What Reasons Do We Have To Trust God? 

Luke 1:13-14, 16-17 - Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John. 14 "You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth…  "And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. 17 "It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah… 

• Kept Promises 

There isn't a better reason to trust someone than "kept promises." In today's Pump Up, I want to share with you proof of why we can trust God and that proof is He kept all of the promises He made.
When I was maturing as a young man my father taught me this very simple lesson. He said, "This world can take everything away from you, but they can never take away your word. So, if you give your word, you keep it."

God has given us His Word many times and has always kept His Word.

I want to look at some (not all) of the promises God made preceding the birth of Jesus Christ. 

• First, look at the promises God made to Zacharias. 

God said Zacharias' wife, Elizabeth, was going to become pregnant and bear them a son. He was to name his son John, which means God is gracious.

As you continue to read the story in Luke 1 you will notice the fulfillment of God's promises.  He said she would give birth to a son and she did.

He said, "Many will rejoice at his birth." They were rejoicing at his birth. He was to be named John and he was named John. There are more promises in verses 16 and 17, and as you read the New Testament you can find their fulfillments. 

• God's promises to Zacharias fulfilled. 

Lk 1:57-63 - Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her…. 60 But his mother answered and said, "No indeed; but he shall be called John." 61 And they said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name." 62 And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. 63 And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, "His name is John."   NASU 

• Second, look at the promises God made to Mary. 

Luke 1:30-35 - The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. 31 "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32 "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end." 34 Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" 35 The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.  NASU

God promised Mary a Son, and told her what His name was to be, He promised her Son would be given the throne of David, reign over the house of Jacob and His kingdom would have no end, and all of these promises were kept.

When we read Luke 2 the promises God made to Mary begin their fulfillment. Even today as people give their lives to Jesus Christ they become a part of the promise God made to Mary when He said, "His kingdom would have no end."

If you are not a part of Jesus' kingdom, what are you waiting for?

All you have to do is believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, confess that you believe that to God, and then be baptized (immersed) into Christ. If you need help accomplishing this, write me.

I promise I will help you.

Give yourself the best Christmas gift ever; give yourself a new life in Christ.
Gal 3:27 - For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. NASU

Now that would be an article of clothing worth showing to others.

Think On This:

Keeping Christmas is good, but sharing it with others is much better.

Stay Pumped and Have A Merry Christmas,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word

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