“YOU'VE HEARD THAT...”
by
Dr. Gale A. Ragan-Reid (June 28, 2016)
“And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised; To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” (St. Luke 4:17-21, King James Version [Christ healeth the sick]).
Greetings In The Name Of Jesus,
My sisters and brothers, I find myself in reflection, “I wish I had done more, stronger and longer but all that was for me to do was the business of God of my time and of my generation. Many of the things that you now do were not afforded me in my time and my generation, so I strongly feel I did break the glass ceiling that bound the women of my day because many of the things I accomplished were 'firsts'---I was the first to do that which sometimes made me feel sad and glad that my generation and the generations before me were held back from---by psychological beat-downs contrary to the spiritual uplifting received in church service “to be a conqueror, an over comer, a warrior, a soldier for Christ Jesus” only to step-out of the church to face the world---engaged in spiritual warfare within our own hearts and minds to do the impossible to believe that all things were possible---ready to beat-down the walls of contention that burst our bubbles and sent us back unsuccessful in our quest to achieve.” Wait on the LORD, I say. For Israel could not free themselves before the four hundred years and more of slavery to Egypt before God willed it so. For the children of Israel could not accept their freedom, in their hearts and minds since release from slavery, just because it was so, for the moment Moses did not appear back to lead them in a suitable enough time for them to accept they preferred to go back into the ways of slavery the practices of slavery the traditions of slavery---still chained and bound, although they witnessed miraculous plagues God sent upon Egypt and the incredibly miraculous parting of the Red Sea---just to free them---but in the weakness of their hearts and minds they needed Moses for their comfort and reassurance for they were so fragile and beat-down from the psychological effects that tormented their hearts and minds for over 400 years even though their Almighty God was right on the mountain top and had been with them through all the years of slavery---the weakness of their conscious was evident and the strength of Moses' conscious was evident because he took a life when he found out the one being persecuted was his kin and all that was known before that fleeting moment of routine persecution on the slaves---the Jews, now known to him as his people was placed in a new perspective that he was not their persecutor but there in pharaoh's house to make a difference as Esther became queen to make a difference in later years of bondage, to help deliver the Jews because he was the one raised in the house of Egypt's pharaoh while his mother, sister, brother---and all his people made bricks to build pharaoh's city suffering under hunger and thirst---forced to accept pharaoh has their God instead of their living God who every nation known to man on earth knew the Jews belonged to---but they were taken, without cause after the death of their brother, Joseph died.
Most importantly, I come before you, to tell you of the redemptive power of Christ Jesus that is real ever present afforded to true believers, followers of Christ Jesus, right now, “Oh, if only you believed that the blind did see, the lame did walk, devils cast out---demons and legions of demons cast out---for Jesus healed the sick—that he raised the dead and was resurrected to walk the earth, go down to hell and take the keys then ascend to sit at the right-hand side of God Almighty [“And Jesus said, I am and
2
ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven” (St. Mark 14:62, KJV]. Oh, if only you believed, your God lives and watches over you day and night sustaining you restoring your faith and all that was lost, you'd know the truth did not fail you and will never leave you alone for God loves you enough to send a deliverer with the promise of the gift of eternal life so why do you go in and out of sin---divert back to the lifestyle of a sinner, 'Ye of so little faith.'” Accordingly, St. Mark witnessed:
“And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I
say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou
removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart,
but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he
shall have whatsoever he saith...” (11:22-23, 24-26, KJV
[Of faith in prayer]).
Moreover, according to St. Matthew 5th chapter, in the sermon on the mount, Jesus preached,
“Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill;
and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: but I say unto
you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without cause shall be in
danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Racca,
shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall
be in danger of hell fire (verses 21-22, KJV),.. Ye have heard that it was
said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto
you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed
adultery with her already in his heart (verses 27-28, KJV)...Again, ye have
heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear
thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you,
Swear not at all, neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth;
for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great
King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make
one hair white or black. But let your communication be, yea, yea; Nay, nay:
for whatsoever is more than these cometh evil (verses 33-37, KJV)...Ye have
heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I
say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy
right cheek, turn to him the other also (verses 38 and 39, KJV)...Ye have
heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine
enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you,
do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use
you, and persecute you: That ye may be the children of your Father which
is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and
sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust (verses 43-55, KJV).
Let the love of God guide you through your Holy Ghost Spirit. Be diligent in your love to do His will and let the faith of Christ Jesus keep you, in grace---the hope of a brighter day---the light of God, forever drawn to your Father as He draws you to Him. In the faith of Christ Jesus, be blessed. God be with you, always. Christ be with you, always.
Amen.
