugh. But hope is not lost because God our Father is the Father of Mercies.
"However, the good news for this Lent is: "The ancient ruins shall be rebuilt for your sake, and the foundations from ages past you shall raise up; 'Repairer of the breach,' they shall call you, 'Restorer of ruined homesteads' " (Is 58:12). If we let Jesus be the Lord of Lent, if we imitate His forty-day fast, if we repent of our sins, if we accept the Lord's grace to forgive one another, and if we believe that nothing is impossible with God (Lk 1:37), then the ancient ruins of family life will be repaired and rebuilt.
God still desires to make holy families, who will lead the Church in the third millennium and prepare the world for His final coming. The devil has been trying to prevent the Lord from restoring these families and making them holy. Although Satan has been able to ruin some families and to delay the fulfillment of God's plan for family life, Satan cannot stop God. The Lord is making holy families, and this Lent He is making them even from broken and ruined families. Be a part of the family-miracle the Lord is doing at this moment.
Prayer: Father, through the intercession of Mary and Joseph, make our families holy. Promise: "Leaving everything behind, Levi stood up and became His follower." —Lk 5:28 Praise: After two generations, Clarence's great-grandchildren are returning to the Church. (For a related teaching on Family Prayer, listen to or download our CD 59-1 or DVD 59-CH-2 at presentationministries.com or order our tape on audio or video .)
“Come and be one of my disciples!” So Levi left everything, sprang up, and went with him."
"Soon Levi held a reception in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests were there."
"But the Pharisees and teachers of the Law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples about his eating with such notorious sinners."
"Jesus answered them, “It is the sick who need a doctor, not those in good health. My purpose is to invite sinners to turn from their sins, not to spend my time with those who think themselves already good enough.” (Luke 5: 27 - 32 TLB)
“We have fasted before you,” they say. “Why aren’t you impressed? Why don’t you see our sacrifices? Why don’t you hear our prayers? We have done much penance, and you don’t even notice it!” I’ll tell you why! Because you are living in evil pleasure even while you are fasting, and you keep right on oppressing your workers." (Isaiah 58: 3 TLB)
"Share your food with the hungry,
and give shelter to the homeless.
Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help." (Isaiah 58: 7 NLT)
"Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say: “Here I am!” (Isaiah 58: 9 NABRE)
Cast all your burden on Jesus and He will sustain you. (Cf Psalm 55: 23)
“I call heaven and earth to witness against you that today I have set before you life or death, blessing or curse. Oh, that you would choose life; that you and your children might live!"
"Choose to love the Lord your God and to obey him and to cling to him, for he is your life and the length of your days. You will then be able to live safely in the land the Lord promised your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” (Deuteronomy 30: 19-20 TLB)
"Anyone who wants to follow me must put aside his own desires and conveniences and carry his cross with him every day and keep close to me!" (Luke 9: 23 TLB)
