“And blessed (happy,
to be envied) is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of the
things that were spoken to her from the Lord.” (Luke 1:45)
As I sat
down last Sunday morning to read the Christmas story, I asked the Lord to speak
to me through the story of Jesus’ birth like never before and for His Holy
Spirit to illuminate the Word and deepen my understanding of the scriptures I
was about to read.
While I read
the story about Zachariah and Elizabeth’s pregnancy, and about the angel
Gabriel who visited Mary to inform her she was going to give birth to Jesus,
Luke 1:45 jumped out at me for the first time—despite the fact I read this
story practically every year. In its context, Elizabeth in her old age and
pregnant was rejoicing that Mary came to visit her. Elizabeth exclaimed that
Mary was blessed as well as the fruit of her womb, because she was carrying the
Lord Jesus. Elizabeth also exclaimed that Mary was blessed because she believed
the things the Lord had spoken to her and that they would be fulfilled. Then
Mary began to enthusiastically praise the Lord.
The fact
that Mary was blessed because she believed what the Lord had spoken to her
would be fulfilled really resonated with me. There are many prayers I’ve prayed
over the last 16 years and continue to pray, and they still haven’t come to
pass. And there have been and still are times I lose hope and just want to give
up. But God reminded me in that passage that He has given me promises: promises
for my marriage, promises for my family, promises regarding my career, and
countless promises concerning the blessings I have in Christ. And he reminded
me that I should continue to believe them, and that they will be fulfilled—and
not to lose hope.
So as I celebrate
the birth of Jesus the Messiah this Christmas season, I will once again meditate
on the promises the Lord has spoken to me and recommit myself to believing that
they will be fulfilled as Mary did and be blessed. If you’ve ever experienced
times of great stress, doubt, and hopelessness due to life’s circumstances, join
me this holiday season and do what Mary did: Believe the things that the Lord
has spoken to you and that they will be fulfilled, so you too will be blessed!
Prayer: Heavenly
Father, I thank you that you love me perfectly, that you’re gracious,
compassionate, and know me intimately. Gently remind me this Christmas season
of all the promises you’ve given me. Strengthen my faith and my belief in those
promises so I can be blessed and continue to experience your blessings. In your
name I pray, Amen!
Merry Christmas to you too, Judy. I love how God's Word continually gives us new hope and strength and peace and joy!
ReplyDeleteMODES OF BAPTISM? BY STEVE FINNELL
ReplyDeleteAre there modes of baptism or is there just baptism? Saying there are modes of baptism is like saying there are modes of humans. There are not methods of humans nor are there methods of baptism. There are humans and there is baptism.
Water baptism is literally and figuratively a burial. You cannot be buried under a sprinkle nor under pouring.
Roman 6:4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.(NASB)
Colossians 2:12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you are also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.(NASB)
Romans 6:4 We were, therefore, buried with him by immersion into death; that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, thus we also should walk in the newness of life.(The Better Version of The New Testament by Chester Estes)
I have yet to find a translation of the Bible that translates; Romans 6:4 ....."we were buried with Him by sprinkling or pouring into death....
Colossians 2:12 Having been buried with him by immersion, by which also you were raised up with him, through the belief of the strong working of God, who raised him from the dead.(The Better Version of The New Testament by Chester Estes)
There are no translations of the Bible that renders; Colossians 2:12 Having been buried with him by sprinkling or pouring.....
IT IS EASY TO ENVISION HOW MEN CAN BE LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY BURIED BY WATER BAPTISM. IT IS DIFFICULT TO PAINT A WORD PICTURE WHERE MEN ARE BURIED UNDER A SPRINKLE OR BY BEING POURED UPON.
John 3:23 And John also was immersing in Enon, near Salim, because there were many waters there; and the people came , and were immersed. (The Better Version of The New Testament by Chester Estes)
John the Baptist did not need many waters to sprinkle or pour water on men.
BAPTISM is not divided into modes. BAPTISM is not various methods. BAPTISM IS JUST BAPTISM!
YOU ARE INVITED TO FOLLOW MY BLOG. http://steve-finnell.blogspot.com
Hey just found your blog, and I'm now following you on blogger; nice bog by the way. I notice you have not posted in a while, hope you post again soon.
ReplyDeleteBlessings
Paul