#ScriptureReflection - Acts 4:29-35 (12.19.19)

²⁹ And now, Lord, observe their threats [take them into account] and grant that Your bond-servants may declare Your message [of salvation] with great confidence, ³⁰ while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders (attesting miracles) take place through the name [and the authority and power] of Your holy Servant and Son Jesus.” ³¹ And when they had prayed, the place where they were meeting together was shaken [a sign of God’s presence]; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness and courage.
 

Sharing among Believers

³² Now the company of believers was of one heart and soul, and not one [of them] claimed that anything belonging to him was [exclusively] his own, but everything was common property and for the use of all. ³³ And with great ability and power the apostles were continuously testifying to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace [God’s remarkable lovingkindness and favor and goodwill] rested richly upon them all. ³⁴ There was not a needy person among them, because those who were owners of land or houses were selling them, and bringing the proceeds of the sales ³⁵ and placing the money down at the apostles’ feet. Then it was distributed to each as anyone had need.


Source:  AMP (Amplified Bible)

 

#ScriptureReflection - Psalm 89 (12.18.19)

The Lord’s Covenant with David, and Israel’s Afflictions.

A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.

89 I will sing of the lovingkindness of the Lord forever;
To all generations I will make known Your faithfulness with my mouth.
² For I have said, “Lovingkindness will be built up forever;
In the heavens You will establish Your faithfulness.”

³ “I have made a covenant with My chosen;
I have sworn to David My servant,
⁴ I will establish your seed forever
And build up your throne to all generations.” Selah.

⁵ The heavens will praise Your wonders, O Lord;
Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.
⁶ For who in the skies is comparable to the Lord?
Who among the sons of the mighty is like the Lord,

⁷ A God greatly feared in the council of the holy ones,
And awesome above all those who are around Him?
⁸ O Lord God of hosts, who is like You, O mighty Lord?
Your faithfulness also surrounds You.

⁹ You rule the swelling of the sea;
When its waves rise, You still them.
¹⁰ You Yourself crushed Rahab like one who is slain;
You scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.

¹¹ The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours;
The world and all it contains, You have founded them.
¹² The north and the south, You have created them;
Tabor and Hermon shout for joy at Your name.

¹³ You have a strong arm;
Your hand is mighty, Your right hand is exalted.
¹⁴ Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;
Lovingkindness and truth go before You.
¹⁵ How blessed are the people who know the joyful sound!
O Lord, they walk in the light of Your countenance.

¹⁶ In Your name they rejoice all the day,
And by Your righteousness they are exalted.
¹⁷ For You are the glory of their strength,
And by Your favor our horn is exalted.
¹⁸ For our shield belongs to the Lord,
And our king to the Holy One of Israel.

¹⁹ Once You spoke in vision to Your godly ones,
And said, “I have given help to one who is mighty;
I have exalted one chosen from the people.

²⁰ “I have found David My servant;
With My holy oil I have anointed him,
²¹ With whom My hand will be established;
My arm also will strengthen him.
²² “The enemy will not deceive him,
Nor the son of wickedness afflict him.
²³ “But I shall crush his adversaries before him,
And strike those who hate him.

²⁴ “My faithfulness and My lovingkindness will be with him,
And in My name his horn will be exalted.
²⁵ “I shall also set his hand on the sea
And his right hand on the rivers.
²⁶ “He will cry to Me, ‘You are my Father,
My God, and the rock of my salvation.’
²⁷ “I also shall make him My firstborn,
The highest of the kings of the earth.
²⁸ “My lovingkindness I will keep for him forever,
And My covenant shall be confirmed to him.

²⁹ “So I will establish his descendants forever
And his throne as the days of heaven.

³⁰ “If his sons forsake My law
And do not walk in My judgments,
³¹ If they violate My statutes
And do not keep My commandments,
³² Then I will punish their transgression with the rod
And their iniquity with stripes.

³³ “But I will not break off My lovingkindness from him,
Nor deal falsely in My faithfulness.
³⁴ “My covenant I will not violate,
Nor will I alter the utterance of My lips.
³⁵ “Once I have sworn by My holiness;
I will not lie to David.

³⁶ “His descendants shall endure forever
And his throne as the sun before Me.
³⁷ “It shall be established forever like the moon,
And the witness in the sky is faithful.” Selah.

³⁸ But You have cast off and rejected,
You have been full of wrath against Your anointed.
³⁹ You have spurned the covenant of Your servant;
You have profaned his crown in the dust.
⁴⁰ You have broken down all his walls;
You have brought his strongholds to ruin.
⁴¹ All who pass along the way plunder him;
He has become a reproach to his neighbors.

⁴² You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries;
You have made all his enemies rejoice.
⁴³ You also turn back the edge of his sword
And have not made him stand in battle.
⁴⁴ You have made his splendor to cease
And cast his throne to the ground.
⁴⁵ You have shortened the days of his youth;
You have covered him with shame. Selah.

⁴⁶ How long, O Lord?
Will You hide Yourself forever?
Will Your wrath burn like fire?
⁴⁷ Remember what my span of life is;
For what vanity You have created all the sons of men!
⁴⁸ What man can live and not see death?
Can he deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah.

⁴⁹ Where are Your former lovingkindnesses, O Lord,
Which You swore to David in Your faithfulness?
⁵⁰ Remember, O Lord, the reproach of Your servants;
How I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples,
⁵¹ With which Your enemies have reproached, O Lord,
With which they have reproached the footsteps of Your anointed.

⁵² Blessed be the Lord forever!
Amen and Amen.

Source: NASB  (New American Standard Bible)

 

#ScriptureReflection - Matthew 12:30-50 (12.17.19)

The Unpardonable Sin

³⁰ He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

³¹ “Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. ³² Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

Words Reveal Character

³³ “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. ³⁴ You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. ³⁵ The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. ³⁶ But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. ³⁷ For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

 

The Desire for Signs

³⁸ Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” ³⁹ But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; ⁴⁰ for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. ⁴¹ The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. ⁴² The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.

⁴³ “Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it. ⁴⁴ Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. ⁴⁵ Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation.”

 

Changed Relationships

⁴⁶ While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him. ⁴⁷ Someone said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You.” ⁴⁸ But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” ⁴⁹ And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold My mother and My brothers! ⁵⁰ For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.”

 Source:  NASB  (New American Standard Bible)

Unexpected Challenges (12.16.19)

My Child,

Many of you have been faced with certain unexpected challenges; which have resulted in a setback.  

Think it not strange that this has happened; however, this too shall pass.  You have not gotten off course, Beloved. The trials you have endured in recent weeks have prepared you to become stronger than you thought you could be.

In all that you have overcome, I Know that you will come through this as well.  This Strength will serve you well during your spiritual progression. Through it all, rejoice in your victory; because it is on the way.

You have been through alot; but I Am right there, in the midst of it all, with you. Refuse to become discouraged, but know that I Am doing something in your life that is going to bring about many blessings.

Unexpected challenges will bring unexpected blessings, My Child.
You are Loved.

READ AND MEDITATE ON GOD'S WORD

Habakkuk 3:18 - Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the GOD of my salvation.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 - For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

1 Peter 4:12-13 - Beloved, do not be astonished at the fiery trial which is to try you, as though a strange thing happened to you, but rejoice according as you are partakers of Christ's suffering, so that when His glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy. 

#ScriptureReflection - Isaiah 35 (12.15.19)

Joy of the Redeemed

35 The desert and the parched land will be glad;
    the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, ² it will burst into bloom;
    it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
    the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
they will see the glory of the Lord,
    the splendor of our God.

³ Strengthen the feeble hands,
    steady the knees that give way;
⁴ say to those with fearful hearts,
    “Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come,
    he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution
    he will come to save you.”

⁵ Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
    and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
⁶ Then will the lame leap like a deer,
    and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
    and streams in the desert.
⁷ The burning sand will become a pool,
    the thirsty ground bubbling springs.
In the haunts where jackals once lay,
    grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.

⁸ And a highway will be there;
    it will be called the Way of Holiness;
    it will be for those who walk on that Way.
The unclean will not journey on it;
    wicked fools will not go about on it.
⁹ No lion will be there,
    nor any ravenous beast;
    they will not be found there.
But only the redeemed will walk there,
¹⁰     and those the Lord has rescued will return.
 
They will enter Zion with singing;
    everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
    and sorrow and sighing will flee away.



 Source: NIV (New International Version)

Do Not Lose Hope.... Only Believe (12.14.19)

My Child,
Please listen carefully..... and tuck away in your heart what I Am about to say to you. 

You are in a time of extreme importance, when I Will impart wisdom that will establish your path and direction.  I Am Speaking to the many who feel aimless and lost.  I Am Speaking to those who have become discouraged and disheartened. 

For those of you who have begun to lose hope, I Tell you that your hope cannot be in what humans do, nor worldly expectation. Your hope should be in your faith, as you strive to maintain Eternal Perspective. You must let go of everything that has caused you to falter, so that you can prepare to move forward with a New Perspective. 

Do not lose hope.
Do not give up. 

You are on the verge, the absolute
     verge, of breakthrough. 

It has not been easy, but you have
     done your best to persevere.

Let Me lead you out of this valley of weeping, into a place of Great Joy. I Will restore  everything that was lost . I Will send My Holy Spirit to give you peace and guidance.

Beloved, I want our Spirits to be connected forever.

Continue to trust Me to show you the way, and to bring you through each trial. 

Do not lose hope, but believe.
For I Am with you, every step of the way.

Only believe! 

Read and Meditate on God's Word:

Proverbs 4:23 - Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Psalm 31:24 - Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the LORD.

Psalm 39:7 - And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You.

Psalm 61:2 - From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psalm 84:5-7 - Blessed is the man whose strength is in You; Your ways are in their hearts. Passing through the valley of weeping, they will make it a fountain; the early rain also covers it with blessings. They go from strength to strength, appearing in Zion before GOD.

Hebrews 10:35-36 - Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of GOD, ye might receive the promise.

Faith Believers,
I pray the peace of Jesus will flood your soul
and destroy any fears holding you back; so that
the vision He has given you, will come to pass.
  -  Marilyn

#ScriptureReflection - 1 Maccabees 14 (12.13.19)

Chapter 14

Capture of Demetrius II. ¹ In the one hundred and seventy-second year, King Demetrius assembled his army and marched into Media to obtain help so that he could fight Trypho. ² When Arsaces, king of Persia and Media, heard that Demetrius had entered his territory, he sent one of his generals to take him alive. ³ The general went forth and attacked the army of Demetrius; he captured him and brought him to Arsaces, who put him under guard.

Praise of Simon

⁴ The land was at rest all the days of Simon,
    who sought the good of his nation.
His rule delighted his people
    and his glory all his days.
⁵ As his crowning glory he took Joppa for a port
    and made it a gateway to the isles of the sea.
⁶ He enlarged the borders of his nation
    and gained control of the country.
⁷ He took many prisoners of war
    and made himself master of Gazara, Beth-zur, and the citadel.
He cleansed the citadel of its impurities;
    there was no one to withstand him.
⁸ The people cultivated their land in peace;
    the land yielded its produce,
    the trees of the field their fruit.
⁹ Old men sat in the squares,
    all talking about the good times,
    while the young men put on the glorious raiment of war.
¹⁰ He supplied the cities with food
    and equipped them with means of defense,
    till his glorious name reached the ends of the earth.
¹¹ He brought peace to the land,
    and Israel was filled with great joy.
¹² Every one sat under his vine and fig tree,
    with no one to disturb them.
¹³ No attacker was left in the land;
    the kings in those days were crushed.
¹⁴ He strengthened all the lowly among his people
    and was zealous for the law;
    he destroyed the lawless and the wicked.
¹⁵ The sanctuary he made splendid
    and multiplied its furnishings.

Alliance with Rome and Sparta. ¹⁶ When people in Rome and even in Sparta heard that Jonathan had died, they were deeply grieved. ¹⁷ But when they heard that his brother Simon had become high priest in his place and was master of the territory and its cities, ¹⁸ they sent him inscribed tablets of bronze to renew with him the friendship and alliance that they had established with his brothers Judas and Jonathan. ¹⁹ These were read before the assembly in Jerusalem.

²⁰ This is a copy of the letter that the Spartans sent: “The rulers and the city of the Spartans send greetings to Simon the high priest, the elders, the priests, and the rest of the Jewish people, our brothers. ²¹ The ambassadors sent to our people have informed us of your glory and renown, and we rejoiced at their coming. ²² In accordance with what they said we have recorded the following in the public decrees: Numenius, son of Antiochus, and Antipater, son of Jason, ambassadors of the Jews, have come to us to renew their friendship with us. ²³ The people have resolved to receive these men with honor, and to deposit a copy of their words in the public archives, so that the people of Sparta may have a record of them. A copy of this decree has been made for Simon the high priest.”

²⁴ After this, Simon sent Numenius to Rome with a large gold shield weighing a thousand minas, to confirm the alliance with the Romans.

Official Honors for Simon. ²⁵ When the people heard of these things, they said, “How shall we thank Simon and his sons? ²⁶ He and his brothers and his father’s house have stood firm and repulsed Israel’s enemies, and so have established its freedom.” So they made an inscription on bronze tablets, which they affixed to pillars on Mount Zion.

²⁷ The following is a copy of the inscription: “On the eighteenth day of Elul, in the one hundred and seventy-second year, that is, the third year under Simon the great high priest in Asaramel, ²⁸ in a great assembly of priests, people, rulers of the nation, and elders of the region, the following proclamation was made to us:

²⁹ “‘Since there have often been wars in our country, Simon, son of the priest Mattathias, descendant of Joarib, and his brothers have put themselves in danger and resisted the enemies of their nation, so that their sanctuary and law might be maintained, and they have thus brought great glory to their nation. ³⁰ Jonathan rallied the nation, became their high priest, and was gathered to his people. ³¹ When their enemies sought to invade and ravage their country and to violate their sanctuary, ³² Simon rose up and fought for his nation, spending large sums of his own money to equip his nation’s forces and give them their pay. ³³ He fortified the cities of Judea, especially the border city of Beth-zur, formerly the site of the enemy’s weaponry, and he stationed there a garrison of Jewish soldiers. ³⁴ He also fortified Joppa by the sea and Gazara on the border of Azotus, a place previously occupied by the enemy; these cities he settled with Jews and furnished them with all that was necessary for their restoration. ³⁵ When the people saw Simon’s fidelity and the glory he planned to bring to his nation, they made him their leader and high priest because of all he had accomplished and the justice and fidelity he had shown his nation. In every way he sought to exalt his people.

³⁶ “‘In his time and under his guidance they succeeded in driving the Gentiles out of their country and those in the City of David in Jerusalem, who had built for themselves a citadel from which they used to sally forth to defile the environs of the sanctuary and inflict grave injury on its purity. ³⁷ In this citadel he stationed Jewish soldiers, and he strengthened its fortifications for the security of the land and the city, while he also built up the wall of Jerusalem to a greater height. ³⁸ Consequently, King Demetrius confirmed him in the high priesthood, ³⁹ made him one of his Friends, and conferred great honor on him. ⁴⁰ This was because he had heard that the Romans had addressed the Jews as friends, allies, and brothers, that they had received Simon’s envoys with honor, ⁴¹ and that the Jewish people and their priests had decided the following: Simon shall be their leader and high priest forever until a trustworthy prophet arises. ⁴² He shall act as governor over them, and shall have charge of the sanctuary, to make regulations concerning its functions and concerning the country, its weapons and strongholds. ⁴³ He shall be obeyed by all. All contracts in the country shall be written in his name, and he shall be clothed in purple and gold. ⁴⁴ It shall not be lawful for any of the people or priests to nullify any of these decisions, or to contradict the orders given by him, or to convene an assembly in the country without his consent, to be clothed in purple or wear a gold buckle. ⁴⁵ Whoever acts otherwise or violates any of these prescriptions shall be liable to punishment.

⁴⁶ “‘Thus all the people approved of granting Simon the right to act in accord with these decisions, ⁴⁷ and Simon accepted and agreed to be high priest, governor, and ethnarch of the Jewish people and priests, and to have authority over all.’”

⁴⁸ It was decreed that this inscription should be engraved on bronze tablets, to be set up in a conspicuous place in the precincts of the sanctuary, ⁴⁹ and that copies of it should be deposited in the treasury, where they would be available to Simon and his sons.


 Source: NABRE (New American Bible - Revised Edition)


 

God is Making Changes...... (12.12.19)

My Child,
I Am bringing peace to where there has been chaos.

I Am giving you a boldness to fulfill My Will, because
     you are not seeking your own glory.
I Am taking off the blinders of the eyes of those who
     seek Me first in their lives; as I Increase their
     discernment.
I Am bringing wisdom to those who seem to be
     ʺthe least of these;” and bringing a desire
     "to be more like Me."
I Am bringing them up, and as they wait upon Me.

I Will renew their strength.
 
I Am raising up leaders, now, who walk in the calling
     that I Have placed on them; as they have
     compassion for My People.
I Am making changes, and I Want you to keep doing
     the things I Have spoken in your life.

Continue to stay steadfast and unmovable in My Word. You have a great calling and purpose on your life; and your rewards are right above the horizon.
 
You have been diligently seeking Me, and now I Will honor your request. The changes I Am making will cause you to have a tremendous harvest season.

I Am bringing revelation knowledge
     to My Chosen Ones.

 

 

READ AND MEDITATE ON GOD'S WORD

Isaiah 40:31 - But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. 
 
Isaiah 43:18-19 - Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert
 
Matthew 6:33 - But seek ye first the kingdom of GOD, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 
 
1 Corinthians 15:58 - Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Do Not Worry About the Weeds..... (12.11.19)

My Child,
I Know your cares, and I Know that your responsibilities seem immense.

However, if you observe them from Above, you will see that they are really insignificant. You’ve allowed the little things in your life to overwhelm you. Do not let the small annoyances steal your joy. Can’t you see that I Am greater than anything that you will ever face?

Why not see them as I Do, like little weeds in a garden.

When you have weeds in your garden, you don’t become so focused on the weeds that you neglect to see the beauty of the flowers growing. However, this is what some of you are allowing to happen. Some of you have spent so much time trying to handle the weeds; that you've neglected to take care of the treasures I Have given you.

Spend time investing in the Blessings that I Have given to you.

Take the time to water and fertilize your blessings, by learning to appreciate and cherish all that is good in your life. When you do this, it will choke out the weeds so they will uproot easily; and you won’t have to worry about them anymore. So, count those blessings and watch your weeds fade away.

Now, stop worrying about the weeds.  Today, set your mind on investing in the good things in your life.  Take time to appreciate, nurture, and enjoy your blessings; then watch as I Send the rain to water every dry area in your life, and cause everything to flourish once again.

Read and Meditate on God's Word

Matthew 6:30-34 - Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore, take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Philippians 4:8 - Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 

#ScriptureReflection - 2 John 1 (12.10.19)

Greetings

¹ This letter is from John, the elder.

I am writing to the chosen lady and to her children, whom I love in the truth—as does everyone else who knows the truth— ² because the truth lives in us and will be with us forever.
³ Grace, mercy, and peace, which come from God the Father and from Jesus Christ—the Son of the Father—will continue to be with us who live in truth and love.

Live in the Truth

⁴ How happy I was to meet some of your children and find them living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded.

⁵ I am writing to remind you, dear friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning. ⁶ Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.

⁷ I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist. ⁸ Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward. ⁹ Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son.

¹⁰ If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. ¹¹ Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work.

Conclusion

¹² I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to do it with paper and ink. For I hope to visit you soon and talk with you face to face. Then our joy will be complete.

¹³ Greetings from the children of your sister, chosen by God.


Source: NLT (New Living Translation)