Back in the day, before written text was easy to pass from person to person, Bible stories were taught verbally. Then copies of the scrolls were passed around, later codices, which evolved into books. The Old Testament was first written in Hebrew, then translated into Greek (The Septuagint). The New Testament written in Greek, later Latin and finally in the language of the people, English & German first, and now its in over 2,000 different languages.

But I digress. As we’re starting the story from “In the beginning…” reading Genesis 16:9-12, I realized that passage is a prediction of what’s happening in today’s world.

Genesis 16 is the story of Hagar. When Abraham was called Abram, God tells him that he and his wife, Sarai, will have a child. Abram was 90 and Sarai was 80 – a little late to have a kid. So Sarai get’s the bright idea to have her husband lie with her Egyptian maidservant, Hagar.

Well, Hagar conceives, Sarai is jealous, mistreats Hagar and Hagar flees. (Genesis 16:6) The angel of the Lord finds and tells Hagar:

“Go back to your mistress and submit to her.” The angel added, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.”

The angel of the LORD also said to her:

“You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son.You shall name him Ishmael, (which means “God hears”) for the LORD has heard of your misery. He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.”

“His Brothers” is the nation of Israel. Isaac is later born to Sarah and Abraham (God changed their names, Abraham means father of many) with the promise that his descendants will number as many as the stars in the sky (the Jews).

Later, God explains himself not to get the two sons confused. Genesis 17:20-21

“And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.”

The Palestinians are descendants of Ishmael and the Israelis, of Isaac, both of whom are descendants of Abraham (who did become the “father of many.”)

So all the problems Israel is having now were predicted in the Bible and the prophecy came true!

Check out these other great blogs:
Enlightenment, Encouragement & Enrichment by Giselle Aguiar, Award-Winning Christian Author
WWJD? The Revival

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

Great Blessings!
Soli Deo Gloria!
Giselle Aguiar
Award-Winning Christian Author
Follow Giselle on Twitter
https://twitter.com/giselleaguiar

Great Blessings!
Soli Deo Gloria!
Giselle Aguiar
Award-Winning Christian Author
Follow Giselle on Twitter
https://twitter.com/giselleaguiar

“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

As 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

“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

Great Blessings!
Soli Deo Gloria!
Giselle Aguiar
Award-Winning Christian Author
Follow Giselle on Twitter
https://twitter.com/giselleaguiar

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

When 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

Great Blessings!
Soli Deo Gloria!
Giselle Aguiar
Award-Winning Christian Author
Follow Giselle on Twitter
https://twitter.com/giselleaguiar

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 12^th 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. 

Then in the book of Numbers, the 3^rd 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

King 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 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 

LORD, 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

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

$1 from the sale of each book benefits StreetLight Phoenix

…“In heaven we’ll be all equal in God’s kingdom. Here in the Roman Imperium, there are still slaves and masters.”

“If it were up to me, I would free all our slaves.” As she said that, Claudia looked up to see Anthony standing next to her smiling.

“Hello, Claudia, you’ve learned quickly. I believe there will come a time when there will be no more slavery in this world.”

“Is that too much to hope for?” she asked him.

“No, Claudia, it’s not. If we work to spread the teachings of Jesus and the apostles, people will start to change the way they live. I’ve seen it already. Many Romans who joined the church gave their slaves their freedom.” … (from Deo Volente! [God Willing] award-winning novel)

Author’s Note

This passage stood out for me as I reread the novel in preparation for publication. I wrote it years ago and since then, I’ve become aware of the gruesome fact that slavery still exists in the world – more now than ever before. Even in the city where I live – Phoenix, Arizona.

It’s child rape for profit. Girls – average age of 13 – are enticed, captured, branded and forced into prostitution.

When the pimps are caught, these girls had no where to go until Streetlight Phoenix came into existance. It’s a safehouse where police can take these girls and they get help, rehabilitation, education, counseling and spiritual guidance. Some have children. Some are addicted to drugs or alcohol. Some are malnourished. All are traumatized. All get help.

Streetlight Phoenix is a non-profit organization and it’s model is being replicated in cities across the nation. It’s not too much to hope for – help stop child rape for profit – modern-day slavery.

One Dollar from the sale of each book, no matter what format, will be donated to Streetlight Phoenix. 

For more information visit: www.StreetlightPhx.com

April 11, 2011, the “Real Men Don’t Buy Girls” campaign launched from the Demi and Ashton Foundation launched. The law of supply and demand applies here. As long as there is a demand, the pimps will be looking to supply. I salute the Demi and Ashton Foundation for this effort and I pray that it goes viral.

11/13/11: www.StreetlightPhx.com launches Campaign13 a national movement to eradicate child sex slavery.

Watch this video:

Now, become an abolitionist.

Like what you read? Then you’ll love my 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 – not matter what format benefits StreetLight Phoenix to help eradicate child sex slavery. www.giselleaguiar.com/novel1

Soli Deo Gloria!
Giselle Aguiar
Award Winning Christian Author
Follow Giselle on Twitter
https://twitter.com/giselleaguiar

It is a set of beliefs that explain what life is all about, who we are, and the most important things that human beings should spend their time doing. ~The Reason for God, Timothy Keller

Man created religion. Going back to ancient times, man needed to explain life and the things around him. Thus he invented the various gods. One for every phenomenon of nature.

If the gods are happy, man will prosper, live longer and have good relationships. Man also invented ways to make the gods happy – animal even human sacrifices, burning incense, bowing down, worship and prayer. Read: How many gods?

However, the One True God, He created Christianity. He gave life to man and woman and they screwed it up by disobeying Him. From then on, and you can read the stories of the Old Testament, man continued disobeying Him. He gave us the Ten Commandments, yet man still wanted to do what pleased him and not God.

Statue of Mary in San Juan Cathedral

God sent the flood and spared only Noah and his family because Noah was the only righteous man around. You’d think that would have done it, but no, then God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.

God sent prophets and kings to show humankind the right way to live, but nope, man still disobeyed.

Then God sent His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ to save mankind from themselves. All the sins mankind has ever committed – no matter how bad – were wiped clean when Jesus died for us on the cross.

God loves us. We have sinned, but our sins are forgiven and we have a ticket to heaven when we die as long as we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior. This was the ultimate act of unconditional love from a God we disappointed time after time by our actions.

Christianity is the belief that Jesus Christ is the one and only savior and the one and only way to have eternal life in heaven.

Just being good doesn’t cut it. Read: How good is good enough?

Click here to accept Christ as your savior.

Like what you read? Then you’ll love my award-winning Christian novel: Deo Volente! (God Willing): Love in the First Century a historical novel about the early church check it out: www.giselleaguiar.com/novel1
Great Blessings!
Soli Deo Gloria!
Giselle Aguiar
Award Winning Christian Author
Follow Giselle on Twitter
https://twitter.com/giselleaguiar

San Juan Cathedral

Christianity came first. In the 300s Emperor Constantine called together Bishops of all the Christian Churches in the Roman Empire and they established the Nicene Creed — known today as the Apostles Creed. Later on the Pope came to be the head of the church and at times the head of some European countries establishing the Holy Roman Catholic Church. In the 1500s, a Catholic monk named Martin Luther was disillusioned with the Catholic Church and the way it was extorting money from believers and he started the Protestant Reformation. He wasn’t the only one, the Methodists, the Puritans (who became the Pilgrims) also weren’t happy with the Catholic Church.

The Catholic Church over the years has tried to make sense of divine things to make them easier for the people to understand. They invented Purgatory. Purgatory doesn’t exist in the Bible.

Neither is confessing your sins to a priest who then forgives your sins. Only God can forgive your sins and He sent His Son, Jesus to die on the cross and rise again so that our sins could be wiped clean and we could conquer death like He did. Nor is saying 5 Hail Marys and 4 Our Fathers and 2 Acts of Contrition as penance. Jesus provided the penance when He died as the Sacrificial Lamb. Read: I Confess

Their rule of not being able to receive communion unless you confess your sins is also not in the Bible. All believers should partake in communion as Jesus called us to do.

They also give Mary, Mother of Christ, and the saints the power of being intercessors between us and God. You don’t need them. God sent us Jesus and Jesus is all you need. God hears our prayers. As is praying to the saints for help and worshiping statues. That’s idolatry. Read: So Many gods.

That Catholics also believe that you can work your way to heaven by being good. Martin Luther realized that was wrong when he read this passage from Romans:

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17

Luther wrote, “I felt myself reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise. The whole of Scripture took on a new meaning…This passage of Paul became to me a gateway to heaven.”

So which denomination is right? As someone who was raised Catholic, then converted to Protestantism and now attends a non-denominational church, I say find a good bible-based church. One that doesn’t follow doctrines created by man, but the Word of God.
Source(s):
http://millennium.giselleaguiar.com/1500s.html

Like what you read? Then you’ll love my award-winning Christian novel: Deo Volente! (God Willing): Love in the First Century a historical novel about the early church check it out: www.giselleaguiar.com/novel1

Great Blessings!
Soli Deo Gloria!
Giselle Aguiar
Award Winning Christian Author
Follow Giselle on Twitter
https://twitter.com/giselleaguiar

Statue of a god in a house in Herculaneum that was preserved by the flow from Vesuvius.

There was a god for everything and a festival for every god.

Ironically, the day that Vesuvius erupted was the festival of Vulcanalia celebrating the god of fire, Vulcan. (No, Spock’s planet had nothing to do with it.). During this festival, participants would build large bon fires and throw fresh fish into it as a sacrifice to that god in gratitude for a season without crop-devastating wildfires and hoping for no fires in the next season. And they’d drink a lot of wine.

Pompeiians were probably wondering what they did wrong when Vesuvius erupted. Didn’t they sacrifice enough of their fish to Vulcan? Didn’t they hold enough festivals?

All the Roman festivals reminded me of the festivals of the saints in Puerto Rico. Every town, city or municipality has a patron saint and once a year is their festival. They parade through the streets with a statue of the saint and burn candles and incense. Oh, and they party.

In Naples, Italy, every year they hold the festival of their patron saint who keeps Vesuvius from erupting. Right now, several million people live in the shadow of Vesuvius and though it is dormant, it may wake up and it’s due to wake up soon. The church of this saint has a “relic” vial of the saint’s blood and supposedly, because of the festival and “patronage” to this saint, that’s why Vesuvius hasn’t erupted since the 1940s.

Commandment:

All these saints are just gods. Oh, and the Virgin Mary falls into this category, too. There is only one TRUE God, the Triune God – the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.

Mary and the “saints” are dead. Only Jesus rose from the grave and is alive in heaven. He sent His Spirit to be with His believers and Jesus will come back for His believers in the Rapture.

Dead people can’t be intercessors between you and God. Only Jesus and the Holy Spirit can. Oh, and you really don’t need an intercessor, because you have a direct line to the Father 24/7.

Festivals of the saints are just reasons to party. They mean nothing and go against God’s commandments. Celebrate Jesus every day with gratitude and prayer and  remember that He was the ultimate sacrifice so we never have to sacrifice anything to appease a god or hope for a good harvest. God is in control. Trust in Him.

Great Blessings!
Soli Deo Gloria!
Giselle Aguiar
Award Winning Christian Author
http://www.giselleaguiar.com/novel1
Follow Giselle on Twitter
https://twitter.com/giselleaguiar

In a new way (for us) to study the bible, we’re going story by story. With my church’s direction, we started the Gospel of Luke. We’re to read the passage, the retell it and ask

1. What does God want us to know from this story / passage?
2. What are the principles / truths here for us to understand?
3. What does God want me to do? (Wisdom – put into practice)

Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. ~Luke 1:1-4

Luke was a historian. I consider myself a historian. Before writing the novel, I researched and put together pieces of other peoples’ research and it was important to the all the facts. The last thing I wanted was an expert in the Roman Empire or volcanology, to tell me that I missed something or got something wrong.

One of my goals in writing the series is to teach while I entertain. So the key phrase from this passage is the last part: so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

Comments and reviews of my novel, Deo Volente! praise the research and someone said that I wove the time period into the story and almost made it a character in itself.

Funny, I didn’t know that’s what I was doing!

God works in mysterious ways. He inspired Luke to follow Paul and interview eye witnesses to write the true account from the birth to the death of Jesus Christ.

 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.~2 Timothy 3:16-17

And it can be believed!

God Bless,
Soli Deo Gloria!
Giselle Aguiar
Award Winning Christian Author
www.giselleaguiar.com/novel1
Follow Giselle on Twitter
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