Mighty Answer to Prayer

Greetings:

Luke 1:11 - 17 (HCSB): "Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 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. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

In answer to their many prayers, God granted Zechariah and Elisabeth a son. But, not just any son, the forerunner of the Messiah. It took many years before God responded to their prayers, and as is typical for most of us, Zechariah couldn't believe it when God answered.

What have you been praying for for years? Are you still seeking God to answer your prayer? Stay the course, He will answer Yes, No, or I have something better. In their case He had something extremely better. Hold on. Pray on. Trust His heart to provide the best.

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

Your Voice

Greetings:

Isaiah 40: 1-5 (HCSB): "A voice of one crying out: Prepare the way of the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert. "

We spoke of John the Baptist yesterday, and today we see where the Scriptures describes what he is sent to do. He is the voice crying out in the wilderness. He is proclaiming the coming of the King.

In those days, when the King would come to visit a town, they would go before him and smooth out the road. They would proclaim that the King was coming. John had that task. Smooth out the road and proclaim His coming.

Today, we need to proclaim to the world around us that the King has come - and better still - He is coming again.

Consider how you can be the voice crying in today's wilderness - so that others can hear.

Foe Kingdom Education,
Doc

Hear Ye, Hear Ye

Greetings:

Did you ponder the truth of God coming to earth? Today, let us consider that He did not come unannounced.

Malachi 3: 1 (HCSB): ""See, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me."

The Old Testament gives us a number of prophecies about the first coming of Christ. And in these prophecies, it was told that one would come and announce His coming. In hind sight we can see that this one is John the Baptist. John came proclaiming that the Messiah was in their mist. And many ignored him.

We are to be God's messengers to a lost and dying world. We are to proclaim that He came, is in our midst, and will come again. And many will ignore us. However, that doesn't mean that we stop being what God called us to. We are messengers. And this season of Christmas gives us an universal opportunity to proclaim the truth.

Today, take the time to share with someone that Christ has come, is here, and is coming again.

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

The Virgin will be with child

Greetings:

Over the next two weeks, I will be using Ruth Jorritsma's Advent Reading Calendar as the basis for my devotional thoughts. If you would like a complete listing of readings - contact her at rjorritsma@montrosechristian.org.

Isaiah 7:14 (HCSB): "Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive,

have a son, and name him Immanuel."

One area that skeptics love to attack is the doctrine of the Virgin Birth. They tell us it is biologically impossible. And, I have to agree. However, with God nothing is impossible (Matt. 19:26). If we leave God out of the equation, it couldn't happen. Nevertheless, God is the center part of this equation.

The Virgin Birth is what tells us that Jesus was 100% God (Father) and 100% human (Mother). It tells us He has no sin nature. It tells us that He is different from all other humans who have walked this earth. He is what the name listed says - Immanuel - God with us.

Ponder the truth of God coming to earth for you.

For Kingdom Education,

Doc

Mission Minded Children - Part Two

Greetings:

Yesterday, we listed ten distinctives of mission-minded children. Today, lets see the remaining nine that Ann Dunnagun listed.

A mission minded child...

• ...has a reputation for thoroughly enjoying the Bible sword drills and memory verse contests at church.
• ...puts extra money in the monthly missions offering and feels extra good inside.
• ...thinks it could be fun to sleep in a mud hut in Africa!
• ...reads all the way through the Bible by the age of ten (or eleven or twelve)--and is excited to start again!
• ...stares at the photos in the new geography textbook or magazine and imagines climbing to the top of that Egyptian pyramid, snorkeling in those tropical-blue waters, and giving a new outfit to that poor boy with the ripped-up shirt.
• ...befriends the new kid at school.
• ...thinks beyond the "box" of what's merely expected and hopes to do something big, or something little, for God.
• ...wants to obey (even when no one is looking).
• ...loves Jesus! (1)
  

Let's seek to instill these traits in our children. It's what God wants.

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

(1) Ann Dunagan, The Mission Minded Child: Raising a New Generation to Fulfill God's Purpose (Colorado Springs: Authentic Publishing, 2007, pp. 2-4)