Read: Luke 1:67 - 79
Personal Filling – verse 67 It appears Zechariah didn't believe the angel's message that they would have a son, so he asked for proof. Zechariah's doubting heart resulted in his muteness while waiting for the child's birth. During those months, God seems to have worked in his heart. When asked what the child's name should be, he affirmed Elizabeth's declaration; his name would be John. Scripture tells us that Zechariah was immediately able to speak again. It seems he had grown closer to God during his quiet time, evidenced by being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Powerful Praise – verses 68-69 Like Mary, Zechariah begins his song as one of praise. He acknowledged and thanked God for visiting and redeeming His people. God paid the ransom to release His people from bondage. Of course, the horn of salvation referred to is the coming Jesus Christ.
Personal Protection – verses 70-71 God has been using prophets to speak His messages to us since "the world began." Through those prophecies, God assures us many times that He will keep us from the harm others want to bring upon us.
Practicing Mercy – verse 72 There are reasons God wants to keep us from harm. Two of those reasons are spoken of in these verses. He keep us from harm so that we can show mercy to others, and so that we remember the covenant God made with us. (the promised blessing)
Powerful Defeats – verse 73-75 God promised Abraham that He would bless His people. God promised to defeat their physical and emotional enemies, whether real or perceived. He gave them the power to serve Him in holiness and righteousness all of their days. Those promises are also ours to claim.
Prophecies Fulfilled – verses 76-77 Zechariah begins to speak to his newborn son, John, in these verses. He prophesied that John would go before the Messiah and prepare people to recognize and accept Jesus as the Messiah and Saviour from the punishment of their sins.
Tender Mercy – Verses 78-79 God's tender mercy will then shine upon us like a sunny new day. This mercy is available for all who are in dark and difficult situations. This mercy can lead them into everlasting peace.
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Music and song have been part of the life of God's people, the Jews, since their recorded history. It is documented that the early Jewish Temple music consisted of an orchestra with twelve instruments and a choir of twelve male singers. Some of the orchestra instruments included a lyre, harp, shofar, ram's horn, cymbal and a type of pipe organ.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_music#Religious_Jewish_music_in_the_biblical_period Over the following days, we will look at four songs we find in Luke's account of that first Christmas. May I suggest you read the scripture several times? It might be helpful to record any thoughts God brings to you in a journal. These may be a truth God reinforced or a new lesson God has for you. Let us begin: Mary's Song Read: Luke 1:46-55 An Accurate Focus of Praise - verse 46 Mary begins her song as one of praise with her focus on God, her creator, and Lord. She seems to gain strength and confidence as she declares God's splendor, grandeur, and magnificence. Such a worshipful way to begin her song. Her prayer is simple and to the point but powerful. How do you begin your prayers and praise to God? When I come before Him, I must confess that I too often present my "laundry list" of items that I ask Him to clean up and repair. I rarely begin by acknowledging who He is. I rarely start by basking in His glory alone. * Take a few minutes to quiet your heart before the Lord. Think about who He is and what He has done for others in your life. Then write out a prayer of praise to God. The Proper Source of Joy – verse 47 Today's culture tries to confuse us and make us believe that our joy and happiness come from owning things or participating in certain activities. Mary found her joy in the simple act of focusing on her Saviour. *Think about where you spend your time, money and thoughts. These are often indicators of where we find happiness, but do they bring true joy? Ask God if there is something else you should be looking to that will give you joy and contentment. Write down things that come to mind that bring you true joy. A Balanced View of Self – verses 48 - 49 Achieving a healthy balanced view of self-worth can be tricky. Sometimes it is hard to see one's self-worth. It's easy to feel worthless because of social standing, education or physical appearance. Some folks don't know the value they bring to their friends and family. Some people, however, have too much self-confidence. Mary seems to have found a balance. She did not see herself as more important than others; Mary was humble. But Mary also realized she had been chosen for the most crucial role in human history; she would care for the God/man growing inside of her. Mary acknowledged her humble position in life but accepted God's task without pride. She also admitted that God was working in and through her. Where is God working in your life? How has He used you? * Take time to write out your thoughts and feeling and thank Him for working through you. An Appropriate Fear of God – verse 50 There are two definitions of fear; to be afraid of something or someone and to have respect and reverence for someone. We can understand the fear Mary would have had when she first saw the angel and heard the message given to her. Soon her behaviour reflected reverence and respect for the message, her God, and the task ahead of her. Are you able to point to a time when you were afraid of what God was asking you to do, but through God's mercy, you surrendered and were able to respect and revere what God was doing in your life? * Record those events in your journal. Write a prayer of dedication of your life for the future God brings to you. A Fitting Outcome of Pride – verses 51-51 In Mary's song, these verses remind us that God will eventually show His almighty strength by bringing down those who think too highly of themselves. Their proud thoughts will be humbled, and they will be removed from their positions of importance. God has given each of us an area of responsibility. He has given each of us a position of importance in Kingdom building. *Write down the task He has given you, and ask God to help you to keep a humble attitude. A Suitable Treatment of the Rich & Poor – verse 53 We may initially believe that God talks about material poverty and riches when reading this verse, but that is not the case. God is talking about the spiritual state of people. Those who come hungry for God will be filled, and those who come full of themselves will go away empty. * Are you able to pray this verse as your prayer to God? "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God." Psalm 42:1 Memories of Mercy and Help – verses 54-55 Through Mary's song, God reminded Israel that He had always taken care of them and showed them mercy many times. He reminded them of the promised Messiah with a hint that the time had come. * How has God given you help? How has He shown you mercy? Write a prayer of acknowledgement for these things. Several years ago Ellen Krahn, a dear friend of mine began to open her home to women for a special place and a dedicated time to pray. It has been a blessing to my heart. The following is her description of her one day prayer retreats. . Welcome…to your personal day of prayer! Thank you for choosing Living Grace Ministries for your day of prayer.
What is a personal prayer retreat?
When I first started on my prayer journey, I couldn’t stay in prayer more than 5 minutes or so without my mind wandering to all the demands of life. But I pursued and persisted and every Monday night I went to the church for 1 hour to be alone with God. It took me an entire year before I could finally stay in prayer for an hour without my mind wandering off. From there I moved to one full day to several days at a time. Some of the most significant words from the Lord have come during my concentrated times of solitude with God. How to have a personal prayer retreat. Let me share with you some of the things that I have learned through my own experience as well as things I have learned from others through study. Things to include in your day of prayer:
As I developed and grew in my prayer life, I took several days away at a time and included worship CDs, prayer walks, devotional books and fasting. Writing and journaling became a key part of my personal prayer time away. It is important to chart the significant things you hear from God. There is no formula for a Prayer Retreat however there are prayer activities that most people include: praising God, confessing sin, thanking God, reading & praying through scripture, fasting, listening to worship music, reading devotional books, silence before God, walks, and rest. Most importantly whether you are just starting on your personal prayer journey or have done it for a long time be kind and gentle with yourself. Don’t give up!! Keep trying. As you begin your day, you may find it helpful to write our your to do list and then set it aside so that your mind does not keep going back over all your responsibilities and demands Prayer spaces I have created for you:
There are five prayer locations in the house available for you to choose from. My personal library is available to you both upstairs and downstairs. If I can be of personal support to you throughout the day, please do not hesitate to ask. There are two guest bathrooms…one upstairs and one downstairs. We will do a walk-through together so you can become familiar with my home. As part of the day, I will be sharing the Word with you as we start our day and also at lunch time before we break for the afternoon. The day will be concluded with together prayer. My prayer for you is that this day will be an incredible experience between you and the Jesus you love!! I look very much forward to having you here. Come expecting! Blessings! Ellen Krahn Learn more at: https://livinggraceministries.ca/about/ |
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