Tag: breathe

The Promise Received

Scripture Focus: Luke 1:26–38, Luke 1:46–55

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In Nazareth, there was an ordinary village tucked in the hills of Galilee, a young woman that was quietly living her life when heaven suddenly interrupted her plans. When it came there was no royal announcement, no grand stage just a simple home and a heart that was prepared to listen. Her name was Mary, and her response to God’s call would change the course of the world.

When the angel Gabriel appeared, he greeted her with words that must have startled her:

“Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28).

Mary was “deeply disturbed,” by this greeting. Being young, maybe even a teenager and engaged to be married. At this point there is now an angel telling her that she would give birth to the Son of God. Nothing in her life had prepared her for such a moment, however everything in her heart had prepared her to say yes.

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An Unlikely Choice — Yet Perfectly Chosen

In all rights, Mary was not the likely choice for such an assignment. She was poor, young, and from what was considered an insignificant town. When we read the bible we can see that’s exactly how God works. We can see over and over that He chooses the humble to confound the proud, and the ordinary to reveal His extraordinary power.

Gabriel told her:

“You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High” (Luke 1:31–32).

Her question was honest and pure: “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” (v. 34). She wasn’t doubting God’s ability she was asking to gain some understanding. The angel’s reply revealed the divine mystery:

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God” (v. 35).

Mary’s womb become the dwelling place of the eternal Word. Heaven would take on flesh within her. The promise made in Eden, foretold by prophets, and long awaited by generations would now take root in her own body. (Isaiah 7:14)

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Faith That Says “Yes”

Then came one of the most powerful responses in all of Scripture:

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).

When she spoke these words, heaven’s plan became earth’s reality. Mary not knowing how her family would react, how her soon to be husband Joseph would respond, or what her future looked like. But with all of those questions she trusted that God’s word was greater than her fear.

Her yes did not come with a paved highway. To those surrounding her, the pregnancy would look like a scandal, not a blessing. Yet Mary chose faith over reputation, obedience over comfort.

Know that faith is not the absence of fear it’s a decision to trust God’s word above everything else. Mary believed before she understood, and surrendered before she saw. That’s what it means to truly receive the promise of God.

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Mary’s Song — The Overflow of Surrender

When Mary visited her relative Elizabeth, who had also become miraculously pregnant with John the Baptist, Elizabeth confirmed what God had spoken:

“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her!” (Luke 1:45).

Mary’s response was worship. Her song, was magnificat, and overflowed with joy and awe:

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for He has looked on the humble estate of His servant…
He who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is His name.”
— Luke 1:46–49

Her heart magnified God, not the role she played, not her fear, but His greatness. When we have true obedience always it will always lead to worship, through surrender it will allow us to see the hand of God more clearly.

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Faith That Receives, Faith That Obeys

With Mary’s example it teaches us that genuine faith doesn’t just believe God’s promises it acts on them. She didn’t argue, delay, or demand proof; she simply yielded to the divine plan.

Humans tend to want to see how everything will work before we say yes. However, if we look, Mary shows us that obedience comes first. God will reveal His power on the other side of surrender.

When we say yes to God in everything, in our calling, our relationships, and daily routines He does more than we can imagine. Because of Jesus we have the same Holy Spirit that overshadowed Mary. Now the Holy Spirit dwells in every believer, this gives us the strength to carry Christ into the world. (Acts 1:8)

Paul writes in Galatians 4:19 that he labored “until Christ is formed in you.” When we completely give in to Jesus gaining the best relationship of our life, we are called to carry His presence spiritually. We will let His life grow within us and be revealed through us to those around us, a light that shines in the dark.

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The Humility That Welcomes God

Mary’s life is a quiet reminder that humility opens the door for the miraculous. She was never a status seeker, she sought God’s will. In her humility, God found a willing vessel to accomplish His greatest work.

The true Christmas story is filled with human contrasts: a poor girl chosen for glory, a stable instead of a palace, shepherds instead of rulers. Every detail of the birth of Christ reminds us that God delights in using the humble and obedient.

If we yearn to see God’s power in our lives, we need to approach Him with the same heart Mary had:

“Let it be to me according to Your word.” Luke 1:38

This one single sentence contains the full essence of faith, trust, and worship. It’s a sentence of declaration of surrender. It does not just happen once, but daily.

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Reflection for the Week

• What does Mary’s response teach you about trusting God when His plans interrupt yours?
• How can you live out a “yes” to God’s call this season?
• What fears or uncertainties might you need to surrender to say, “Let it be to me”?

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Personal Application

This week, spend time reflecting on Mary’s faith. Write down one area of your life where God may be asking for your obedience. Pray Mary’s words as your own prayer:

“Lord, I am Your servant. Let it be to me according to Your word.”

Try to take one step of obedience, does not matter how small, in faith.
Just like Mary, you may not see the full picture now, but a simple yes Lord can create the room for God to do something eternal in and through you.

Remember: Christmas began with one heart that fully surrendered to God’s promise.

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, give me a heart like Mary’s humble, surrendered, and willing. Teach me to say ‘yes’ even when I don’t understand the full picture.
Calm my fears, strengthen my faith, and help me trust that Your plan for my life is good. Form Christ in me as You formed Him in Mary, shaping me into a vessel of obedience and worship. Let my life reflect complete trust in Your Word. In Jesus Name Amen

Getting to Know Him

Do you want eternal life? Do you want to enter heaven through the only guide that can help you navigate your way there? To enter His home, get to know Him better, and make Him your Lord and Savior CLICK HERE…..

John the Baptist and the Way of the Lord

Scripture Focus: Luke 1:13–17, Mark 1:1–8, Isaiah 40:3

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We can see that over and over again that every great move of God begins with preparation. Before Jesus stepped into His public ministry, before He preached, healed, or called His disciples God had sent a forerunner. John the Baptist was that voice crying in the wilderness, who was the one chosen to prepare the way for the Lord. Isaiah 40:3

The more familiar you become with the bible you will notice there is a theme of preparation that is woven all throughout Scripture. God will rarely move suddenly; everything He does is strategic. He will not just send His presence but He will prepare our hearts to receive it. And just as God prepared the world for Christ’s first coming through John, He still calls us to prepare our hearts to receive Him anew today. Romans 12:2

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A Promise in the Wilderness

The story of John’s birth was miraculous all by itself. His parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth, were righteous followers of God. However they were childless and well advanced in years. One day, as Zechariah served in the temple, the angel Gabriel appeared and declared:

“Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John… and he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:13–17).

John was sent on a mission that was made clear even before he was born. He was sent to awaken hearts, call people to repentance, and prepare them to be prepared for the coming Messiah. The message he was given was simple yet powerful “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 3:2).

In most cases repentance isn’t a word that gets associated with Christmas. However, repentance is an essential when trying to experience the full joy of Christ’s coming. True repentance is not merely feeling sorry for our sin but turning back toward God. Making sure we align our hearts with His will so that we can fully receive His grace. Ephesians 2:8-9

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Preparing the Way — A Call to Readiness

Isaiah had prophesied hundreds of years earlier:

“A voice of one calling: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God’” (Isaiah 40:3).

In the past, when a king planned to visit a city, he would send messengers ahead to clear the roads and make a straight path for his arrival. They would remove rocks, valleys were filled, and obstacles leveled. Spiritually, John’s message represented, a call to clear away the obstacles in our hearts so that the King could come in unhindered. Proverbs 3:6

Before Jesus could bring salvation to the world, hearts had to be ready to receive Him. John’s baptism symbolized cleansing, they were a public confession that people were turning from sin to prepare for something greater. Mark 1:4

You can see it even today, God calls His people to be spiritually ready. We can’t experience the full meaning of Christmas if our hearts are cluttered with pride, busyness, or bitterness. The same God who sent John to prepare the world for Jesus’ first coming is calling His people now to prepare for His presence in their lives, and for His return. Hebrews 9:28

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A Voice in the Wilderness

John the Baptist’s ministry didn’t take place in a palace or a synagogue but in the wilderness, a barren, uncomfortable place far from the noise of the city. Yet it was there that crowds came, drawn not by spectacle but by conviction.

The wilderness has always been a place of preparation. Moses met God in the wilderness. (Exodus 3:1-7) Israel was refined there for forty years. (Deuteronomy 8:2)  Jesus Himself would be tested there after His baptism. (Matthew 4:1-11)

Sometimes God must lead us into seasons of “wilderness” it might be quiet, uncomfortable, sometimes feeling overwhelming. This helps “chaos” helps to prepare our hearts for something greater. It’s in those moments that our faith is purified, our pride is confronted, allowing our dependence on God to deepen. (Isaiah 43:2)

John’s wilderness message reminds us: God often prepares us privately before He reveals us publicly. He forms the heart before He sends the calling.

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Pointing to the One Who Is Greater

John’s greatness was not in his fame but in his humility. When people tried to elevate him, he continually pointed away from himself:

“After me comes one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie” (Mark 1:7).

John understood his purpose, he was the voice, not the Word; the messenger, not the Messiah. His role was to direct attention to Jesus, not to himself.

This is the essence of spiritual preparation: less of me, more of Him. In John 3:30, he declared,

“He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Those seven words are the heartbeat of every true disciple. As we prepare our hearts this season, we too must decrease. We need to make sure we are letting go of self-sufficiency, pride, and distraction so that Christ can increase within us. I know that this time of year can lend to many different appealing distractions. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

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Preparing Your Heart This Christmas

As Christmas approaches, ask yourself: what would it look like to “prepare the way” for Jesus in your own life?

Maybe it means making space for quiet reflection instead of rushing through the season.

Maybe it means forgiving someone you’ve held bitterness toward.

Maybe it means returning to a daily habit of prayer or Scripture.

Whatever it looks like, preparation always begins with humility, a willingness to turn from what hinders you and return to the heart of God.

When you prepare room for Him, He fills it with peace, joy, and power. (Psalm 16:11)

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Reflection for the Week

• What “wilderness” moments in your life has God used to prepare you for His purpose?
• What areas of your heart need to be made ready for Jesus this Christmas?
• How can you, like John, point others toward Christ this season?

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Personal Application

Take time this week to slow down, pray, read, meditate and reflect. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you anything that’s crowding your heart; any worry, resentment, distraction and invite Him to clear the way for Jesus.
Each morning, pray this simple prayer of preparation:

“Lord, prepare my heart for You. Make straight the path of my soul. Remove what hinders me from hearing Your voice, and let my life point others to You.”

You’ll find that as you do, you’ll discover what John the Baptist understood so well. The greatest joy in life is not being the center of the story, but preparing the way for the King. As you wait, worship because the same God who brought light to Bethlehem will bring light to your path. John 8:12

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, from the very beginning You planned a way back for us. Thank You that when sin entered the world, Your mercy rose to meet it.
I praise You for the promise of Jesus—my Redeemer, my rescue, my hope.
Open my eyes this week to recognize the depth of Your love woven through Scripture from Genesis to the manger. Let my heart rest in the truth that You have always been working, even when humanity failed, even when I failed.
Strengthen my trust in Your plan and anchor my hope in Your Son, the One who crushes the enemy and brings life. In Jesus Name Amen

Getting to Know Him

Do you want eternal life? Do you want to enter heaven through the only guide that can help you navigate your way there? To enter His home, get to know Him better, and make Him your Lord and Savior CLICK HERE…..