TRUST AND OBEY. THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO BE HAPPY IN JESUS BUT TO TRUST AND OBEY.
12 DAYS TO EASTER SUNDAY. NOT TOO LATE TO TEST THIS WORD OF GOD AND SEE THE TRUTH OF IT.

“If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8: 31 - 32).

Wednesday 6th April 2022 of the 5th week of Lent. When Jesus says that if you persevere in feeding on His word, you will come to know the truth and the divine truth you know will set you free, what does the Teacher mean?

The truth (divine reality) frees us from fear, worry and doubt
and dread that falsehood imposes on us. Pope Benedict when he visited the oil rich country of Angola was shocked to see how the population was still shackled by fears of evil spirits, disease and death. He remarked that Angola received Christian missionaries about 500 years ago. At that time, Europe was still shackled with similar fears and superstitions. But the light and truth of Christ has since dispelled those fears in Europe.

Today, Europe needs a fresh burst of the light of Christ because the continent is again in darkness because of materialism, atheism and hedonism. The consequences are dire. Most European countries have today minus zero birth rate. They abandoned Christianity in large scale. They welcome Moslems with open arms to work and maintain their standards of living. Islam will be the majority religion in Europe in about 50 years.

In the 1st Reading from the Book of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar asked the three Jewish boys: "Who is the God who can deliver you out of my hands?" We hear the same threat today everywhere from strong men and bosses: "Is it true you will not work on Sunday? Who is the God who can deliver you out of unemployment?"

If you have not remained in the word of God for, how can you ever know the truth that can set you free?

Hear the bold answer of the three Jewish boys to their tormentor who believed he had supreme power: Oh Nebuchadnezzar, if we live, we live. If we perish, we perish.
The boys know the Scriptures and they know the truth that set them free from fear of death. How did the story end? Read on below:

"Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, ‘Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego: he has sent his angel to rescue the servants who, putting their trust in him, defied the order of the king, and preferred to forfeit their bodies rather than serve or worship any god but their own."

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

IN THE BATTLE AGAINST SIN AND EVIL, BE VIGILANT ALWAYS. PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR DAY AND NIGHT.

"Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8: 7): "NẾU AI TRONG CAC CAC KHÔNG PHẠM TỘI, THÌ NÉM ĐÁ NGƯỜI NÀY TRƯỚC ĐI!"

Monday 4th April 2022 of the 5th week of Lent is the feast of St Isidore (560 - 636), Bishop and Doctor of the Church. Isidore was Bishop of Seville in Spain and a leading light in the Church in Spain. He initiated many local Church councils. St Isidore earned his place among the Doctors of the Church by his rigorous scholarship especially his extensive Encyclopedia (Etymologies) which was popular up to the Middle Ages.
In 1992, Pope John Paul II declared St Isidore of Seville the patron saint of the Internet.

The sacred texts present us with the story of two women. One is Susanna, beautiful wife of a very wealthy man. The other is a simple woman caught in the act of adultery. Both women were accused of adultery, a sin punishable by death in those days and still so in Moslem countries.

There are a number of lessons in the two narratives.
#1 Satan is the Father of lies and the Book of Revelation calls him the Accuser of the brethren. Do you know anyone who delights in pointing fingers and quick to accuse? Unjust accusations against Jesus and Stephen led to their deaths.

#2 Corruption of power. Susanna was accused by two elderly judges whose advances she spurned. The woman caught in adultery was accused by those who caught her in the act and religious judges who wanted her dead. Judges and lawyers face continuous temptations to bribery and corruption.

#3 The stories ended well in the marvelous timely Divine Interventions. God used Daniel in the case of Susanna and Jesus the Divine Mercy in the case of the woman caught in the act of adultery.

What do we take away from the two stories? "The whole assembly cried aloud, blessing God who saves those who hope in him." (Daniel 13: 60). The reaction of the people shows that they understood that a miracle happened. They glorified God and their faith became strengthened. This is also the takeaway for us because every Bible narrative is there to build up our faith in a loving and merciful God.

St Isidore of Seville pray for all those who do their ministry on the Internet, earn their livelihood on the web and get their education from the Internet.

"Now, be silent. Adore Me. Trust Me. I have only begun to show you the path of holiness that I am opening before you. And give thanks to Me, for I have saved you, through a particular intervention of My most holy Mother, from the fate that the Evil One was preparing for you for so long a time." (IN SINU JESU, Friday, March 28, 2008).

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

THE DEVIL QUESTIONED THE IDENTITY OF JESUS DURING HIS TEMPTATION. "IF YOU ARE TRULY THE SON OF GOD..." IN EVERY TEMPTATION, THE DEVIL IS QUESTIONS OUR IDENTITY. ANSWER THE DEVIL:
"I AM WHO GOD SAYS I AM. I AM THE CHILD OF GOD. GOD IS SUPPLYING ALL MY NEEDS ACCORDING TO HIS PROMISE.."
TRUST IN GOD TO HELP YOU.

"Jesus said to them [Pharisees], “You belong to what is below, I belong to what is above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world. That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.” So they said to him, “Who are you?”

Tuesday 5th April 2022 of the 5th week of Lent is the feast of St Vincent Ferrer, OP. (1357 - 1419). A Spanish Dominican. Versed deeply in Holy Scriptures and Theology, he can be discribed as a super preacher.

His powerful preaching stemmed the erosion of faith in Europe during one of the most contentious periods in Church history. The period of the pope and anti-pope, the Avignon Captivity was right in this period.
Vincent preached in Italy, France, Spain and Germany. St Vincent Ferrer died on April 5th 1419 at the age of 62.

In the Gospel of today, the Jews asked Jesus a point blank question: "Who are you?" Jesus ties Himself to the Father in the answers. "I always do what is pleasing to him. [Abba Father]”

Who are you? If you do not know who you are, the Devil will give you a spurious answer like we hear in the world: "I am born to be rich and great.. I am beautiful. I am Irish. I am American, etc." The correct answer is:  "I AM WHO YOU SAY I AM."
Who is WHO here? The Father who created us and gave us an identity. He calls you: My child. Baptized for eternal life. Light of the world. Fisher of men, etc. Know who you are and you give Satan a run for his money.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.co

LET THE PERSON WITHOUT SIN BE THE FIRST TO THROW A STONE.( JOHN 8: 7)

"AI KHÔNG CÓ TỘI THÌ HÃY NÉM ĐÁ NGƯỜI NÀY TRƯỚC ĐI"

"In your kindness blot out my sins."

"Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area, and all the people started coming to him, and he sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and made her stand in the middle. They said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery.....

"Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger. But when they continued asking him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

...... And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders. So he was left alone with the woman before him. Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She replied, “No one, sir.” Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.” (John 8: 10..... 11)

Sunday 3rd April 2022, of the 5th Week of Lent. Final Sunday before Holy Week.

Today's  Gospel celebrates Divine Mercy and Divine Intervention. The woman caught in adultery is guilty. If Jesus had not intervened in the nick of time, the story would have ended differently. This woman is surprised by Mercy.

Jesus became the Face of Mercy for the Adulterer who gazed into the Face of God and heard these words:  “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”

"Forgiveness is the remission of sins.  For it is by this that what has been lost, and was found, is saved from being lost again."  (St. Augustine).

The Bible has many examples of the merciful love of God. When you hear this testimony of mercy, put yourself in the place of the beneficiary of mercy and claim it for yourself.
"The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." (Revelation 19: 10).
What does this mean? Scripture is filled with examples of mercies and miracles that you can claim as prophecy, that is divine promise to you. 

"The blessing of the priest is a great means by which good is made to triumph over evil, love over hatred, and mercy over judgment. Similarly, the blessing given with the relics of My saints pleases Me much. I am glorified in My saints, and I pass through them to distribute the riches of My Heart in the universe of souls." (IN SINU JESU, Wednesday, October 10, 2007).

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com