Now this is what the LORD says…
“Come back to me and live!
So pay attention to how you hear.
To those who listen to my teaching,
more understanding will be given.
But for those who are not listening,
even what they think they understand
will be taken away from them.
(Red shouldered hawk)
At the sound of Mary’s greeting,
Elizabeth’s child leaped within her,
and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary,
‘God has blessed you above all women,
and your child is blessed.
Luke 1:41-42
“Therefore you now have sorrow;
but I will see you again
and your heart will rejoice,
and your joy no one will take from you.”
If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved.
The people who walk in darkness
will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness,
a light will shine.
…And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God;
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
…Since the first day you began to pray for understanding
and to humble yourself before your God,
your request has been heard in heaven…
The moment you began praying,
a command was given.
And now I am here to tell you what it was,
for you are very precious to God.
Listen carefully so that you can understand…
And people will come from all over the world—
from east and west, north and south—
to take their places in the Kingdom of God.
And note this:
Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then,
and some who are the greatest now
will be least important then.”