Bonifazio Veronese, 1487-1553, “The Archangel Gabriel announces the birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah.”While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him.
But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”
“Of the Father’s love begotten”
Aurelius Clemens Prudentius, 4th c
Of the Father’s love begotten, Ere the worlds began to be, He the Alpha and Omega, He the source, the ending He, Of the things that are, that have been, And that future years shall see, Evermore and evermore!
Oh that birth forever-blessèd, When the Virgin, full of grace, By the Holy Ghost conceiving, Bore the Saviour of our race; And the Babe, the world’s Redeemer, First displayed His sacred face, Evermore and evermore!
This is He whom seers in time of old, Chanted of with one accord, Whom the voices of the prophets, Promised in their faithful word. Now He shines, the Long Expected. Let creation praise its Lord, Evermore and evermore!
Let the heights of heaven adore Him. Angel hosts, His praises sing. Powers, dominions bow before Him, And extol our God and King. Let no tongue on earth be silent, Every voice in concert ring, Evermore and evermore!
Christ, to Thee with God the Father, And, O Holy Ghost to Thee, Hymn and chant and high thanksgiving, And unwending praises be: Honor, glory, and dominion, And eternal victory, Evermore and evermore!
Angel Appears to Joseph in a Dream_Anton Raphael Mengs._c. 1773-1774Matthew 1.20-23 NLT
As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:
“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” (Isaiah 7.14)
Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!
Peanut Gallery: Evil in the hearts of men is not something new. Truth be told… it’s part of our human condition. Even the Apostle Paul struggled with it.
Romans 7:21-25 NLT
“I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?
Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.”
The Apostle Paul knew… “The Shadow” knew… so why do horrific acts of evil catch us by surprise? Perhaps it’s because we are looking in the wrong place – outside ourselves, all around us – instead of inside our own hearts and minds… where the seeds of evil take root.
But would we recognize these seeds if we saw them?
His article has been copied below, for your convenience… but please follow the above link to the original and check out the comments. Perhaps you would like to add your own.
Oh… and the Apostle Paul had the last word on the subject:
Romans 8.1-2 NLT
“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.”
To understand evil, we must set aside the comfortable belief that we would never do anything wrong. Instead, we must begin to ask ourselves, what would it take for me to do such things? Assume that it would be possible. — Roy Baumeister
Many people consider monsters like Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin somehow uniquely evil. They imagine them as malevolent, abominable, nearly inhuman entities who spent their days scheming to inflict misery on other humans for the sheer sadistic pleasure of it.
The truth is much more terrifying: human beings as evil and ruthless as Hitler, Stalin, and Mao are so common that we pass them on the street daily, see them on TV, and may even have the misfortune of knowing them personally. The real difference between these notorious butchers and the guy in a federal prison is not so much the degree of depravity, but the unchecked power needed to make his darkest desires reality.
Peanut Gallery: Couldn’t be prouder of our Governor Nikki Haley and her choice of US Representative Tim Scott to replace retiring Senator Jim DeMint. South Carolina is doing its part to restore American values.
_____________________________________________ Nikki Haley & Tim Scott
With Sen. Jim DeMint on his way to take the reins at the Heritage Foundation, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley is charged with selecting his replacement for the next two years. According to multiple sources, her pick is Rep. Tim Scott, who will be the only African-American Republican in Congress when the new sessions gavels in:
Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina has chosen Representative Tim Scott to replace Jim DeMint in the United States Senate, according to three Republican officials. The move will make Mr. Scott the first black senator from the South since the late 19th century. The governor will make the announcement at noon at the State House in Columbia. She began informing the roster of finalists on Monday morning about her decision to go with Mr. Scott, who was the preferred candidate of many conservative leaders and groups in Washington. Speaking on condition of anonymity, three Republican officials familiar with the process confirmed to The New York Times the decision to select Mr. Scott. Aides to the governor declined to comment before the noon announcement. Ms. Haley seriously considered a number of potential contenders, particularly Jenny Sanford, the ex-wife of former Gov. Mark Sanford, who had been supportive of Ms. Haley in her race two years ago. But in choosing Mr. Scott, she selected a senator with a strong conservative voting record during his two years in Congress.
The Peanut Gallery 