GLORY is The Lord’s – Render unto God, what is God’s!!
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Reading 1) Isaiah 45:1.4-6, Thus says the LORD to his anointed, Cyrus, whose right hand I grasp, subduing nations before him, and making kings run in his service. Opening doors before him and leaving the gates unbarred: For the sake of Jacob, my servant, of Israel, my chosen one. I have called you by your name, giving you a title, though you knew me not. I am the LORD and there is no other, there is no God besides me. It is I who arm you, though you know me not, so that toward the rising and the setting of the sun people may know that there is none besides me! I am the LORD, there is no other.
**Let’s start with the not so obvious, Cyrus is a pagan king. Cyrus the Great, is the King of Persia, who freed the Jewish exiles from Babylon and allowed them to return home and rebuild the Second Temple in Jerusalem.
I ‘like’ Cyrus. One, because he frees the Hebrews. But more importantly, because even as a pagan king, he unknowingly is doing God’s Will… for the One, True, Living God. Our God Almighty can use anyone anywhere to accomplish His Will.
**So, why not you? *So, why not someone that you don’t necessarily get along with, unknowingly presenting you with a ‘God moment’? Remember that God WILL have His way, whether we cooperate or not. Resistance is futile. We are called to be children of God and as children, are supposed to obey-respect our parent.
PSALM 96:1-10, “Give the Lord glory and honor.” “Sing to the LORD a new song! Sing to the LORD, all you lands. Tell His glory among the nations; among all peoples, his wondrous deeds. For great is the LORD and highly to be praised.” Give the Lord glory and honor!
Reading 2) 1Thess 1:1-5, Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. We give thanks to God always for all of you, remembering you in our prayers, unceasingly calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love, and your endurance in the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father, knowing, brothers and sisters loved by God, how you were chosen. **For our gospel did not come to you in word alone, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with much conviction.
**The first sentence, (three-quarters of the script.) is a tremendously loving written embrace of the Thessalonians. A person who loves, remembers whom they love.
The last sentence is all that this old Charismatic Catholic had to hear. The Holy Spirit’s power and presence changes lives. **Vatican 2 could have been built on this one sentence. Vatican 2 could’ve been unnecessary, if only our church would clutch this scripture.
GOSPEL, Matt 22:15-21, (abbrev.) “The Pharisees went off and plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech. Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” (abbrev.) “He said to them, “Whose image is this and whose inscription?” They replied, “Caesar’s.” At that he said to them, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”
TODAY… “Give unto God what belongs to God.!!” **Cyrus, Gave God’s people back to Him. *The Psalm Gives the Lord glory and honor! *St. Paul Gives credit for the success of the Thessalonians to the Holy Spirit within God. *Finally, Jesus preaches it: Give unto God what is God’s. Our lives, our hopes, our dreams and our loyalty belong ‘Unto God’! **Thank you for following Mark Gates 🙂 and BRO BLU- On FaceBook & YouTube videos, please ‘Like’ & ‘Subscribe’ so we can build a Commercial-free community.
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