But the angel said to him: ''Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.'' ''
''Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard.'' - From these words of the Lord's angel we can discern that Zechariah, though was well advanced in years, still has been praying and waiting on the Lord for a son, a descendant for him.
And when God sends His answer, Zechariah did not really seem to impress God.
Lets read what he says:
'' Luke 1 : 18 - 20 Zechariah asked the angel, ''How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.''
The angel answered, ''I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.'' ''
Though the angel of the Lord was visibly standing in front of him, and speaking the word of the Lord that his prayers are heard and Zechariah will surely have a son, Zechariah here, apparently was considering his physical conditions.He still wanted some assurance. His mind was on the ''how'' part of it.
''Reasoning'' basing on natural circumstances, caused unbelief in Zechariah.
Lets now turn to Acts from here:
'' Acts 15 : 8, 9 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. ''
'' Luke 1 : 18 - 20 Zechariah asked the angel, ''How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.''
The angel answered, ''I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.'' ''
Though the angel of the Lord was visibly standing in front of him, and speaking the word of the Lord that his prayers are heard and Zechariah will surely have a son, Zechariah here, apparently was considering his physical conditions.He still wanted some assurance. His mind was on the ''how'' part of it.
''Reasoning'' basing on natural circumstances, caused unbelief in Zechariah.
Lets now turn to Acts from here:
'' Acts 15 : 8, 9 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. ''
In this Scripture, apostle Peter, when speaking about gentiles, says that God has purified their hearts by faith.
From this we can discern that, if faith is considered purity, then unbelief is an impurity in our heart.
Zechariah had an impurity in his heart when the angel of the Lord had given him the word.
This impurity is unbelief.
And due to this impurity he lost his speech until John was born.
Zechariah here did not meet God's expectations.
Now what are God's expectations ?
'' 2 Corinthians 8 : 7 But just as you excel in everything - in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us -- see that you also excel in this grace of giving. ''
God wants His children to excel in everything, as taught by the apostles.
We need to excel - meaning be at the best - in our faith, in our speech, in our knowledge and earnestness, in loving God's servants, and in giving into the kingdom of God.
God doesn't expect His people to have impurities in their spiritual gifts.
When it calls for Faith, then no human or natural reasoning must be prevalent.
From this we can discern that, if faith is considered purity, then unbelief is an impurity in our heart.
Zechariah had an impurity in his heart when the angel of the Lord had given him the word.
This impurity is unbelief.
And due to this impurity he lost his speech until John was born.
Zechariah here did not meet God's expectations.
Now what are God's expectations ?
'' 2 Corinthians 8 : 7 But just as you excel in everything - in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us -- see that you also excel in this grace of giving. ''
God wants His children to excel in everything, as taught by the apostles.
We need to excel - meaning be at the best - in our faith, in our speech, in our knowledge and earnestness, in loving God's servants, and in giving into the kingdom of God.
God doesn't expect His people to have impurities in their spiritual gifts.
When it calls for Faith, then no human or natural reasoning must be prevalent.
Otherwise, it will be a impurity.
When it calls for Knowledge, then no human wisdom, or things of the world must be prevalent.
Otherwise, it will be a impurity.
When it calls for Earnestness, then no carelessness or casual attitudes must interfere.
Otherwise, it will be a impurity.
When it calls for Loving God's servants, then no selfish motives must be prevalent.
Otherwise, it will be a impurity.
When it calls for Earnestness, then no carelessness or casual attitudes must interfere.
Otherwise, it will be a impurity.
When it calls for Loving God's servants, then no selfish motives must be prevalent.
Otherwise, it will be a impurity.
When it calls for giving, then no fleshy desires must influence our giving.
Otherwise it will be a impurity.
When it calls for giving, then no fleshy desires must influence our giving.
Otherwise it will be a impurity.
Dear people, when God wants us to excel in the gifts of the Spirit, this basically means He wants us to keep up His commands and requirements, excellently.
When our efforts in keeping the covenant requirements are excellent, then this subsequently leads to excelling in the gifts of the Spirit.
Let us now read from Judges and discern few things:
'' Judges 2 : 20 - 23 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and said, ''Because this nation has violated the covenant that I laid down for their forefathers and has not listened to me, I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died. I will use them to test Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the Lord and walk in it as their forefathers did.''
The Lord had allowed those nations to remain; he did not drive them out at once by giving them into the hands of Joshua. ''
If we meditate from the 16th verse till the 23rd verse (Judges 2 : 16 - 23), we learn that the Israelites were oppressed by the raiders during this time, and God raised up judges for them.
And whenever God raised up a judge for them, He was with the judge and saved them from their enemies as long as the judge lived. But when the judge died, the Israelites again turned to their evil ways.
So, in order to get them straight, God decided to allow their enemies to remain there and did not drive them out, in order to use them to test His people.
Dear God's people, are you finding your enemies and troubled situations remaining as they are, though you have been praying since a long time ?
Then dear one, the reason is you...
When our efforts in keeping the covenant requirements are excellent, then this subsequently leads to excelling in the gifts of the Spirit.
Let us now read from Judges and discern few things:
'' Judges 2 : 20 - 23 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and said, ''Because this nation has violated the covenant that I laid down for their forefathers and has not listened to me, I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died. I will use them to test Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the Lord and walk in it as their forefathers did.''
The Lord had allowed those nations to remain; he did not drive them out at once by giving them into the hands of Joshua. ''
If we meditate from the 16th verse till the 23rd verse (Judges 2 : 16 - 23), we learn that the Israelites were oppressed by the raiders during this time, and God raised up judges for them.
And whenever God raised up a judge for them, He was with the judge and saved them from their enemies as long as the judge lived. But when the judge died, the Israelites again turned to their evil ways.
So, in order to get them straight, God decided to allow their enemies to remain there and did not drive them out, in order to use them to test His people.
Dear God's people, are you finding your enemies and troubled situations remaining as they are, though you have been praying since a long time ?
Then dear one, the reason is you...
If we are not keeping the covenant regulations and abiding by the commands of God, and time and again falling down in our spiritual lives, then God will certainly not drive out our adversaries.
Instead He will let them be there and will use them to test us and refine us, so that we will learn to constantly set our focus on pleasing God, and learn to excel in keeping His decrees.
God wants us whole and complete for Him.
He wants us completely transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ - with no impurities!
Zechariah has been praying for a son, yet there was an impurity in his heart due to which he suffered the punishment of not being able to speak, because of his unbelief in receiving what he has been praying for.
Zechariah had faltered and had not met God's standards in his belief, which was expressed in his speech, so God closed up his speech until a certain time.
And for sure during this period when Zechariah was undergoing this process of 'not being able to speak,' God surely had worked on his heart to purify him from this impurity, so that he excelled in his 'belief,' in order that never again will he do the same mistake if he hears anything similar in future.
Therefore dear precious God's people, be cautious not to carry impurities along with you when you are walking with God .
Our God wants us ''Excellent !''
Excellent in our faith, in our speech, in our earnestness, in love and in giving unto his kingdom.
As we are meditating on this, have a close check on yourselves ...
Instead He will let them be there and will use them to test us and refine us, so that we will learn to constantly set our focus on pleasing God, and learn to excel in keeping His decrees.
God wants us whole and complete for Him.
He wants us completely transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ - with no impurities!
Zechariah has been praying for a son, yet there was an impurity in his heart due to which he suffered the punishment of not being able to speak, because of his unbelief in receiving what he has been praying for.
Zechariah had faltered and had not met God's standards in his belief, which was expressed in his speech, so God closed up his speech until a certain time.
And for sure during this period when Zechariah was undergoing this process of 'not being able to speak,' God surely had worked on his heart to purify him from this impurity, so that he excelled in his 'belief,' in order that never again will he do the same mistake if he hears anything similar in future.
Therefore dear precious God's people, be cautious not to carry impurities along with you when you are walking with God .
Our God wants us ''Excellent !''
Excellent in our faith, in our speech, in our earnestness, in love and in giving unto his kingdom.
As we are meditating on this, have a close check on yourselves ...
How is your faith .. ?
Is there any impurity of unbelief inside your heart though you submit prayers in the presence of God .. ?
How is your speech when you are approaching God .. ?
Are you constantly speaking doubts, at the same time praying to receive something .. ?
How is your seriousness or earnestness in keeping the Lord's instruction .. ?
Is there any impurity of unbelief inside your heart though you submit prayers in the presence of God .. ?
How is your speech when you are approaching God .. ?
Are you constantly speaking doubts, at the same time praying to receive something .. ?
How is your seriousness or earnestness in keeping the Lord's instruction .. ?
Is there any impurity of a careless and a casual attitude, that is making you lax in doing the Lord's work .. ?
How is your heart towards the Lord's true servants .. ?
Is there any impurity of any selfish motive when you are showing hospitality and love for God's people .. ?
How is your giving into the kingdom of God .. ?
Not only material giving, using your Spirit gifts for God's kingdom is a giving into the Kingdom of God.. are you then carrying impurities with you by having fleshy desires to make a name for yourself or attain material wealth for yourself, while using your gifts instead of setting your mind on glorifying God's name .. ?
As the Spirit of God is speaking to us this hour, let us earnestly plead our Master to cleanse us from every impurity that we perhaps are carrying with us, and plead Him to wash us with His blood and help us to be His chosen generation, that is ''excellent'' in pressing toward the goal He has given us in Jesus Christ, His Son, our Saviour and Lord.
How is your heart towards the Lord's true servants .. ?
Is there any impurity of any selfish motive when you are showing hospitality and love for God's people .. ?
How is your giving into the kingdom of God .. ?
Not only material giving, using your Spirit gifts for God's kingdom is a giving into the Kingdom of God.. are you then carrying impurities with you by having fleshy desires to make a name for yourself or attain material wealth for yourself, while using your gifts instead of setting your mind on glorifying God's name .. ?
As the Spirit of God is speaking to us this hour, let us earnestly plead our Master to cleanse us from every impurity that we perhaps are carrying with us, and plead Him to wash us with His blood and help us to be His chosen generation, that is ''excellent'' in pressing toward the goal He has given us in Jesus Christ, His Son, our Saviour and Lord.
Lets Pray..
Father in heaven, thank you for speaking to us this hour..
Cleanse us from every impurity that has crept in us, while we are pressing toward the goal..
Cleanse us from every impurity that has crept in us, while we are pressing toward the goal..
Forgive us for our unbelief, our laziness, and our selfish motives if any, have cropped up in us and are causing a hindrance, opposing Your work which You have begun in us to accomplish Your purposes..
This hour as we are coming into Your presence, make our hearts new, and fill us with Your Spirit, and help us that we may earnestly seek Your goals, and set our minds and hearts on striving towards being an excellent covenant keeper, who pleases his Maker, all the time, abiding by all Your commands, and doing exactly what You have prescribed us to do.
In Jesus mighty name I pray, Amen.This hour as we are coming into Your presence, make our hearts new, and fill us with Your Spirit, and help us that we may earnestly seek Your goals, and set our minds and hearts on striving towards being an excellent covenant keeper, who pleases his Maker, all the time, abiding by all Your commands, and doing exactly what You have prescribed us to do.
God Bless You.
