Daily Devotional from Pastor Mary 12-23-21

Intro: As we come to rest this week on the Love of God during our celebration of Christ’s First Advent, we must pay attention to the importance of prophecy as the Way to prepare our hearts for the Second Advent of Christ. Prophecy is a word from God; spoken or written. Jesus is the Living Word of God, so if we are going to grow, we must decide to allow Jesus to speak into our lives, right?

In our passage today, the Apostle Peter wants us to focus on the resurrected Christ whose very breath is embedded in Scripture. The purpose of the Word is to lead us into the depths of God’s holiness. “God has transmitted his very substance into every Scripture [Old and New Testaments] for it is God-breathed [his breath is embedded in his Word]. It will empower you by its instruction and correction, giving you the strength to take the right direction and lead you deeper into the path of godliness. Then you will be God’s servant, fully mature and perfectly prepared to fulfill any assignment God gives you (2 Tim 3:16-17).

When we come to the Word of God, we must rely on the Helper—the Holy Spirit—or we will not understand the deeper meaning of God’s prophetic Word to our hearts. God is Love and he wants to communicate the Truth of Love to our souls; therefore, may we invite the Holy Spirit to subdue the darkness that tries to cloud our thinking and instead welcome the Truth. That means when the Word exposes our rebellion, we must welcome the necessary correction.

2 Peter 1:19-21 (TPT) Prophecy
19 And so we have been given the prophetic word—the written message of the prophets, made more reliable and fully validated by the confirming voice of God on the Mount of Transfiguration. And you will continue to do well if you stay focused on it. For this prophetic message is like a piercing light [lamp] shining in a gloomy place [dark] until the dawning of a new day, when the Morning Star [Light Bearer] rises in your hearts [subduing the darkness].

20 You must understand this at the outset: Interpretation of scriptural prophecy requires the Holy Spirit, for it does not originate from someone’s own imagination. 21 No true prophecy comes from human initiative but is inspired by the moving of the Holy Spirit upon those [holy men and women] who spoke the message that came from God [his inspired and trustworthy words].

Prayer: Lord, thank you for leading your children by your prophetic word. Be the Light in my darkness and inspire me to move with your Spirit. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Daily Devotional from Pastor Mary 12-22-21

Intro: In our passage today, Mary demonstrates some very important spiritual attitudes to have regarding God’s Gift of salvation found in Jesus the Messiah. A praise song bursts forth from her lips; her heart is filled with divine love. She cannot contain this love without expressing it. Salvation is about a miraculous life that impregnates us with the divine presence. Stop and think about it, because Mary is struck with such awe at God’s plan she ponders it all in her heart and then erupts into praise…as should every believer!

First, Mary humbly receives God’s Gift; she serves the Messiah in her womb. She welcomes God’s plan and willingly denies herself in exchange for the favor of God. Mary sings to the goodness of God. Second, Mary praises God for the miracle he was not only bringing to her life but to the whole world. By faith, Mary connects her part in God’s plan for salvation to the promise God gave to Abraham. Mary sings to the faithfulness of God even though it remains a mystery to her. Third, Mary sets aside any opportunity to stand in pride in order to magnified the Lord.

As believers, we must approach God’s Glorious Gift for salvation with humble hearts; we have done nothing to deserve such favor and goodness. Salvation is personal, but it is also for the world and we must witness the faithfulness of God to his promises. Lastly, pride can cause us to refuse God’s Gift as intended or try to take credit for “doing” something that draws attention to our flesh, so we must cast down all spiritual arrogance and magnify the name of the Lord! We are loved by a life-giving God and our souls should be ecstatic, as well!

Luke 1:46-55 (TPT) Mary’s Prophetic Song
46 And Mary sang this song:
    “My soul is ecstatic, overflowing with praises to God!
47 
My spirit bursts with joy over my life-giving God! [Savior]
48 
For he set his tender gaze upon me, his lowly [humble] servant girl.
    And from here on, everyone will know
    that I have been favored and blessed.
49 
The Mighty One has worked a mighty miracle for me;
    holy is his name!
50 
Mercy kisses all who fear him,
    from one generation to the next.
51 
Mighty power flows from him
    to scatter all those who walk in pride.
52 
Powerful princes he tears from their thrones
    and he lifts up the lowly to take their place.
53 
Those who hunger for him will always be filled,
    but the smug and self-satisfied he will send away empty.
54 
Because he can never forget to show mercy,
    he has helped his chosen servant, Israel,
55 
keeping his promises to Abraham
    and to his descendants forever.”

Prayer: Lord, let my heart sing with Mary, today. I praise your goodness, faithfulness, and I magnify your name above all other names. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Daily Devotional from Pastor Mary 12-21-21

Intro: This week we continue our Advent Journey as we celebrate the Love of God—Jesus [God is Salvation]—who came down from heaven to save us. To love God in response to his self-revelation and this act of Love is to seek him for salvation, as well as learn how to live according to his plan. He is the Architect of our destinies and the Designer of our souls and the sooner humanity begins to understand that reality, the better off all of creation will be. God searches our hearts; the Lord is constantly watching everyone, and he gives strength to those who faithfully love and obey him (2 Chr. 16:9). God already knows those who belong to him, but someday soon the whole world will have the revelation of God’s sons and daughters of righteousness. Sin has no power over God’s children. Those who have been born into God’s family reflect his righteousness and do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them (1 John 3:9). Remember, Immanuel—God with us.

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul speaks about God’s sons and daughters who have been awaken by the Spirit and the destiny awaiting them. Sin robbed humanity, but now believers are being made holy by the Spirit and every aspect of our lives works toward the goal of growing us up into Christ. So, allow the Spirit to affirm you and be convinced of God’s extravagant love for you. He has lovingly put everything into motion in order to bring believers back into the wholeness of his righteousness—Shalom. Thank you, Father! Thank you, Jesus! Thank you, Holy Spirit!

Romans 8:18-30 A Glorious Destiny
18 I am convinced that any suffering we endure is less than nothing compared to the magnitude of glory [radiant beauty] that is about to be unveiled within us. 19 The entire universe is standing on tiptoe [intense anticipation], yearning to see the unveiling of God’s glorious sons and daughters!

20 For against its will the universe itself has had to endure the empty futility [chaos/frustration] resulting from the consequences of human sin. But now, with eager expectation, 21 all creation longs for freedom from its slavery to decay and to experience with us the wonderful freedom coming to God’s children. 22 To this day we are aware of the universal agony and groaning of creation, as if it were in the contractions of labor for childbirth.

23 And it’s not just creation. We who have already experienced the firstfruits of the Spirit [awakening of the Spirit] also inwardly groan as we passionately long to experience our full status as God’s sons and daughters—including our physical bodies being transformed. 24 For this is the hope of our salvation. But hope means that we must trust and wait for what is still unseen. For why would we need to hope for something we already have? 25 So because our hope is set on what is yet to be seen, we patiently keep on waiting for its fulfillment.

26 And in a similar way, the Holy Spirit takes hold of us in our human frailty to empower us in our weakness. For example, at times we don’t even know how to pray, or know the best things to ask for. But the Holy Spirit rises up within us to super-intercede on our behalf, pleading to God with emotional sighs [groanings] too deep for words.

27 God, the searcher of the heart, knows fully our longings, yet he also understands the desires of the Spirit, because the Holy Spirit passionately pleads before God for us, his holy ones, in perfect harmony with God’s plan and our destiny.

28 So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together for good, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose. 29 For he knew all about us before we were born and he destined us [marked us] from the beginning to share the likeness of his Son. This means the Son is the oldest among a vast family of brothers and sisters who will become just like him.

30 Having determined our destiny ahead of time, he called us to himself and transferred his perfect righteousness to everyone he called. And those who possess his perfect righteousness he co-glorified with his Son!

Prayer: Lord, bring your sons and daughters of Love into perfect harmony with your Spirit and cause us to be made holy in your hands. Reveal in me the markings of your love and righteousness. In Jesus’ name.

Daily Devotional from Pastor Mary 12-20-21

December 20, 2021

Today’s devotion is a prayerful meditation and celebration of Psalm 113. Psalms 113 – 118 are knows as the Egyptian Hallel. “Hallel” is a portion of a service for certain Jewish festivals. It’s often a special prayer said/sung on those holidays to give thanks and praise to God. Psalm 113 is typically connected with the Passover meal and other Jewish festivals as a reflection of God’s redemption of His people, the Israelites, as they commemorate their Exodus from slavery in Egypt.

You and I are directly connected as God’s people. We, too, have been redeemed, by the loving sacrifice that Jesus made by laying down His life for the forgiveness of our sins. We should celebrate that gift, of pure selfless love, every second of every day! Friends, we are free from the slavery of sin, and today’s Psalm didn’t only apply to the freedom of the Israelites in the Old Testament, it also applied to the freedom of the disciples in the New Testament. During The Last Supper, both Matthew and Mark recount within their Gospels that after The Supper “then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives” (Matt 26:30 & Mark 14:26). It is likely that one of these Psalms, which celebrated freedom from slavery, were sang. It was a song of praise to foreshadow the freedom and salvation we ALL have in Christ’s death.

This week is the 4th and final week of Advent, the week of Love, the week we celebrate the Birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. His Name literally means “God Saves”, and He does it for ALL people when they turn to Him and accept His Eternal Love into their lives. He deserves our praises, His love is the reason we bless His Name forever, and nothing will ever compare to Him.
Psalm 113 – NLT

1 Praise the Lord!
Yes, give praise, O servants of the Lord.
Praise the name of the Lord!
2 Blessed be the name of the Lord
now and forever.
3 Everywhere—from east to west—
praise the name of the Lord.
4 For the Lord is high above the nations;
his glory is higher than the heavens.

5 Who can be compared with the Lord our God,
who is enthroned on high?
6 He stoops to look down
on heaven and on earth.
7 He lifts the poor from the dust
and the needy from the garbage dump.
8 He sets them among princes,
even the princes of his own people!
9 He gives the childless woman a family,
making her a happy mother.

Praise the Lord!

Prayer: Jesus, Thank You for saving me! Please help me this week to be reminded and to be a reminder to others of Your Love. This week is about You. I pray, Lord Jesus, that my heart is constantly fixated on You, and that I do not allow the commercialism of the holiday season to get ahead of You. You are above all things, and You deserve to be praised. I ask all of this in Your Precious and Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

Written by: Jennifer Auer, Pastor Mary Haley’s Assistant

Daily Devotional from Pastor Mary 12-17-21

Intro: Christmas is about salvation and God’s plan to reconcile humanity to himself. For believers, we live with hope, because we have our gaze fixed upon Jesus Christ the Author and Finisher of our faith. Believers live by the power of God, so we enjoy peace and security that escapes the world. Even when we face trials, believers rejoice in the midst of them because we are confident in God’s love and purpose for our lives. The trials are not to show God our faith; rather, the trials are to reveal our enduring faith to the world. You are an example for people around you each day, so make a special effort to share your hope, peace, joy, and love with others who need Jesus.

1 Peter 1:8-9 You love him passionately although you have not seen him, but through believing in him you are saturated with an ecstatic joy, indescribably sublime and immersed in glory. 9 For you are reaping the harvest of your faith—the full salvation promised you—your souls’ victory! [salvation]

Prayer: Lord, the joy we find in your kingdom is beyond the power of our words to express. Thank you for building my faith and trust in your care each day. Please continue to produce the fruit of joy as you work in my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Daily Devotional from Pastor Mary 12-16-21

Intro: It is always wonderful to hear the Christmas story being read; God’s Son of love coming down from heaven to save us produces awe and amazement in our souls. How does one contemplate or even mentally process such a sacrificial love Gift for all of creation? God humbled himself to save us, because we could not do anything to save ourselves! The Helper came for the helplessly lost. Our hope, peace, and joy all come together in this Christmas love Gift from God. There is no greater love (John 15:13).

Even as believers we can get fixated on the human expressions of Christmas, as well as our “feelings” and responses to our human celebrations, but to stop there is extremely superficial and worldly. Christmas is about the purpose of God to love and save a selfish and sinful world (John 3:16). Our celebrations should be all about receiving the salvation Gift of God’s Son and making room for him in our hearts, relationships, communities, nations, and his world.

In our passage today, the writer of Hebrews wants us to understand the Gift of Christ is given to those who choose to be made holy. Christmas begins with the birth of Christ in human hearts, but God’s Story continues. Christ keeps working in hearts and through human lives until every enemy of the Truth humbly bows to his holiness. If we will take this Truth to heart, it will forever inwardly change us and we will—like the angels, shepherds, Joseph, Mary, and the wisemen, begin to live with passion the Christmas Story–become hearts filled with Christ!

Hebrews 10:10-18 (TPT)
10 For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.

11 Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. 12 But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 13 There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. 14 For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.

15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. For he says,

16
“This is the new covenant I will make
with my people on that day, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.”

17 Then he says,
“I will never again remember
their sins and lawless deeds.”

18 And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for being my Christmas Gift every day. For all that you are and have done for me, may my life be an offering back to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Daily Devotional from Pastor Mary 12-15-21

Intro: Humanity wants to do what the flesh desires; it is our natural inclination. We fight for the right to do things our own way; to fulfill our human desires not matter the cost. Our hearts need the work of the Word to bring transformation and renewal. I often hear people talk about following their hearts, but friends that is not biblical. We are to follow the Living Word of God into New Life and more times than we care to admit that may mean a sacrifice to our flesh not fulfillment or satisfaction of it. The sooner we face the reality that our hearts [the core of our being] are fickle when it comes to loving obedience to God, the sooner we will find ourselves living in a greater measure of the Truth. Faith leads our hearts into righteousness.

In Jeremiah 17:9 the prophet tells us the human heart is deceitful and wicked apart from the Lordship of Christ. King Solomon tells us we must guard our hearts, because it really determines the direction for our lives (Pro 4:23). And, the Apostle Paul teaches us we must immerse ourselves in Christ, so that our former identity [old unredeemed person] is not awakened and given power because the flesh has unrelenting desires to be satisfied (Rom 13:14). If we give into the selfish or sinful desires of our hearts, we will not be expressing the godliness Christ intends for us.

In our passage today, Jesus is speaking to the crowds. He basically reminds them their hearts are simply indifferent to the grace he offers. John the Baptist offered a wedding and rejoicing, but the Pharisees rejected it. They did not want to dance in the Spirit of Christ; they preferred the dead ways of their religious traditions void of the Christ. They could sacrifice animals instead of their flesh. Our hearts must embrace the true vision of God’s intent for the Son; to call people into true joy and satisfaction as they become expressions of his godliness.

Luke 7:31-35
31 Jesus continued, saying, “How could I describe the people of this generation? Can’t you see? 32 You’re like children playing games on the playground, complaining to friends, ‘You don’t like it when we want to play Wedding. And you don’t like it when we want to play Funeral. Why will you neither dance nor mourn?’

33 “When the prophet John came fasting and refused to drink wine, you said, ‘He’s crazy! There’s a demon in him.’ 34 Yet when the Son of Man came feasting and drinking, you said, ‘Look at this man! He is nothing but a glutton and a drunkard. He spends all his time with tax collectors and other notorious sinners.’

35 “Nevertheless, the wisdom of God [presence of salvation] will be proven true by the expressions of godliness in everyone who follows me.”

Prayer: Lord, may the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable and pleasing to you each day. Help me to guard my heart, so I make the right decisions that honor your purpose for me. I chose the righteous path with you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Daily Devotional from Pastor Mary 12-14-21

Intro: I am presently recovering from a nasty bug; today is a much better day…thank you, Jesus! When we are suffering it is difficult to be fully present to the Lord, because we are focused on our present challenge, right? I am praying for those in our nation who have just been through a horrible run of tornadoes; my issues are minuscule in comparison. The devastation from the storms seem overwhelming. However, for believers, no matter what is going on in our lives in a given moment, we are to remain focused on the greater purpose of Christ. Getting silent helps us listen, so we can participate with Christ in healing hearts.

In our passage today, Paul [as a prisoner] has finally been physically transported to Rome. Preceding his arrival, Paul endures a corrupt trial in Jerusalem, a storm at sea off the African coast that lasts for days, a shipwreck, and a poisonous snake bite on the island of Malta. With each challenge, Paul is present to be a source of encouragement, guidance/wisdom, and support, as well as an example of living in fellowship with the resurrected Christ. None of the things that rise up against Paul consumes or shakes him. Instead, he focuses on God’s purpose in the midst of it all—to be a witness for the resurrected One to the unbelievers [Gentiles/non-Jews]. Paul desires for those around him to understand the value of life with Christ. We must always remember we are witnessing to the value of life in Christ, as well.

Our passage ends Luke’s narrative about the Acts of the Holy Spirit, but those acts continue through you and me. Whatever we face, we can shine the Light of the indwelling Savior to the world. The world will continue to be troubled by the Truth; Scripture assures us of that battle and reality. But, we are more than conquerers and we are strong and vibrant in the Spirit. So, like Paul, we must stay focused on the bigger picture. May we shake off whatever things of this fallen world that try to take dominion over us. We must rise up in the power of the Spirit and never be robbed of an opportunity to be a source of encouragement, guidance, or support to others who need the Savior abiding in us.

Acts 28:23-28
23 So they set a time to meet with Paul. On that day an even greater crowd gathered where he was staying. From morning until evening Paul taught them, opening up the truths of God’s kingdom. With convincing arguments from both the Law and the Prophets, he tried to persuade them about Jesus.

24 Some were converted, but others refused to believe. They argued back and forth, 25 still unable to agree among themselves. They were about to leave when Paul made one last statement to them: “The Holy Spirit stated it well when he spoke to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah:

26 ‘I send you to this people to say to them, “You will keep learning, but not understanding. You will keep staring at truth but not perceiving it. 27 For your hearts are hard and insensitive to me—you must be hard of hearing! For you’ve closed your eyes so that you won’t be troubled by the truth, and you’ve covered your ears so that you won’t have to listen and be pierced by what I say. For then you would have to respond and repent, so that I could heal your hearts.” ’

28 “So listen well. This wonderful salvation given by God is now being presented to the non-Jewish nations, and they will believe and receive it!”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the wonderful way you use even the things the enemy sends to distract or destroy us to produce goodness around us. You bring us beauty for ashes and you are so faithful to your love for us. May your children stay the course and look for good opportunities to flow out of the ashes in order to glorify you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Daily Devotional from Pastor Mary 12-13-21

Many times, during this Advent Season we have reflected, as a Spiritual Family, on the prophetic words of the Old Testament Prophet, Isaiah. Today we continue with reflective time on his prophesy of “A Branch from David’s Line”. Isaiah tells us that this “Branch” will grow as a shoot out of the stump of David’s family, and that it will be “a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.” The cut down stump represents David’s obscurity as the ancestral line of the Messiah. It is fitting that out of this lowly stump a single shoot will rise, and “the Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him”. We are comforted that this “Shoot” or “Branch” is Jesus.

Isaiah not only saw the lineage of the Messiah, but he also saw how the Spirit would guide Him throughout His life and in His ministry. He describes the Spirt as wisdom, counsel, and knowledge. The Spirit is what directly connects us to Christ, and since that “Branch” lives within us let’s dive deeper into the Word for more Truth:

Spirit of Wisdom – when the Apostle Paul was writing to the church in Ephesus he prayed for their spiritual wisdom. We need that same prayer because divine wisdom is what must guide our every step, thought, word, and overall life. So, we must be “asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.” (Ephesians 1:17)

Spirit of Counsel – the Apostle Paul speaks of Jesus’s Great Counsel when he wrote to the Romans. He says, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.” (Romans 8:28) This Truth helps us to understand that the wisest counsel within our lives isn’t a “human person”, but rather it is the Holy Messiah who works everything out for good within our lives as we call on Him, and Him alone, not this world.

Spirit of Knowledge – In Matthew 11, Jesus prays a prayer of thanksgiving. He reminds us that: “My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.” (Matthew 11:27)
Matthew reminds us that Jesus came to reveal the Father to us, because He is within the Father. With this knowledge, and through the gift of our acceptance of salvation, we stand in awe of the Lord.

Isaiah continues, in our passage today, to give a clear description of who he saw the Messiah to be. We must seek to hold onto this same description for our own lives, because Jesus lives in us.

Isaiah 11:1-9 (NLT)
A Branch from David’s Line

1 Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot—
yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.
2 And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
3 He will delight in obeying the Lord.
He will not judge by appearance
nor make a decision based on hearsay.
4 He will give justice to the poor
and make fair decisions for the exploited.
The earth will shake at the force of his word,
and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked.
5 He will wear righteousness like a belt
and truth like an undergarment.

Prayer: Jesus, Thank You for coming that we might be saved. Please grow Your spirit of wisdom, counsel, and knowledge within us today. We long for Your return! In the meantime, please grow us closer and closer to You. I ask all of this in Your Precious and Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

Written by: Jennifer Auer, Pastor Mary Haley’s Assistant

Daily Devotional from Pastor Mary 12-10-21

Intro: Sometimes God allows life to stretch our faith. This stretching is always a spiritual blessing in the life of a believer even though it does not feel like one at the time. We must use our faith to lay hold of the promises of God; without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6). God is wanting to get something good to us all the time. Therefore, we must believe he is a Rewarder of those who seek him and believe nothing is impossible for him (Matt 19:26). Our faith in the Father’s love and goodness is what sets Christ’s followers apart in the world.

In our passage from Luke, Zechariah knows what it feels like to have his faith stretched by God. As a priest, he would have continually prayed for the Messiah to come; but he and all of Israel wait patiently. As a man who wanted a child of his own, he would have continually prayed for a biological son. Zechariah is praying for the impossible—he and his wife are old and way beyond childbearing years.

While Zechariah is burning incense in the sanctuary, he is visited by an angel—Gabrielle. The angel tells Zechariah, “God has heard your prayer.” I think we can all testify we sometimes pray for things, but our faith is not engaged in real belief or trust that the prayer will be answered. We have facts and feelings that race in and cause us to entertain doubt.

Zechariah struggles, because none of it makes sense to his natural mind. Because of Zechariah’s verbal doubt, God silences him for nine months; he cannot speak until it is time to circumcise and name the child. However, in the midst of Zechariah’s silent times, his faith grows within him; he has learned a great deal about the God he serves while he is silent. His faith has been successfully stretched to welcome the impossible. In obedience, Zechariah names the child, John, as instructed by the angel. Joy unspeakable fills Zechariah as he steps into obedience and the first words he is able to speak are praises to the Lord. If you are praying for God to do something miraculous in your life, stay in peace and don’t lose hope. Bringing Joy to our hearts is God’s specialty.

Luke 1:57-66 (TPT) The Birth of the Prophet John
57 When Elizabeth’s pregnancy was full term, she gave birth to a son. 58 All her family, friends, and neighbors heard about it, and they too were overjoyed, for they realized that the Lord had showered his wonderful mercy upon her.

59 When the baby was eight days old, according to their custom, all the family and friends came together for the circumcision ceremony.[celebrating w/joy another child born under the covenant of God] Everyone assumed that the parents would name the baby Zechariah, after his father, 60 but Elizabeth spoke up and said, “No, his name is John!”

61 “What?” they exclaimed. “No one in your family line has that name!”

62 So they gestured to the baby’s father to ask what to name the child. 63 He motioned for a writing tablet, and to the amazement of all, he wrote, “His name is John.”[name translates God’s gift]

64 Instantly Zechariah could speak again. And his first words were praises to the Lord.

65 The fear of God fell on the people of their village, and the news of this astounding event traveled throughout the hill country of Judea. Everyone was in awe over it! 66 All who heard this news were astonished and wondered, “Since a miracle brought his birth, what on earth will this child become? Clearly, God’s presence is upon this child in a powerful way!”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for stretching our faith and helping us learn to receive the many, many blessings you have awaiting us. You are so good to us and we praise you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.