Luke 1:21-38, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: A Simple Greeting - February 4, 2022

British minister J.H. Jowett told the story of a convict from Darlington, England. He had just been released after three years in jail when he happened to pass the mayor on the street. Expecting nothing more than cold ostracism, he did not know how to respond when the mayor tipped his hat, and said, “Hello! I’m glad to see you! How are you?”

Years later the two accidentally met in another city. The mayor didn’t remember the man, but the man had never forgotten the mayor. He said, “I want to thank you. When I came out of prison, you spoke a kind word to me, and it changed my life.”

1 Peter 5:14 says, “Greet one another with a kiss of love.” Simply greeting one another is not that hard, and what is small to you may be huge to someone else.

Luke 1:21-38

 Meanwhile, the congregation waiting for Zachariah was getting restless, wondering what was keeping him so long in the sanctuary. When he came out and couldn’t speak, they knew he had seen a vision. He continued speechless and had to use sign language with the people.

23-25 When the course of his priestly assignment was completed, he went back home. It wasn’t long before his wife, Elizabeth, conceived. She went off by herself for five months, relishing her pregnancy. “So, this is how God acts to remedy my unfortunate condition!” she said.
A Virgin Conceives

26-28 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilean village of Nazareth to a virgin engaged to be married to a man descended from David. His name was Joseph, and the virgin’s name, Mary. Upon entering, Gabriel greeted her:

Good morning!
You’re beautiful with God’s beauty,
Beautiful inside and out!
God be with you.

29-33 She was thoroughly shaken, wondering what was behind a greeting like that. But the angel assured her, “Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you: You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus.

He will be great,
    be called ‘Son of the Highest.’
The Lord God will give him
    the throne of his father David;
He will rule Jacob’s house forever—
    no end, ever, to his kingdom.”

34 Mary said to the angel, “But how? I’ve never slept with a man.”

35 The angel answered,

The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
    the power of the Highest hover over you;
Therefore, the child you bring to birth
    will be called Holy, Son of God.

36-38 “And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called her barren, and here she is six months pregnant! Nothing, you see, is impossible with God.”

And Mary said,

Yes, I see it all now:
    I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve.
Let it be with me
    just as you say.

Then the angel left her.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion    
Friday, February 04, 2022
Today's Scripture
Genesis 1:9–13
(NIV)

And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place,y and let dry groundz appear.” And it was so.a 10 God calledb the dry ground “land,” and the gathered watersc he called “seas.”d And God saw that it was good.e

11 Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation:f seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.g” And it was so.h 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kindsi and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.j 13 And there was evening, and there was morningk—the third day.

Insight

Although the word Trinity never appears on the pages of Scripture, the idea is pictured repeatedly, beginning with how the Bible describes the events of creation. In Genesis 1, we see God at work in creation (v. 1) and the Spirit of God “hovering” (v. 2) over the created spaces. In the New Testament, we see Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, play His part in creation. John 1:3 tells us, “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” Paul added in Colossians 1:16, “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.” The collaborative, harmonious relationship of the three persons of the Godhead becomes to us the ultimate example of unity of heart and purpose.

Learn more about the doctrine of the Trinity. By: Bill Crowder

The Wonder of Creation

Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it.”
Genesis 1:11

While Tim was hiking on Root Glacier in Alaska, he came across something he’d not seen before. Though Tim studies glaciers professionally, the vast number of small balls of moss were completely unfamiliar to him. After tracking the bright green balls for many years, Tim and his colleagues discovered that, unlike moss on trees, the “glacier mice” are unattached and—even more surprisingly—move in unison, like a herd or flock. At first, Tim and his colleagues suspected they were blown by the wind or were rolling downhill, but their research ruled out those guesses.

They haven’t yet discovered exactly how the moss balls move. Such mysteries highlight God’s creativity. In His work of creation, God appointed the land to “produce vegetation” in the form of plants and trees (Genesis 1:11). His design included glacier mice too, though most of us won’t see them firsthand unless we visit a glacier that provides a suitable environment for them.

Glacier mice have been charming scientists with their fuzzy green presence since their discovery in the 1950s. When God observed the vegetation He’d created, He declared “that it was good” (v. 12). We’re surrounded by God’s botanical designs, each demonstrating His creative powers and inviting us to worship Him. We can delight in each of the trees and plants He’s made—for they are good! By:  Kirsten Holmberg

Reflect & Pray

When has something in God’s creation brought you joy? What aspect of His creative work most prompts you to worship?

Thank You, God, for the wonder of Your creation and the privilege to learn about You through it.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Friday, February 04, 2022
The Compelling Majesty of His Power

The love of Christ compels us… —2 Corinthians 5:14

Paul said that he was overpowered, subdued, and held as in a vise by “the love of Christ.” Very few of us really know what it means to be held in the grip of the love of God. We tend so often to be controlled simply by our own experience. The one thing that gripped and held Paul, to the exclusion of everything else, was the love of God. “The love of Christ compels us….” When you hear that coming from the life of a man or woman it is unmistakable. You will know that the Spirit of God is completely unhindered in that person’s life.

When we are born again by the Spirit of God, our testimony is based solely on what God has done for us, and rightly so. But that will change and be removed forever once you “receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…” (Acts 1:8). Only then will you begin to realize what Jesus meant when He went on to say, “…you shall be witnesses to Me….” Not witnesses to what Jesus can do— that is basic and understood— but “witnesses to Me….” We will accept everything that happens as if it were happening to Him, whether we receive praise or blame, persecution or reward. No one is able to take this stand for Jesus Christ who is not totally compelled by the majesty of His power. It is the only thing that matters, and yet it is strange that it’s the last thing we as Christian workers realize. Paul said that he was gripped by the love of God and that is why he acted as he did. People could perceive him as mad or sane— he did not care. There was only one thing he lived for— to persuade people of the coming judgment of God and to tell them of “the love of Christ.” This total surrender to “the love of Christ” is the only thing that will bear fruit in your life. And it will always leave the mark of God’s holiness and His power, never drawing attention to your personal holiness.

Wisdom From Oswald Chambers

The Christian Church should not be a secret society of specialists, but a public manifestation of believers in Jesus.  Facing Reality, 34 R

Bible in a Year: Exodus 34-35; Matthew 22:23-46

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Friday, February 04, 2022

The Only Applause That Matters - #9150

It was the moment this young man had waited for and had prepared for over many months. It was his premiere appearance as a concert pianist. The audience had heard a lot about his amazing talent, so they packed out this prestigious concert hall to hear him. They weren't disappointed. In fact, his masterful playing brought them to their feet for a thunderous standing ovation at the end of the concert. Backstage, the young man's manager said, "They want an encore, man! Get out there!" The pianist looked strangely dejected, and he said, "No, I'm not going to go back out there." And the manager said, "But they love you, man! Look at them! They're all on their feet!" "Not all. Look in the balcony." The manager peeked around the curtain and he saw one white-haired old man in the balcony who wasn't standing or applauding. "Hey, come on! One old guy? So what?" The pianist looked down at the floor and he said, "That's not one old man. That's my teacher."

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Only Applause That Matters."

It didn't matter to that concert pianist what that crowd thought. Only one opinion mattered. Only one man in that multitude was the one he wanted to please - his teacher. You know, that's how God has wired you and me to live. To please your teacher - your Creator. Sadly, we tend to lose sight of Him in our desire to get the applause of the crowd around us.

Jesus has given us six powerful words to live by in our word for today from the Word of God. They're in John 8:29. They're simple, but they'll change your life if you'll make them the core value of your life. It says this, "I always do what pleases Him." Jesus lived only for His Father's approval. That's why the greatest moment of His life was at His baptism when the heavens opened and He heard His Father say, "You are My Son ... with You I am well pleased" (Luke 3:22). It didn't matter whether the crowd was cheering or jeering. Jesus knew He was OK if His Father thought He was OK.

That's an important reminder for us approval junkies, who tend to mold ourselves to please other people. It's like we have this ticket we keep trying to get people to validate for us. "Hey, do you like me? Do you like what I'm doing? Do I look OK? What do I have to do to get you to stamp my ticket?" It's called "Please Disease" spending so much of your life trying to please other people. But there's never enough applause is there? There's never enough approval. And somewhere in all the pleasing, you lose yourself and you lose the pleasure of the only One who can satisfy your heart - your Lord Jesus who died so you could live for Him! 1 Corinthians 7:23 - "You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men." Paul knew he had to choose once and for all who he was going to live for and who he was going to live to please. He said, "Am I now trying to win the approval of men or of God? If I were trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10). Wow!

So who are you living to please: the boss, the pastor, your family, your friends, the church, some guy, some girl, your community? They didn't die for you. Their rewards don't hold a candle to His. The early church leader, Stephen, knew that. He had stood up for the truth on the streets of Jerusalem. The crowd was not applauding. They were screaming at him, throwing rocks at him to shut him up once and for all. "But," the Bible says, "Stephen ... looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God."

The Bible tells us Jesus is usually sitting at His Father's right hand, but not this day. He's standing. He's honoring his faithful servant Stephen. And Stephen has the courage to keep doing the right thing, even at the cost of his life, because his teacher is standing. His teacher is saying, "Well done."

I hope that's where you're looking for your approval, where I'm looking for mine. The only applause that matters is the applause of heaven. Anything is worth doing to get that, and nothing is worth losing it for.