Tag Archives: Bible

Pray for our Leaders to be like Solomon

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King Solomon is known as one of the wisest people of the Bible. And it’s interesting how he got all the wisdom. In a dream, God spoke to Solomon (1 Kings 3: 5-14 NIV):

“…God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

Now, put yourself in Solomon’s shoes. If you had one wish, what would you wish for? Power? A long life? Wealth? Solomon’s response is not what you would have expected…

“Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

“A discerning heart?” What is discernment? It’s the ability to judge well. To know the difference between what’s right and what’s wrong. “To govern your people.” He put the people first. Wow. Totally unselfish.

English: Solomon's Wealth and Wisdom, as in 1 ...

Solomon’s Wealth and Wisdom, as in 1 Kings 3:12-13, illustration from a Bible card published 1896 by the Providence Lithograph Company (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”

So God gave him wisdom AND what he didn’t ask for – wealth, honor and a long life! But he also said that “…there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be… And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands…” 

So, can we expect our leaders to be like Solomon? No, but we can pray that they strive to be. We can pray that they govern with “a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong.”

And Solomon was kind enough to share all the wisdom that God gave him in the Book of Proverbs. It’s a gift from God through Solomon. Making foolish decisions is easy for people when they don’t consult God or the Bible. That’s another thing we can pray for.

Soli Deo Gloria!
Giselle Aguiar

 

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God Chose our Leaders

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White House Front
Romans 13:1 reads:

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. (NIV)

“The authorities that exist have been established by God.” What?

Our first thought may be, “God, what were you thinking!?” That may be one of the first questions I ask Him when I get to heaven. God has a purpose. It is not for us to know or even try to figure it out. All we can do is pray and keep praying and trust that God knows what He’s doing.

Soli Deo Gloria!
Giselle Aguiar

 

 

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Pray for Honest and Sensible Leaders

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Have you ever read through the book of Proverbs? It’s full of wisdom. And it’s interesting to see the same Proverb in the various translations and versions. Take Proverbs 28:2 – here are a few different versions…

The Message:

When the country is in chaos,
everybody has a plan to fix it—
But it takes a leader of real understanding
to straighten things out.

New International Version:

When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers,
but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order.

The Living Bible:

When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily; but with honest, sensible leaders there is stability.

The Amplified Bible:

When a land transgresses, it has many rulers, but when the ruler is a man of discernment, understanding, and knowledge, its stability will long continue.

I pray that the members of Congress and the President sit and read through the Book of Proverbs and that they all get a dose of common sense and honesty.

 

Soli Deo Gloria!
Giselle Aguiar

 

 

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Pray for Leaders to Govern with Justice

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Good leaders abhor wrongdoing of all kinds; sound leadership has a moral foundation. ~Proverbs 16:12

What is a “moral foundation”?

KJV Bible

KJV Bible (Photo credit: knowhimonline)

That’s simple — a life that’s based on the Bible — the Word of God. Someone with a moral foundation easily recognizes when something is against the teachings of God because he or she reads the Bible daily and seeks God’s Will and guidance in every major decision they make in their lives especially when they affect other people.

Pray for America. Pray for Leaders to Govern with Justice

Soli Deo Gloria!
Giselle Aguiar

 

The Jewish Jesus – More Prophecies

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And the prophecies continue:

“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.” ~Jeremiah 23:5

Again you will plant vineyards on the hills of Samaria; the farmers will plant them and enjoy their fruit. ~Jeremiah 31:5

This is what the LORD says; “A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” Jeremiah 31:15

That’s the killing of the innocents when King Herod, who was a Gentile who converted to Judaism, was afraid of the King of Jews that the Magi spoke of that he had all the babies killed. (Matthew 2:16-17)

When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. ~Hosea 11:1

So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”~Matthew 2:14-15

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. ~Zechariah 9:9

Palm SundayAs they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” ~Matthew 21:1-3

“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son…” ~Zechariah 12:10

“On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.

“On that day, I will banish the names of the idols from the land, and they will be remembered no more,” declares the LORD Almighty. “I will remove both the prophets and the spirit of impurity from the land.” ~Zechariah 13:1-2

O Little Town of Bethlehem“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites.

He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth…” ~Micah 5:2-4

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ~Luke 2:4

Today in the town of David [Bethlehem] a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ~ Luke 2:11

“I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the LORD Almighty. ~Malachi 3:1

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” ~John 1:29-31

The Jews of the first century expected a coronation, but what they got was an act of redemption.

But it is not too late for the Jews and all the nations.

There are many more prophesies about Jesus that I didn’t touch on especially the ones describing His crucifixion to smallest detail. I will save that for Holy Week.

My goal here was to prove that Jesus is The Messiah, The Christ, Emmanuel, God with Us, the Baby in the manger in Bethlehem, the Lamb of God, The Savior, The Son of God, Wonderful, Counselor, Almighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. I think I did that.

Jesus didn’t die so we could have religion. He died so we could have a relationship with Him.

Do you have a relationship with Him? To become part of the chosen, click here for direction

The Jewish Jesus Part 1
The Jewish Jesus Part 2 

If you enjoyed this, you’ll love Giselle’s award-winning Christian novel: Deo Volente! (God Willing): Love in the First Century a historical novel about the early church check it out! $1 from the sale of each book – no matter what format, benefits StreetLight Phoenix to help eradicate child sex slavery. www.giselleaguiar.com/novel1
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Great Blessings!
Soli Deo Gloria!
Giselle Aguiar
Award-Winning Christian Author
Follow Giselle on Twitter
https://twitter.com/giselleaguiar

More of the Jewish Jesus – Isaiah

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In the prior post, The Jewish Jesus: Prophecies Fulfilled, I started to list some of the various Old Testament prophecies the speak of Jesus, the Messiah.

The Prophet Isaiah may be the best known of the Messianic Prophets. The book of Isaiah was written 700 years before the birth of Christ.

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. ~Isaiah 7:14

See Luke’s account of Mary’s conception: Luke 1:26-37

And Matthew’s Matthew 1:18-25

(Note that Matthew 1:25 says Joseph, Mary’s husband had no union with her until after she gave birth. Thus what the Catholics say that Mary was always a virgin, is untrue.)

Some of his prophecies were put to song by Handel in his magnificent work “The Messiah”.

For Unto us a Child is Born – Isaiah 9:1-8

…but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan…Isaiah 61:1

The Romans had a custom of naming roads by where it led. They named the road to the Sea of Galilee, “Via Maris” or “The Way of the Sea”. It goes through Capernaum on the north shore.

In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel.~Isaiah 4:2

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.~ Isaiah 11:1

Jesse was King David’s Father. King David’s descendants left Jerusalem and settled in the north founding the town of Nazareth. Therefore, Mary was also from David’s lineage, thus Jesus is a blood descendent of King David.

Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy… Isaiah 35:5-6

This prophecy was put to song in the lovely modern Christmas carol, Mary Did You Know?

Jesus heals the blind man. John 9:1-41

Jesus heals a paralytic. Mark 2:1-21

Jesus heals the deaf and mute man. Mark 15:29-31

“Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins. A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” ~Isaiah 40:1-5

The voice in the wilderness – John the Baptist Matthew 3:1-3

“I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness…” ~Isaiah 42:6-7

Jesus said:
“…This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.”~John 3:19-21

For this is what the LORD says:

“…I will give them an everlasting name that will endure forever. And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants … Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” ~Isaiah 56:5,7

Jesus clears the templeWhen Jesus cleared the temple of the money changers he declared,

“It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” Matthew 21:13

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion-to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. ~Isaiah 61:1-3

In Nazareth, where he grew up, on the Sabbath, Jesus went to the synagogue and read the above passage, after he read it, he said,

“Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:21

Next: Even More Prophecies from the Old Testament>>>>

If you enjoyed this, you’ll love Giselle’s award-winning Christian novel: Deo Volente! (God Willing): Love in the First Century a historical novel about the early church check it out! $1 from the sale of each book – no matter what format, benefits StreetLight Phoenix to help eradicate child sex slavery. www.giselleaguiar.com/novel1
http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=singresoguid-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1449718280&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr
Great Blessings!
Soli Deo Gloria!
Giselle Aguiar
Award-Winning Christian Author
Follow Giselle on Twitter
https://twitter.com/giselleaguiar

The Jewish Jesus: Prophecies Fulfilled

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My series, The Christian Centuries, starts in the first century after Jesus was born. I plan to follow Christian church history through the centuries.

But Christianity didn’t begin in the year 1. Christianity is deeply rooted in the rich history of Judaism.

As a historian, my curiosity peaks when I read something like, “as written in the scriptures” or “in fulfillment of the scriptures” which is found many times in the New Testament regarding Jesus.

I find it fascinating that Jesus’ birth, ministry and death were predicted more than 1500 years before he even came to earth.

Jesus fulfilled over 400 Old Testament prophecies. The odds of one person doing that who was not the Messiah are too great to figure. It is impossible.1

Yet, many of today’s Jews still believe in the 12th Principle of the Jewish Faith:

I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Messiah. I await His arrival with everyday. If the generation is worthy, then He’ll be revealed.

The question here is who decides if a generation is worthy?

Well, he did come. His name is Jesus. And God thought that it was time for the Messiah to arrive to save the world, the whole world from sin and death.

Here are some of them starting with the earliest book of the Bible, Genesis.

“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”~ Genesis: 12:2-3

This is God’s promise to Abram (later called Abraham) to build the nation of Israel (which came true in 1948). The last part, “all peoples on earth (including Gentiles) will be blessed through you.” refers to Jesus. See Matthew’s first chapter, “The Genealogy of Jesus” which list Jesus’ lineage from Abraham to Joseph. 

NativityThen in the book of Numbers, the 3rd book of Moses written during the 40 years the Israelites were wandering in the desert – about 1500 years before Jesus was born.

“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the people of Sheth…” ~Numbers 24:17

This was prophesied by Balaam a former sorcerer through whom God picked to speak. A 3000 year old inscription in Aramaic of that verse exists in Jordan. Balaam’s prophecy led the wise men to look for a start that announced the birth of king.

Then we have from the book of Deuteronomy which was Moses’ last chance to address the Israelites, the people he loved.

The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. ~Deuteronomy 18:15

Here Moses tells the Israelites not just that Jesus is coming, but that they must listen to Him.

Then we have this passage from Job, the guy whose faith God tested, saying:

He alone stretches out the heaven and treads on the waves of the sea. ~Job 9:8

“…treads on the waves of the sea.” Jesus did that. See Matthew 14:21-23, Mark 6:44-46, John 6:15-17


Jesus calms the stormKing David wrote about the Messiah in several of his Psalms:

I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old— ~Psalm 78:2

Jesus spoke in parables. And this was fulfilled. See Matt. 13:35

You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them. ~Psalm 89:9

And

He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. ~Psalm 107:29

Jesus TransfigurationJesus didn’t just walk on water he calmed the sea. See Luke 8:22-25

…LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. The LORD wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent…~Psalm 104:1-2

This was fulfilled with the Transfiguration witnessed by Peter, James and John. See Mark 9:2-10 

Palm SundayLORD, save us! LORD, grant us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you. ~Psalm 118:25-26

That’s what the people of Jerusalem shouted when Jesus arrived:

The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” ~Matthew 21:9

Hosanna means Save.

 Next: More Prophecies from Isaiah>>>>

If you enjoyed this, you’ll love Giselle’s award-winning Christian novel: Deo Volente! (God Willing): Love in the First Century a historical novel about the early church check it out! $1 from the sale of each book – no matter what format, benefits StreetLight Phoenix to help eradicate child sex slavery. www.giselleaguiar.com/novel1
http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=singresoguid-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1449718280&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr
Great Blessings!
Soli Deo Gloria!
Giselle Aguiar
Award-Winning Christian Author
Follow Giselle on Twitter
https://twitter.com/giselleaguiar

1  http://www.raptureready.com/faq/faq195.html