True to His Word Part 1

God is true to His word, aren't you thankful for that?!  When He says something, He is faithful to complete it, every time.  For the last few days I have been studying Luke chapter one.  I was inspired by my new friend Erin to read through the bible in a year, with the app: Holy Bible, you version, whole bible, ESV version.  I am reading 4 blended passages of scripture from the Old and New Testament and it has been an incredible past 3 days!!

So anyways, I am in Luke (how timely is God that he starts me on this app right before Christmas, with the Christmas story?!) and I am reading about the angels visiting Zechariah and Mary announcing the news of the miraculous conception of John and Jesus.  I found it interesting how Zechariah doubted the angel, I can almost hear him thinking "this is impossible", and then how the messenger of God responded to his unbelief "Zechariah said to the angel, "How can I be sure this will happen? I'm an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years. Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.” Luke 1:18-20

Now lets look at how Mary responded when she was told she would bear a son and remember she was a virgin, talk about impossible!!  "And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”. 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. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.  Luke 1:34-38.  Now Mary did ask how her conception could that happen, but there must have been a different tone and faith in her heart, because Gabriel did not respond harshly to her inquiry.  After the angel responded to her question, she was sure God could do the impossible.  

After reading this I saw two people, both believers and servants of the most high and only God.  One who took Him at his word and believed He could do what He said, and the other doubted, and that came with a consequence.  My Pastor recently challenged the women at our moms group to be the believers that enter in the "promised land", God's promised rest (see Hebrews 4).  We are not talking of heaven, all who believe and confess Jesus as Lord and savior go to heaven.  He said that the majority of Christians don't believe or stand on the promises of God and they are missing out on the abundant life, here, now, on earth that Jesus came to offer us.  

As the Israelites approached the promised land God told them time after time to go in and take it, take the land he was "giving to them".  When they sent in the 12 spies, only 2 of them came back and believed God that they could take the "promised land". The other 10 spies doubted God could do what He promised.  So because of their disbelief, the older generation who had not believed God never got to experience the rest He had promised in this life.  I don't want to miss out on anything God has for me.  I want to find every promise and truth in His word, believe He is able and faithful to complete His word and take those promises for my family and I.  Jesus came to give us life to the fullest, true peace and rest, not stress, worry, fear.

So I was challenged as I read this passage from Luke. Am I going to be the sceptic and base a promise of God on other people's experience or what I can see, or am I gonna base it in the word of God, that never fails and stands forever and believe that the One who said it is able to do the impossible?  When I read a truth in the bible, I want to respond as Mary did "Let it be to me according to your word." 

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