Matthew 1 - CEVUS06 & NBA93

Addictions come in many shapes and forms, whether it’s lust, alcohol, substances, gambling, gaming, or even excessive use of your mobile phone and social media. There is professional help to get as well as counselling from your priest or pastor.

Also, read the Bible and lay your addiction before God in prayer. Here are some passages from the Word of God to reflect upon.

James 1:14-15 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

We all have weaknesses within us that can make us fall and lead to an addiction. Acknowledging this, and admitting that you struggle with addiction is an important step to be free from it.

1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.

Addictions don’t come from God, but from the world and our desires, lusts and pride. We can rely on God wanting us to be free from any addiction.

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

You may feel that you can’t break your addiction. But the Bible tells us that God can. God will provide the way of escape. Turn to God, turn from your addiction. Let God fill you with his presence.

1 Corinthians 6:12 “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.

Addiction is many times when something takes control over you. Those things that are not helpful in your life and dominate your thoughts and desires you may need to cut out of your life.

1 Peter 2:11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.

Addictions come from this world and not from God. In the end, addictions replace God as the number one in our lives. It’s not just about addictions, but also about our souls.

Matthew 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Lay your struggles before God. Ask for God’s protection and deliverance.

John 8:36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

This is the promise of Jesus Christ, that when he sets us free, it is real freedom.

This article is not intended as a replacement for medical or therapeutic help or treatment for addiction, but a complement and inspiration to those who battle addiction.

The Ancestors of Jesus

(Luke 3.23-38)

1 Jesus Christ came from the family of King David and also from the family of Abraham. And this is a list of his ancestors. 2-6a From Abraham to King David, his ancestors were:

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah and his brothers (Judah's sons were Perez and Zerah, and their mother was Tamar), Hezron;

Ram, Amminadab, Nahshon, Salmon, Boaz (his mother was Rahab), Obed (his mother was Ruth), Jesse, and King David.

6b-11 From David to the time of the exile in Babylonia, the ancestors of Jesus were:

David, Solomon (his mother had been Uriah's wife), Rehoboam, Abijah, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram;

Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, Amon, Josiah, and Jehoiachin and his brothers.

12-16 From the exile to the birth of Jesus, his ancestors were:

Jehoiachin, Shealtiel, Zerubbabel, Abiud, Eliakim, Azor, Zadok, Achim;

Eliud, Eleazar, Matthan, Jacob, and Joseph, the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus, who is called the Messiah.

17 There were 14 generations from Abraham to David. There were also 14 from David to the exile in Babylonia and 14 more to the birth of the Messiah.

The Birth of Jesus

(Luke 2.1-7)

18 This is how Jesus Christ was born. A young woman named Mary was engaged to Joseph from King David's family. But before they were married, she learned that she was going to have a baby by God's Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph was a good man and did not want to embarrass Mary in front of everyone. So he decided to quietly call off the wedding.

20 While Joseph was thinking about this, an angel from the Lord appeared to him in a dream. The angel said, “Joseph, the baby that Mary will have is from the Holy Spirit. Go ahead and marry her. 21 Then after her baby is born, name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

22 So the Lord's promise came true, just as the prophet had said, 23 “A virgin will have a baby boy, and he will be called Immanuel,” which means “God is with us.”

24 After Joseph woke up, he and Mary were soon married, just as the Lord's angel had told him to do. 25 But they did not sleep together before her baby was born. Then Joseph named him Jesus.

Lugwurnǝyin lǝthi Yǝcu Kwɔrɔstɔ-ŋa.

(Luuga 3:23-38)

1 Kiṯaab ŋgɔ kǝthi rǝrnyin rǝthi Yǝcu Kwɔrɔstɔ-ŋa, kwir Tɔr ṯǝthi Ḏaawḏ-ŋǝ, kwir tɔr ṯǝthi Ibraahiim-ŋǝ. 2 Nǝ Ibraahiim oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Is-haag-ŋǝ, nǝ Is-haag oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Ya@guub-ŋǝ, nǝ Ya@guub oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Yahuuthǝ-ŋǝ iiyeŋgen-li, 3 nǝ kwaaw kwǝni Ṯaamaar ilŋanyji Yahuuthǝ-ŋwɔ Faaras-ŋwɔsi Zaareh-gi, nǝ Faaras oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Hasruun-ŋǝ, nǝ Hasruun oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Araam-ŋǝ, 4 nǝ Araam oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi @ammiinaadaab-ŋǝ nǝ @ammiinaadaab oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Nah-shuun-ŋǝ, nǝ Nah-shuun oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Salmuun-ŋǝ, 5 nǝ kwɔlen kwǝni Raahaab ilŋanyji Salmuun-ŋwɔ tɔɔrɔ tǝni Buu@az, nǝ kwaaw kwǝni Raa@uth ilŋanyji Buu@az-ŋwɔ tɔɔrɔ tǝni @uubiid nǝ @uubiid oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Yǝssǝ-ŋǝ, 6 nǝ Yǝssǝ oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Ḏaawḏ-ŋǝ kwir mǝlik.

Nǝ Ḏaawḏ aagitha Uriiyyǝ-ŋwɔ kwayɔ, nɔŋw ilŋanyji tɔɔrɔ tǝni Sulemaan. 7 Nǝ Sulemaan oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Rahab@aam-ŋǝ, nǝ Rahab@aam oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Abiiyyǝ-ŋǝ, nǝ Abiiyyǝ oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Asaa-ŋǝ, 8 nǝ Asaa oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Yahuu-shaa-faaṯ-ŋǝ, nǝ Yahuu-shaa-faaṯ oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Yuuraam-ŋǝ, nǝ Yuuraam oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi @uzziiyya-ŋǝ, 9 nǝ @uzziiyya oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Yuuthaam-ŋǝ, nǝ Yuuthaam oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Ahaaz-ŋǝ nǝ Ahaaz oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Hizgjiyya-ŋǝ, 10 nǝ Hizgiiyya oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Manassa-ŋǝ, nǝ Manassa oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Ammuun-ŋǝ, nǝ Ammuun oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Yuushiiyya-ŋǝ, 11 nǝ Yuushiiyya oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Yakuniiyya-ŋǝ liyeŋgen-li ki-lɔɔmɔr limǝr-sili mithǝ ŋɔwaaya mindaŋ mǝr-li ele kiŋɔwaay-na Baabil. 12 Nǝ mǝr-li ele ki-ŋɔwaay-na Baabil, nǝ Yakuniiyya oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Sha-alṯi-iil-ŋǝ, nǝ Sha-alṯi-iil oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Zarubaabil-ŋǝ, 13 nǝ Zarubaabil oro tǝrnyin ṯǝthi Abii-huuḏ-ŋǝ, nǝ Abii-huud oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Aliyaagiim-ŋǝ, nǝ Aliyaagjim oro tǝrnyin ṯǝthi @aazuur-ŋǝ, 14 nǝ @aazuur oro tǝrnyin ṯǝthi Saadɔɔg-ŋǝ, nǝ Saadɔɔg oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Akhiim-ŋǝ, nǝ Akhiim oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Alyuud-ŋǝ, 15 nǝ Alyuud oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Ali@aazar-ŋǝ, nǝ Ali@aazar oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Matṯǝan-ŋǝ, nǝ Matṯǝan oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Ya@guub-ŋǝ 16 nǝ Ya@guub oro ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Yuusuf-ŋǝ, ŋgwa kwɔmǝ aagwɔ Mǝryǝm-ŋwɔ, kwundǝr-ṯǝ kwɔmǝ elŋe Yǝcu-ŋwɔ kwǝni Kwɔrɔstɔ. 17 Nǝ ŋelŋe oro tatap wrii-kwaɽiŋan min ki-lɔɔmɔr-la ṯǝ kila linaani-li Ibraahiim, mindaŋ mǝr elŋe Ḏaawḏ-ŋwɔ. Nǝroro tatap wrii-kwaɽiŋan tok, min ki-lɔɔmɔr-la ṯǝ kila linaani-li Ḏaawḏ mindaŋ mǝrsi mithǝ ŋɔwaaya, mǝr-li ele ki-ŋɔwaay-na Baabil. Nǝroro wrii-kwaɽiŋan tok, ki-lɔɔmɔr-la ṯǝ kila mindaŋ mǝr elŋe Kwɔrɔstɔ-ŋw.

Ŋelŋe ŋǝthi Yǝcu Kwɔrɔstɔ.

(Luuga 2:1-7)

18 Nǝ ŋelŋe ŋǝthi Yǝcu Kwɔrɔstɔ oro kaka ṯaŋw: Mǝ Yuusuf kǝmiṯi Mǝryǝm-ŋwɔ kwir lǝnyin kwǝthi Yǝcu-ŋǝ, niti nɔɽɔmaṯṯir-gikinnǝ mac, nǝr kaṯṯasi kwɔmǝ eethe Ṯigɽim-thi Ṯirllinǝlɔ ter, 19 nǝ Yuusuf kwir kwɔlen kaka nǝni-ŋgwɔ kwɔvthanna, nǝ niti ninaŋna-ŋgwɔ ethi ruwǝcci @eeba-lɔ wuuŋwun mac por-por, hɔŋw naŋni ethi dirnathalɔ nyettec. 20 Mindaŋ nɔŋw urtutuninǝ ŋiɽaŋal-ŋi ŋɔ, nǝ meleka kwǝthi Kweeleny ruwǝnnicǝ-lɔ ki-thiŋliṯ, nɔŋwɔccǝŋw, “Yuusuf tɔr ṯǝthi Ḏaawḏ-ŋǝ, ǝṯi ṯiinya mac ethaagwɔ Mǝryǝm-ŋwɔ kaka kwomne ŋgwa kwiithaŋwɔ kwǝthi Ṯigɽim Ṯirllinǝlɔ ter kwɔrɔ. 21 Kwelŋe toŋwora mindaŋ ǝnyjici yiriny ǝccǝ Yǝcu, kaka ninḏi-ŋgwɔ ethi kilǝthi lizi luuŋwun ki-ŋikiya-na ŋeeŋen.” 22 Nǝr-ṯǝ oroŋw tatap ŋɔ, ethisi rattasi ŋandisasi Kweeleny kwiɽii-ŋgi ŋaari-ŋiŋw, 23 “lisar-ṯi letteṯ lette leethe mindaŋ ŋwelŋe toŋwora, mindaŋ ǝri ǝnyjici yiriny ǝrǝccǝ @immaanuu-iil” (yǝniŋw, “Allah wǝṯi-nyji-gwɔ ɔmma”). 24 Mǝ Yuusuf kiɽiṯi ki-ŋwaarɔ, nɔŋwsi ǝrri ŋir Kaka ŋandicgsi meleka kwǝthi Kweeleny, mindaŋ nɔŋw mɔlo kwayɔ kwuuŋwun. 25 Laakin nǝrgeere ɔɽɔmaṯṯi kinnɔni mac mindaŋ mɔŋw elŋe tɔɔrɔ tǝ, nɔŋw ǝnyjici yiriny yǝni Yǝcu rimthithi.”