Dear Precious Friends,
On this beautiful new day, this gift from God, I pray we are waking up with the Lord thanking Him for a new day, giving Him this day for His purposes, trusting in Him for all things.
I love being reminded of God's promises and the incredible truth behind them. Today's verse is once again this reminder. To better understand the context this was written in, read Luke Chapter 1. Starting with verse 28 we remember the background of what was happening:
Gabriel appeared to Mary and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you! ”Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God!"
Luke 1:28-30.
Despite being confused and disturbed by seeing an angel and hearing his words, Mary trusted God. She would have learned the scriptures in the synagogue services over the years as a child and so she believed in the words that the angel Gabriel spoke to her. She submitted to the Lord for whatever He had chosen for her to do. Mary was shown amazing grace to be chosen to give birth to Jesus- the savior of the world. She also had to give up her plans and her desire to have a normal life with Joseph. Being pregnant before marriage often led to persecution including death.. Who would believe she was pregnant without being with a man? Joseph questioned this until the angel spoke to him. Mary was given the grace to cope with being pregnant, a long journey on a donkey, and then to give birth in a stable! She would have needed much grace to see God's plan unfold for Jesus, which leads to His death on the cross, just so that you and I can come into God's presence any time of the day and have everlasting life once we believe in Him!Put yourself in Mary's shoes, can you imagine been given this miraculous news that you will become pregnant even though you are a virgin!
Do you think you might wonder how to raise a king ? or how can this be because you are mortal?
What could it mean to have the Holy Spirit come upon you and overshadow you?
The angel Gabriel then proceeds to announce that Mary's cousin, Elizabeth is expecting. This too is a miracle. Mary knows that her cousin is too old to bear a child. I wonder does it help Mary to believe this miraculous conception because if an old barren woman can conceive, then so can a virgin?
What would we do if an angel visited us and gave us miraculous news?
So many questions to be thinking about! But wait...there is more!
For with God, nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment.
Luke 1:37.
Mary had asked the angel ' how can this be?' And the words in Luke 1:37 are the amazing answer that she was given. These familiar words spoken by the angel Gabriel are also spoken for us. This verse is a reminder for us to believe in God, regardless of the situation in our lives, that nothing is impossible for our God.
I want to encourage you to choose to have faith, to trust in the God of the impossible, and to watch expectantly for God's plans to unfold in your life.
It takes a great dose of faith and trust in God but we will be rewarded when we step out in faith and trust His promises.
Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her. A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Luke 1:38-41.
Have you ever wondered how Mary was able to be so calm and confident when she said to the angel, 'I am the Lord's servant? May everything you have said about me come true'.
Could it be that she already has an established relationship with the Lord and that she knew God's presence?
Have you ever been in the midst of a storm in your life and you stop, call on the Lord, listen to worship music or read some scripture, and calm washes over you as you sit in God's presence?
Next time panic rises, consider Mary! Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her” Luke 1:45 was spoken by Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist to Mary (who becomes the mother of Jesus). Elizabeth is an older cousin to Mary. So let's start at Luke 1:26. have just answered my first question, 'Who is the woman that Luke 1:45 was spoken to?' It was of course spoken to Mary.
As we explore this scripture we see it carries promises for both you and me today in this season of our lives.
New International Version
Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!"
Luke 1:45.
Believing God’s promises is sometimes hard to do. Believing is daring.
But if we dare to believe, we will be blessed among women. This verse has made me dig deep and to think about the promises that God has given me over the years. Are you holding on to promises that God has given you?
Did you know that the Bible is a treasure chest full of promises from God? There are 7,487 promises in the Bible according to some scholars. God never breaks His promises! That means that the promises that you find in the Bible are for you, to enable you to overcome difficult circumstances or problems. We also remember the promises of God are covenants with His followers... thats us and we must do our part. For instance... All things are possible... but what is our part? We must believe!...
Here are 6 of these scripture promises that have impacted my life:
1. All things are possible for those who believe. Mark 9:23.
This verse means that if you find a promise in the Bible that applies to your situation, you can stand on that promise and believe it. We need to train our thoughts to line up with God's word. When that happens our faith will grow and we can expect the impossible to happen.
2. "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are yes in Christ. And so through Him, the Amen is spoken by us to the glory of God". 2 Corinthians 1:20.
I find this so encouraging! All God's promises are yes and Amen. God will do what He says He will do but we have to do our part too. What does it mean that all God's promises are 'yes' and 'Amen'? It means that all of God's promises are sure and firm. They are unchanging! And our part is to walk close with Him and being obedient in doing what He tells us to do.
3. But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you.
O Israel, the one who formed you says,
“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.
2 When you go through deep waters,
I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
you will not be burned up;
the flames will not consume you.
3 For I am the Lord, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom;
I gave Ethiopia[a] and Seba in your place. Isaiah 43:1-3.
God tells us that we will go through difficulties but He will always be our Rescuer.
God has ransomed us, purchased our freedom by the blood of His Son. We are an expensive purchase. But God says that we are worth it. We are not just a face in the crowd. God has called us by name. We belong to Him. We are His treasured possession and the apple of His eye!
No one gets to avoid life's heartaches. God does not promise a trouble-free life but He promises to be with us in the midst of them.
4. Because you have made the Lord, [who is] my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, 10 No evil will befall you, Nor will any plague come near your tent.
11 For He will command His angels in regard to you, To protect and defend and guard you in all your ways [of obedience and service]. Psalm 91:9-11.
Did you catch the promise in these verses? No calamity or plague will come near your home because you have made the Lord your refuge and your dwelling place. Take special note of verse 11 - "For He will give His angels charge over you to accompany and defend and preserve you in all your ways". Not only is God watching over us but He commands His angels to guard you! 5. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified or dismayed (intimidated), for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9.
God gave Joshua this promise that He would be with him and the Israelites, and that Joshua would be instrumental in causing the people of Israel to inherit the Promised Land. But in order for this to occur, Joshua was commanded in Joshua 1:7-8, "This Book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do all that is written in it. For then you make your way prosperous and then you will have good success.
The same promise God made to Joshua is for you and me too! You don't have to be scared or dismayed because the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. So be strong and very courageous!
6. For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call on Me and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear [your voice] and I will listen to you. 13 Then [with a deep longing] you will seek Me and require Me [as a vital necessity] and [you will] find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,’ says the Lord, ‘and I will restore your fortunes and I will [free you and] gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,’ says the Lord, ‘and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.’ Jeremiah 29:11-14.
Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God has a plan for each of us and that should fill you with hope for your future. But that plan is only possible to unfold if you participate in that plan.
What does that mean?
It means we need to stay close to God and ask Him to show us what our gifts and talents are and then work on them to be perfected in your life. Ask God to put a desire or hunger for His plans on our hearts. God promises to hear our prayers in verse 12.
There is a wonderful promise in Jeremiah 29:11-14. When you search for God with all your heart - as a vital necessity, then you will find Him. In other words, the wonderful life Jesus died for us to have depends on our personal relationship with Him. We need Him just as much as we need food, water, and air to breathe.
Guess what happens when we seek God like this and spend time with Him?
You become more like Him. You will be more patient and calm and become more expectant of seeing God's blessings in the middle of difficult circumstances.
These are only six of the many promises that you will find in the Bible.
What promises of God are you believing in faith for?
Have a blessed day knowing how loved you are, knowing the God of the universe is the same God who created us and loves us so much He sent Jesus to die for our sins... May we go out in faith, trusting in Him with all our heart, standing on His promises!
AMEN!
