Bible League: Living His Word “For with God nothing will be impossible.”— Luke 1:37 NKJV The angel spoke to Mary concerning her being the chosen mother of the Son of God. We do not know exactly Mary’s age when the announcement came to her from Gabriel. Many believe she was a young teenage girl. I have contemplated the message she received from the angel, Gabriel. It must have been a struggle for a young Jewish girl to receive this message from Gabriel. She was called “highly favored one” to begin with by Gabriel, in verse twenty-eight of Luke 1. This tells us that Mary was very faithful to God at her young age. For God to choose her to be the one out of all the women available to carry in her womb the Son of God, it is quite clear she loved God and served him at her young age. She did question the things the angel Gabriel said to her. The angel assured Mary in verse thirty of Luke 1 to not be afraid, and he assured Mary that she had “found favor with God.” The next statement by Gabriel had to be a struggle for Mary. Being told you will conceive a child is surprise enough; but Gabriel, the angel, told Mary the conception will occur miraculously by the Holy Spirit. The Biblical account does not give a detailed account of all that Mary felt and all emotions she had at this point. But undoubtedly, she had to wonder how to tell her parents and her future husband, Joseph. The reassurance from Gabriel to Mary is a promise from God we also need in our lives. Luke 1:37 says, “For with God nothing will be impossible.” At this time in our lives, we may be facing what seems impossible. It may be health related, financial, or a family relationship of some kind that is difficult—we must never forget this promise. God knows, and certainly nothing is impossible for Him. It may be difficult to find the solution to your problem, but God is at work in your situation if you know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior and accepted Him by faith and faith alone. I have seen God through the Holy Spirit allow my wife and I to have four boys after losing our first birth son. He’s healed one of our sons from spinal meningitis at three weeks of age, and another son through an accident where it seems he should have not made it through. He brought me through my brain surgery in 1995, the four cancer surgeries my wife has had—one of them was an eight-hour surgery, the Whipple procedure, and many never live but just a short time after that surgery. That surgery was in 2017. I have discovered verse thirty-seven of Luke 1 is true: “For with God nothing will be impossible.” Mary immediately accepted by faith this message Gabriel gave her. In Luke 1:38, we see Mary was called the “maidservant of the Lord.” Mary accepted as a young lady her calling from God by faith. Have we accepted our calling? We need to answer this question as Isaiah did in Isaiah 6:8, “Here am I! Send me.” There is something often overlooked by many in this narrative concerning Mary and the angel Gabriel. In Luke 1:35, the angel told Mary “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the son of God.” The virgin conception of Christ guarantees the perfect union of two natures in one person. He is Jesus, the God-Man. Worship Christ the King! By Jim Prock, Bible League International staff, Illinois U.S. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingLeviticus 1, 2, 3 Leviticus 1 -- Burnt Offerings NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Leviticus 2 -- Grain Offerings NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Leviticus 3 -- Peace Offerings NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Matthew 24:23-51 Matthew 24 -- Christ Foretells the Destruction of the Temple and His Glorious Return NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion But the LORD is in his holy Temple;the LORD still rules from heaven. He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth. Insight When the foundations are shaking and you wish you could hide, remember that God is still in control. His power is not diminished by any turn of events. Nothing happens without his knowledge and permission. Challenge When you feel like running away—run to God. He will restore justice and goodness on the earth in his good time. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Revelation 11:12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither.Without considering these words in their prophetical connection, let us regard them as the invitation of our great Forerunner to his sanctified people. In due time there shall be heard "a great voice from heaven" to every believer, saying, "Come up hither." This should be to the saints the subject of joyful anticipation. Instead of dreading the time when we shall leave this world to go unto the Father, we should be panting for the hour of our emancipation. Our song should be-- "My heart is with him on his throne, And ill can brook delay; Each moment listening for the voice, Rise up and come away.'" We are not called down to the grave, but up to the skies. Our heaven-born spirits should long for their native air. Yet should the celestial summons be the object of patient waiting. Our God knows best when to bid us "Come up hither." We must not wish to antedate the period of our departure. I know that strong love will make us cry, "O Lord of Hosts, the waves divide, And land us all in heaven;" but patience must have her perfect work. God ordains with accurate wisdom the most fitting time for the redeemed to abide below. Surely, if there could be regrets in heaven, the saints might mourn that they did not live longer here to do more good. Oh, for more sheaves for my Lord's garner! more jewels for his crown! But how, unless there be more work? True, there is the other side of it, that, living so briefly, our sins are the fewer; but oh! when we are fully serving God, and he is giving us to scatter precious seed, and reap a hundredfold, we would even say it is well for us to abide where we are. Whether our Master shall say "go," or "stay," let us be equally well pleased so long as he indulges us with his presence. Daily Light on the Daily Path Matthew 14:14 When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick.Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 5:2 he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness; Mark 14:37,38 And He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? • "Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Psalm 103:13,14 Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him. • For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust. Psalm 86:15,16 But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, Slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth. • Turn to me, and be gracious to me; Oh grant Your strength to Your servant, And save the son of Your handmaid. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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