Anna: Prophecy for Today's Church

And there was a prophetess, Anna … She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. Luke 2:36-38

            Anna was a prophet. Paul tells us in 1Corinthians 14 that a prophet is one who discerns God’s movement for the purpose of building up, encouraging and consoling the church. Anna spent her days and nights in worship. Through prayer and fasting she continuously sought the Lord’s Presence and indication of where He was working, never leaving the Temple.So when Joseph and Mary brought the Christ babe into the Temple, Anna recognized Him at once.

            Years later when their young son went “missing,” Jesus’ parents would find him in the Temple, sitting among the teachers. When they expressed their concern about it, he replied, where else would I be? You know that I must be in my Father’s house. (See Luke 2:41-50)

            Sometimes we get frustrated with “church” and think we can worship and serve God on our own. But the church must be a necessary part of our life if we are truly going to be Christ followers. Yes, the church can be filled with disappointment, strange agendas, hypocrites, and hurtfulness, but as someone once said, if you find the perfect church don’t go there – you’ll ruin it!  Maybe instead of looking so hard at the problems in our churches, we should start looking harder to find Christ going about His Father’s business in His Father’s House.

Let’s Do Something About It:

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians,

Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. … the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation... So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.  1Corinthians 14:1,3, 12

·      Spend some time today asking the Holy Spirit to show you where your attitude regarding the condition of The Church may be out of line with God’s Will for His Body.

·      Ask God to show you how you can be a source and presence of love, mercy, and healing in your church today.

Simeon: Heart's Revealed

And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” Luke 2:34-35

It is easy to fall into the trap of tradition, ritual, and stirring rhetoric. We can become complacent in our worship or excited and motivated over some new teaching – but both can cause our worship to become false. Jesus’ has come to reveal the true intentions, attitudes, and condition of our hearts and thoughts. God is not fooled by our outward actions. In 1Samuel 16:7, God told Samuel, “The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1Samuel 16:7

When the religious leaders of the time condemned Jesus’ followers for not following tradition, J

Jesus called them hypocrites,

Jesus replied, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,

 ‘These people honor me with their lips,

 but their hearts are far from me.  

Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’

For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition.” Mark 7:6-8

Today, as representatives of Christ on earth, let’s open our hearts and minds to Christ’s examination and make sure we are truly honoring Him with our words, our attitudes, and our actions.

Lets Do Something About It:

·      Slowly and meditatively read the following passage from Psalm 139.

·      Reflect on the words, and then allow some time to listen for and absorb God’s response to you.

·      Journal or record your insights.

·      Pray that the Holy Spirit will guide you into true humility before the Lord.

You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely…

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalms 139:1-4,23-24

Simeon: Waiting for Fulfillment

Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

            “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,

                        according to your word;             for my eyes have seen your salvation             that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,             a light for revelation to the Gentiles,

                        and for glory to your people Israel.” Luke 2:25-32

Simeon was able to see the fulfillment of what God had prepared because of his relationship with the Holy Spirit.  Simeon lived a righteous and devout life aware of and waiting for God’s promises to be fulfilled, so when he came to the Temple the Holy Spirit came upon him and enabled him to see what God was doing. 


When we accept Christ as our Savior and Lord we receive the Holy Spirit into our lives. But what is our relationship with the Spirit? Do we come into our churches filled with and surrendered to the Holy Spirit, waiting and expecting to see what God is preparing and fulfilling?  How aware are we of the Spirit’s Presence in our lives? 

Let's DO something about it:

• Today, listen for the Spirit’s prompting.
• Look for the Spirit’s Presence. 
• Wait for the Spirit’s urgings. 
• Desire the Spirit’s filling.

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What?

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Matthew 25:35-40

We ask why -- but the necessary question is what. What can I do today?

(photo from Huffington Post)

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