Tag: Assurance

Promises Give Power for Living

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Today I want to look at the two portions of scripture where the angel delivers the messages from God to both Mary and Joseph. We can compare what is told to each and marvel at how specific God is about this coming child.

Luke 1:31-35 “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.

Matthew 1:21-23 “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,  and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us).“

Both Mary and Joseph are told that the child will be God’s son, he will be a descendant of David, he would be born of a virgin and he will be called Jesus which means God with us. All of these things had been prophesied in the Old Testament about the coming Messiah. Both of them would have been familiar with the scripture and must have marveled at how God keeps His Word. Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a child is born,  to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder,     and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 11:10 “In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.” Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Matthew 1:16 “and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.” All those things foretold about Jesus came to pass, and we can trust those things still future to us will be done as well. We know that God is and always will be a Promise Keeper. That which God say will come to pass and His will cannot be thwarted. Job 42:2 “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

I love 2 Corinthians 2:20 “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.” and 2 Peter 1:3-4 “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.” God has given us His great and precious promises so that we can know and trust Him fully. We can count upon His promises as all God promises are true.

I find God’s promises to be very powerful in my life. The knowledge of God’s promises give me power and assurance for living each day. Here are a few of my favorites that you can claim too! Deuteronomy 31:6 when I am experiencing fear or feeling lonely, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” When things seem bleak and I can’t see how things will work out, I claim the truth of Philippians 4:19 “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” When I am up against the world and need Jesus, I claim 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10 “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” God’s Word has power and helps us to live strong committed lives depending upon Him!

Be Assured along with Mary and Joseph that God is a Promise Keeper!

Linda

Such Comfort and Assurance – Homeward Bound!

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My post from Sunday, the 3rd Sunday of Lent, was about our eternal home. This is something promised to us by Christ. Today’s scripture adds details that are significant to each of us as we look forward to our home in heaven with Christ. Revelation 21:3-4.

 “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place  of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Promises: God promises that one day we will live with Him and those things that have caused us tears like pain and death will no longer exist.

I can’t imagine living a world where pain and sorrow do not exist. There would be no more death, accidents, disease, anger, hatred, wars, greed, envy, evil, or selfish ambition. Wow! That will certainly be a place to look forward to, however, that is not the most important feature of this new home. It will be a place where we live in constant communion with God. We get a glimpse of this when we read the Genesis account of the Garden of Eden. There Adam and Eve walked with God, talked and lived in perfect harmony with Him. Our finite minds cannot even grasp a world without evil, but God promises it will come in His time. I hope that knowing a bit about our eternal home will bring a smile to your lips and hope to your heart. Be encouraged today as you ponder what God had in store for our future with Him.

What we know from these verses: God desires that I be with Him and He with me, God has a future planned where I will be with Him eternally, God knows the things in my life that cause me tears and suffering, sin causes pain in our lives and our home with Him will be a ‘sin free’ enviornment!

Lenten Reflections: What excites you the most about your future home in heaven? How can you know for sure you are going there? (Faith in Jesus is required- John 3:16, 1 John 1:9, John 11:25.)

We need to trust God for the future and walk believing in His Word. God keeps His promises and will deliver us to our heavenly home. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can be assured of a heavenly home that will be a joyous place with Him!

Linda

Related Verses: Leviticus 26:11-12, Isaiah 25:8, Ezekiel 37:27-28, 2 Corinthians 6:16, Revelation 7:17.

Keeping Eternal Pleasures in Mind

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Today we are looking at the remainder of Psalm 16 verses 7-11. I read this in various translations but I really felt the Message was the most direct.

The wise counsel God gives when I’m awake
    is confirmed by my sleeping heart.
Day and night I’ll stick with God;
    I’ve got a good thing going and I’m not letting go. Do you ever go to bed with a problem and think you’ll sleep on it and maybe in the morning you will know your mind and decided what to do? The psalmist is identifying with this, saying God is directing him during the day and then confirms his directions while he sleeps. So night and day, God is his guiding light. I find this both comforting and encouraging and it reaffirms Deuteronomy 31:6 “ Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” That means God is with us day and night!

9-10 I’m happy from the inside out,
    and from the outside in, I’m firmly formed.
You canceled my ticket to hell—
    that’s not my destination! David, the psalmist, was convinced that God had his eternity secure and that he had a heavenly home with God. His faith in God had cancelled his sin and assured him of a heavenly home. We can be assured of this too as faith in Christ and his work on the cross confirms our gift of eternal life with Him. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

11 Now you’ve got my feet on the life path,
    all radiant from the shining of your face.
Ever since you took my hand,
    I’m on the right way. David knows his pathway is assured and it is lifelong. He is on the right pathway in life walking hand and hand with God.

We too can say we have a heavenly home, God is our light and guide, and we do not need to fear death and punishment in Hell. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can be assured of life eternal and walking with him day by day. Thank you Jesus.

Linda

God Promises a Remnant

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Amidst all the turmoil for Israel foretold by Isaiah in chapter after chapter, God lists the sins of not only Israel but the nations around them and still God provides a note of hope. God tells Isaiah that there will be a remnant of His people that will remain or return. In Hezekiah’s day a small group remained faithful and survived the Assyrian invasion in 701 B.C. Later in exile with the Babylonians there was a remnant that would return as recorded in Nehemiah. God promises a remnant of the faithful believers will return to rebuild and from them will come the Messiah.

Isaiah 10: 20-23 In that day the remnant of Israel,
    the survivors of Jacob,
will no longer rely on him
    who struck them down
but will truly rely on the Lord,
    the Holy One of Israel.
21 A remnant will return, a remnant of Jacob
    will return to the Mighty God.
22 Though your people be like the sand by the sea, Israel,
    only a remnant will return.
Destruction has been decreed,
    overwhelming and righteous.
23 The Lord, the Lord Almighty, will carry out
    the destruction decreed upon the whole land.

What does this hope mean for us today? As we look around, like the people of Isaiah’s day did, we see a world filled with corruption and evil. Yes, there is good too but sin is rampant and it seems that it has the upper hand. God was consoling Isarel, and us too, that no matter how it looks or seems, God is in control. He is sovereign and there will always be a remnant of believers that hold Him to be the Lord Almighty, the Holy One.

What is a remnant? As a seamstress, it is a piece of cloth left over. You cut the majority of the bolt of fabric for use and then what is left over is the remnant. It is just as beautiful and the whole piece of cloth, same width, and depth but just smaller in size. God promises there will always be believers no matter how small the group, they will be present. They will hold onto His light, His Word and His truths. They will walk with Him in His power. Paul gave an example in his letter to the Romans. He was speaking about the prophet Elijah and his complaint to God that there were not any believers left in Israel. Romans 11:2-6 “Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”? 4 And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 6 And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.” There is always a remnant chosen by God, by His grace, to remain. Jesus spoke encouraging words in John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Praise God! 1 John 4:4 “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

Take heart and put your trust in the Holy One of Israel who is Sovereign over all. The Lord Almighty will preserve us in Him. We are sealed by His Holy Spirit and belong to Him!

Linda

Prayer with Confidence and Purpose

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November 9, 2022

Have you ever thought about answered prayer? We love to see our prayers answered in just the way we envision them but often God surprises us with His answers. Most times, I have found, God uses unusual ways to answer all or part of our requests. We see the truth of Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.” We know that God is faithful, hears our requests and will answer His way which will be good for us and bring Him glory. Today’s verse of thanks comes from 2 Corinthians 1:8-11. Paul is relating to the Corinthians believers the perilous situation they encountered while in Asia and thanked them for praying. “For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 11 You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

Paul does not know how God will resolve this situation but He has confidence in Him. He asks the believers to pray so that many will give thanks on their behalf. Not only will they be blessed but so will the ones who pray. When you pray for someone, you are lifting them up before God seeking His help to provide for them in some special way. When that prayer is answered, you are blessed and your faith is affirmed. Even in the praying you are blessed as a peace or comfort comes upon you as you pray with faith. Paul knew the believers would be blessed and gave thanks ahead of time for their faithfulness.

Who do you know today that is in a situation of some kind and is in need of divine assistance? Will you lift them before God and seek His intervention on their behalf? Paul tells us that you will be blessed for your faithful prayer and so will the one who is prayed for. Claim Philippians 4:19 in your heart as you pray. “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” God knows what is needed and will supply the answer in His way in His time just as He promises.

A truth to claim with thanksgiving: I can be assured that all things are working together for good. Romans 8:28 states this promise to all believers. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Here are a few things to consider about this promise: God is sovereign and there is nothing beyond His control. 2 Chronicles 20:6 “and said, “O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you.” God is good and intends only good things for me. Lamentations 3:25 “The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.” God has a purpose to which He has call each of us. 2 Timothy 1:9 “who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,” God’s ways are not our ways and He achieves His desires. Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.”

Being assured of these facts from God’s Word, claim this promise with confidence and let it give peace to your heart and mind. Pray with confidence knowing that God is sovereign, good, has a plan and will solve things His way that will be good for us and give Him glory.

Linda

He’s Got This! Trust Him!

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One of my favorite verses is Jeremiah 29:11. It is also the favorite of Steve, in my church, and Francine, in my BSF leader’s group. Why is this verse so beloved? Let me explain the hope and encouragement, the reassurance of who God is and His Sovereign control over all things that are found in this verse!

The full context of the verse occurs in a letter sent to the Israelites who had been taken into captivity. God wanted them to know that they were loved by Him and that He had future plans for their lives even though their current circumstances were troubled. Jeremiah 29:1 sets the stage: This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.” God wanted them to know that even though they were ‘gone’ from Jerusalem, the temple and their homeland; they were NOT forgotten or abandoned there. Jeremiah 29:10-14 This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

Here is God’s encouragement- WOW! 10) Be of good courage as I will bring you back home after 70 years in Babylon. 11) I know what the future holds for you and I’ve got this- it is good! 12)Your faith will continue and we will have viable communication. 13) When you look for me, you will find me! 14) I promise I’ll bring you home. The exile in Babylon had been caused by their own unfaithfulness to God, and yet God was confirming to them that they still were His and He would work in their lives to restore them. What a wonderful loving God! They had messed up big time, had not listened, had ignored his prophets, had worshipped other gods, and yet God still had them in the palm of His hand as He promised to care for them while in exile. Thankfully, the Israelites learned their lesson and did not stray into idolatry again after their return to Israel 70 years later.

That is the big picture, now to verse 11.  For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future,” God knew the plans He had for Israel and the work He had planned for them. God is sovereign and knows all about me. I know He has plans for me and a purpose for my life in His kingdom. Because God is good in all things, I can rest assured that all His plans for me are good and will be successful. God’s plans are meant to give me hope and assure my faith and future. Those plans are not for a bigger house, car or better job, but are in relation to my work for Him in His kingdom. Our purpose is to glorify God in all we say and do and He has the very best places and plans for that to happen. Walking with Jesus, I can live assured that His way, though it may be hard, will produce good for me and will add to my future with Him. He has plans….my job is to keep the faith and seek to stay in His will doing things His way in His time.

Steve, Francine and I all love the assurance this verse gives and seek to claim its promises in our lives as we seek to live and serve Him. How about you? Do you see God’s plans as good? Do you trust in His goodness no matter what is happening around you? Circumstances can and do get very sticky and troubled. Keep your focus upon Him and trust in His sovereignty. Psalm 73:28 is my cry, along with David, “But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.” Trust in Him and make the Sovereign Lord your refuge. Proclaim Him to those around you. Trust Him! He’s got this!

Linda

God Has us Covered! Protected Offensively and Defensively with His Armor

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In yesterday’s blog, Paul gave us the reasons for putting on God’s armor. (See the blog entitled “Armored Up.” Today we see the purpose for each piece and the benefits of suiting up!

Ephesians 6:13-17 “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.“

Each piece of God’s armor is specifically designed to help us withstand the temptations and trial of this world. Satan wants to see us defeated. He knows he cannot take our salvation away as it is held secure in the love of God and sealed by the Holy Spirt. However, he can destroy our witness, cause us to be discouraged or feel defeated and worthless. Paul presents the specifics of God’s armor to encourage and strengthen us, as we seek to walk with Christ day by day. First, Paul reminds us that putting on God’s armor will allow us to stand in the face of evil and hold on to Him no matter what comes our way. Then Paul begins listing each piece that will fortify us. The truth of the gospel, the truth of who God is and His being binds us and gives us strength like no other. Covering our heart is the breastplate, so our inner feelings and soul are protected from harm by His righteousness. When David cries out to God in Psalm 51:10 ” Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”, he is requesting renewal of heart, purification by Christ and resilience. All of these come from the righteousness of God and are ours in his breastplate of righteousness.

The next piece of armor is for our feet, the gospel of peace. The salvation of Christ to the world brings peace wherever it goes, as being in Christ brings unity of purpose. Putting on the shoes of the gospel means being willing to walk with Him and tell others about His love, forgiveness and salvation. Now that Paul has us up and dressed, we need to pick up our outer shield which is faith. The shield goes before us and protects us from the doubts and methods of Satan who seeks to destroy us and our witness.

Lastly, Paul mentions our two offensive weapons that can be used in our battles against Satan. They are the sword of the Spirit and prayer. The sword of the Spirit is the word of God. Jesus rebuked Satan when he was tempted in the wilderness with God’s Word. His Word has power and can be our defense against any attack that Satan launches against us. It is a sword that is discerning and powerful according to Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” The sword is amazing as it works to help us defend ourselves. Prayer is also an offensive weapon we can use it both for and against our enemies. Prayer changes things and gives us emotional, physical and spiritual support. We are admonished to ‘pray continually’ and that prayer is effective. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. James 5:16 “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” 1 Peter 3:12 “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” Prayer is a tool we can use continually- night and day, for and with each other and for our help, hope and defense!

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can suit up with God’s weapons of defense and offense to stand against the powers of this world and Satan. Thank you Jesus for your all covering armor that we can use to protect and defend ourselves and our witness in this world.

Linda

Third Sunday of Lent, 2022

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Each Sunday I have been highlighting a portion of Psalm 139. Not only do I love this Psalm but it is one of my friend Elizabeth’s favorite portions of scripture (See Favorite Bible Verses for Confident Living in Jesus series). She had many that she uses for specific situations that give her strength, however, this was her favorite psalm. I decided to bring you a portion of this wonderful psalm each Sunday during Lent. On the First Sunday we discovered how God knows all there is to know about our thoughts and motives. The Second Sunday we learned there is no where we can go that God cannot find us, and that He will always be our light in a dark world. Here are verses Psalm 139: 13-16.

13 For you formed my inward parts;
    you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

These verses assure us that God made us even as we were developing. He knows us and nothing about us is hidden from Him. That can be both assuring and scary as God knows our innermost thoughts, desires and motives. He see our actions and will hold us accountable for all our deeds and words. May the thought that your creator knows you bring you comfort, as He assures us that there is nothing we are going through that He did not foresee or allow. He promises to be with us wherever we go and He is greater than anything we can ever face.

One last thought from the line- Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. I find great comfort in knowing God’s works are wonderful and good. Things do not happen by chance and are for His glory and my good. Also, my soul understands the wonder of God even if I don’t fully get it. My finite mind cannot grasp the magnitude of God’s greatness, but my soul knows it and realized who God is. Thank you Lord for the greater understanding you give to my soul. May it be transmitted to my heart more and more each day.

Blessings this third Sunday of Lent.

Linda

Knowing and Rejoicing, Assured in Jesus

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There is amazing comfort in today’s ‘put on’ verses. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 is one of my favorites because it gives me assurance and hope as a believer in Jesus.

“And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.“

Paul was reassuring the Corinthians Christians, and us too, that God is the one who keeps us with Christ. He is the one who anoints us as believers. He is the one who puts His seal upon us and has given us His Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. What an amazing promise to all who believe! Paul also states in Romans 8:16 that “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,” We can know and be assured that we belong to Jesus. We can feel and know His Spirit within us confirming we belong to Him. We can know that He is our heavenly Father and we are a child of His.

**Who does not want to feel grounded and supported in their faith? God has this.

**Who does not want to feel anointed, blessed and chosen in their faith? God did this in Christ.

**Who does not want to be indwelled by His Holy Spirit, knowing that it is God’s seal of guarantee on your life? God did this through Christ. He keeps His promises.

**What is our response to all God has done? Believe in His Son, Jesus. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can be guaranteed His seal and indwelling Holy Spirit to guide me as I seek to walk with Jesus day by day.

Have a blessed day rejoicing in His Spirit and the knowledge that you belong to Him! Your are SEALED!

Linda

Advent…But God Experiences Teach Us

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Everyone rejoices when a baby is born, new life brings hope and speculation about who the child looks like, who the child will grow up to be, what they will do and how they will fit into the world into which they have just arrived. In addition, in earlier times the health and survival of the baby and mother were not always assured. In our passage we see a group of family and friends rejoicing that aged Elizabeth was able to carry her baby to full term and deliver her child. They were both thriving and 8 days after birth, as was their custom, they gathered to circumcize the young child and officially name him. Luke 1:57-66 is fraught with joy and amazement as John speaks after 9 months of silence, just as the angel had said.

 “When it was time for Elizabeth’s baby to be born, she gave birth to a son. 58 And when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very merciful to her, everyone rejoiced with her. 59 When the baby was eight days old, they all came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60 But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John!” 61 “What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.” 62 So they used gestures to ask the baby’s father what he wanted to name him. 63 He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is John.” 64 Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God. 65 Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. 66 Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, “What will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way.“

This story is an example of But God! The child was delivered and healthy, and he was surely to be named after his father But God intervened. Zechariah had been mute for 9 long months But God opened his mouth so he could speak. Can you imagine in that moment what Zechariah would say? He could have spoken to Elizabeth, words of comfort and apology, to the child, words of love and tenderness but scripture tells us his first words were praises to God. Zechariah knew God had intervened in his life and brought this wonder of new life to he and Elizabeth, and that God had a greater purpose for this child. All the angel had told him about his son came flooding back into this mind, and he knew without a doubt that it was all going to be true. He knew God keeps His promises and what He says will come to pass.

Have you had a But God moment in your life? How did you use it? Did you allow God to mold and shape you with His Holy Spirit by having your heart transformed and pointed towards Him? Zechariah did as He allowed God to work in his life and knew he would and could father this child God had given him. He trusted God for his child’s future and knew God would take care of him. Think back to your own God moment. Have you been open to God’s leading in your life? Have you doubted and wasted time arguing with God? Have you been saying, ‘Later God, not now?” Acknowledge God and ask Him to lead you in His way and see how your life’s path will be transformed. Remember the promise of Jeremiah 29:11 “ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Claim His promises in your life and trust Him for the plans, hope and future He has for you.

Linda