Author: cackywalker@yahoo.com

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them., and where thieves break in an steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And fi the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!

No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money,” (vv. 19-24, NLT)

“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on the street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself , shut the door behind you and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! Pray like this:

Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins,
as we have forgiven those who sine against us.
And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

And when you fast, dont’ make it obvious as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting., except the Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” (vv. 5-18, NLT)

“Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing about the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. News about Him spread as far as Syria, and people soon began brining to Him all who were sick. And whatever their sickness or disease, or if they were demon possessed or epileptic or paralyzed – he healed them all. Large crowds followed Him wherever He went – people from Galilee, the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, from all over Judea, and from east of the Jordan River. ” (vv. 23-25, NLT)

When Jesus heart that John had been arrested, he left Judea and return to Galilee. He first went to Nazareth, then left and moved to Capernaum, beside the Sea or Galilee, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. This fullfulled what God said through the prophet Isaiah:

“In the lan of Zebulun and Naphtali, beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River, in Galilee where so many Gentiles live, the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who live in the land where death casts its shadow, a light had shined. ”

From then Jesus began to preach. “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingom of Heaven is near.” (vv. 12-17, NLT)

Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. But John tried to talk Him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by You,” he said, “so why are You coming to me?”

But Jesus said, It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.” So John agreed to baptize Him.

After His baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and setting on Him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings Me great joy.” (vv. 13-17, NLT)

When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dram to Joseph in Egypt. “Get up!” the angel said. “Take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead.”

So Joseph got up and returned to the land of Israel with Jesus and his mother. But when he learned that the new ruler of Judea was Herod’s son, Archelaus, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned in a dream, he left for the region of Galilee. So the family went and lied in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what the prophets had said: “He will be called a Nazarene.” (vv. 19-23, NLT)

After the wise men were gone, and angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said, “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is goin to search for the child to kill him.”

That night, Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called My Son out of Egypt.”

Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and younger, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance. Herod’s brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:

“A cry was heard in Ramah – weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted, for they are dead.” (vv. 13-18, NLT)

This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiance, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.

As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David, ” the angel said, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived y the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.'”

When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus. (vv. 18-25, NLT)

The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says,” The day of judgment is coming, burning like a furnace. On that day the arrogant and the wicked will be burned up like straw. They will be consumed – roots, branches, and all.

But for you who fear My name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in His wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture. On the day when I act, you will tread upon the wicked as if they were dust under your feet,”says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

“Remember to obey the Law of Moses, my servant – all the decrees and regulations that I gave him on Mount Sinai for all Israel.”

“Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise I will come and strike the land with a curse.”