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Luke 1:13 - But the angel said to him, "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. (NASU - used for scripture references)
There isn't any reason for us to distrust God. He keeps His promises. In our text today God tells Zacharias through Gabriel, His servant, that he and his wife are going to have a baby boy, and they are to name the baby John. Zach has some doubts about what Gabriel told him. Zach is told by Gabriel he will not be able to speak until after what He has said comes true. The child is born and on the 8th day when they are going to circumcise him they want to name him Zacharias after his father, but his mother says, "No, he is to be named John." When Zacharias confirms that his name is to be John he immediately is able to speak again. God's promises to Zacharias have been kept.
During his ministry he is going to be leading the children of Israel back to God. Luke 1:16-17 - And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. "It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." These promises made about John are being fulfilled in the passage below. Matt 3:4-6 - Now John himself had a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.
God said, "He will NOT remember our SINS and LAWLESS deeds." This promise is for everyone who has become a participant of the new covenant. The way to enter into the new covenant is given to us below by the Apostle Peter. Acts 2:38 - Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." As you go through life always remember God Always Keeps His Promises. Think On These: Politicians spend half their time making promises and the other half making excuses. Some people stand on the promises; others just sit on the premises. Promises are only as dependable as the individuals who make them. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Share this Pump Up with others by Sharing on Your Facebook Page, Twitter or Forwarding to a friend.
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Luke 1:18-19- Zacharias said to the angel, "How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years."
Genesis 17:15-17 - Then God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. "I will bless her, and indeed I will give you a son by her. Then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her." Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, "Will a child be born to a man one hundred years old? And will Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?" NASU Genesis 18:10-12 - He said, "I will surely return to you at this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son." And Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was past childbearing. Sarah laughed to herself, saying, "After I have become old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?" NASU Who does something like that? If you ask me someone with a wild sense of humor and that would be God. I have come to the conclusion that sometimes we may find ourselves in a very precarious predicament and that is exactly where God wants to be. God has a sense of humor and now that we are in this situation. What are we going to do?
Sarah says, God was the One who made her laugh and everyone who heard that she was now pregnant would laugh with her. Being pregnant at 90 years of age I am sure we probably would laugh just not when we were close to the 90 year old woman who was pregnant. Job 8:20-21 - Lo, God will not reject a man of integrity, nor will He support the evildoers. "He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with shouting. NASU Job says, "It is God who will fill your mouth with laughter."
When the LORD brought back the captive ones of Zion, We were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter And our tongue with joyful shouting; Then they said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them." The LORD has done great things for us; We are glad. NASU The reason for us to laugh is God has done great things for us. If you are a Christian God has redeemed you, forgiven you of your sins, and filled you with His Holy Spirit. We have a lot more to laugh about than we realize. One thing I have learned as I have aged and that is not to take life so seriously. I wish I would have laughed at myself and situations of life in which I found myself and you can quote me on that. When Was The Last Time You Had A Good Laugh? Think On These: Fortune smiles upon the man who can laugh at himself. Laughter is the shock absorber that eases the blows of life. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Share this Pump Up with others by Sharing on Your Facebook Page, Twitter or Forwarding to a friend. John 1:19-23 - This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ." They asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" And he said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No." Then they said to him, "Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?" He said, "I am A VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, 'MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD,' … NASU
John the Baptist knew who he was and if you want to have a better life I highly recommend this pathway for a better life. He wasn't the Christ nor was he trying to be the Christ. He was completely satisfied with being the "Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness." Don't try to be anyone else. Just be yourself and the best way to be yourself is by knowing who you are. Know who you are.
Maybe you heard: "You will never amount to anything, or You don't have a lick of sense do you? or Why can't you be like …?" It has been said, "It is easier to build up a child, than repair an adult. Choose your words wisely." I read about Steven Spielberg's life and found one part rather amusing. He applied and was denied entrance twice into the prestigious film school at USC. He later applies and is accepted at Cal State University in Long Beach. He graduates from CSU and goes on to direct some of the movie industries' biggest blockbusters. What I found really amusing is in 1994 USC gave him an honorary doctorate degree. The same school that said in essence: "You are not good enough to attend here."
He was given a goal to accomplish and this is what motivated him. What is your goal? The greatest blessing you can give yourself is a goal. So, what is your goal? Let me ask you this one question, "Who Are You?" You must answer this question. You need to tell yourself in very positive affirmations who you are. It is imperative that you have a positive mental attitude about yourself. Now go and do great things for yourself and others. Think On These: It is your Attitude not your Aptitude that determines your Altitude. Some people entertain ideas; others put them to work. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Share this Pump Up with others by Sharing on Your Facebook Page, Twitter or Forwarding to a friend. Luke 1:13 & 18 - But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, & your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, & you will give him the name John." … Zacharias said to the angel, "How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years." NASU
He answers prayers with a Yes, No, or Wait a While. He doesn't always answer our prayers immediately. Some times He has us wait for years for the answer as was the case with Zacharias and Elizabeth. I am quite sure when they were much younger than they are in the above passage of scripture they had prayed to God and asked for their lives to be blessed with a child. We can see now that God said, "Okay, but you will have to wait." The hard part is we don't audibly hear God say, "Okay, but you will have to wait." We interpret the waiting time as God having said, "No." We are not told how long they waited. We are told Zach is an old man and Beth is well advanced in years. Usually people pray for children right after they get married when they are young. We know Zacharias isn't 50 years of age because once a priest turned 50 years old he had to retire according to Numbers 8:23-25 - Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 24 "This is what applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall enter to perform service in the work of the tent of meeting. 25 But at the age of fifty years they shall retire from service in the work and not work any more.
There is no doubt this can be frustrating if we allow it to be. The best thing we can do is remember that an all loving Heavenly Father is providing for us. I would like for you to read what Jesus said about our Heavenly Father: Matt 7:7-11 - Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 "Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? 10 "Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? 11 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! NASU We must remember God answers prayers according to His time table, which is always correct. Your prayer could be answered next week, next month or next year. It all depends on God's time table not ours. I would say Zacharias and Elizabeth are getting their prayer answered that was prayed over 20 to 25 years ago. Think On This: God has never called us to Calm a Storm, but He has called us to be Calm during a Storm. God has never asked us to Walk on Water, but He has asked us to Walk with Him. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Share this Pump Up with others by Sharing on Your Facebook Page, Twitter or Forwarding to a friend. |
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