The Christmas series - John the Baptist!

The Christmas series  - John the Baptist!

Its Christmas! It’s a season of love, harmony and peace. Ya, there’s jingle bells all the way! So let’s have some time to see what was Christmas all about. Shall we get started!

At the time of Jesus’ birth, King Herod was ruling Judea. There was a priest named Zacharias. He and his wife Elizabeth were both very good people that loved God. But they were very old and had no children. They both asked God to bless them with a child and continued believing that He would answer their prayer. One day as Zacharias was fulfilling his duties in the Temple, it was time for him to enter the inner sanctuary and worship God. As Zacharias prepared the incense, an angel appeared in front of him. He was startled and terrified by the sight of this heavenly visitor.“Don’t be afraid, Zacharias! God has heard your prayer. Your wife Elizabeth will give you a son. You are to name him John. You will have great joy at his birth and many will celebrate with you. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit(Spirit of God) even before he is born,” said the angel.“He will be like Elijah, equipped with spirit and power, he will prepare the people for the Messiah’s arrival. He will soften many hearts and turn many from evil to good” Zacharias said, “My wife and I are very old. Can you give me a sign, so I will know this is true?”“I am Gabriel!” declared the angel. “I stand in the very presence of God who has sent me to you with this good news. Since you do not believe my word, you will not be able to speak until your child is born. But know this, every word I have spoken will come true.”Zacharias returned home, unable to speak just as Gabriel had said. After several months, Elizabeth gave birth to a baby boy. Word spread quickly around town about how God had blessed the couple in their old age. All their friends and relatives gathered on the eighth day to name the child. Everyone assumed that they would name the child Zacharias after his father.“No!” exclaimed Elizabeth. “He must be named John.”“But none of your relatives have that name,” said the crowd. They gave Zacharias something to write on and asked him what he wanted to name the boy. To everyone’s surprise, he wrote, “His name is John!”Immediately, Zacharias could speak again and he started praising God, “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel. He has redeemed His people, sending us a mighty savior from the line of David, to save us from our enemy. He has remembered His sacred promise by making us holy and acceptable and ready to stand in His presence.“And you my son shall be called God’s glorious prophet. You will prepare the people for the Messiah’s arrival and announce the good news of God’s plan for salvation by forgiving our sins. All of this is possible because God loves us so much. He has given His glorious light to those who sit in darkness and to guide us to life and peace.”The little boy grew and became spiritually strong. He lived in the wilderness until the day he started his public ministry to Israel.

Lesson to be Learnt:

            Everything about Jesus was foretold. The birth of John the Baptist is also a prediction fulfilled. It was Foretold in the old testament( Part of the bible that has the events before the birth of Christ) became true in the new testament( Part of the bible that has the events in the time of Jesus and After). God has always fulfilled His promise. If you see in the bible some recognized that the promise was getting fulfilled but the others did not have the faith to comprehend them. The Bible is full of promises of health, prosperity and abundant life. But without faith, an absolute confidence in God none will ever come true. So when God speaks some promises to you through the bible. Instead of asking for signs like what Zacharias did, shall we believe. The God who was in the past is the same today too. So all you have to do is believe! And your miracle is on the way!

1Kings 8:56

(CEV)  Praise the LORD! He has kept his promise and given us peace. Every good thing he promised to his servant Moses has happened.

(Hindi) जिस ने ठीक अपके कयन के अनुसार अपक्की प्रजा इस्राएल को विश्रम दिया है, जितनी भलाई की बातें उसने अपके दास मूसा के द्वारा कही यीं,उन में से एक भी बिना पूरी हुए नहीं रही।

(Kan) ಆತನು ತನ್ನ ಸೇವಕನಾದ ಮೋಶೆಯ ಮುಖಾಂತರ ಹೇಳಿದ ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಉತ್ತಮವಾದ ಮಾತು ಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಒಂದು ಮಾತಾದರೂ ಬಿದ್ದು ಹೋದದ್ದಿಲ್ಲ.

(Mal) താന്‍ വാഗ്ദാനം ചെയ്തതുപോലെ ഒക്കെയും തന്റെ ജനമായ യിസ്രായേലിന്നു സ്വസ്ഥത നല്കിയിരിക്കുന്ന യഹോവ വാഴ്ത്തപ്പെട്ടവന്‍ ; അവന്‍ തന്റെ ദാസനായ മോശെമുഖാന്തരം അരുളിച്ചെയ്ത അവന്റെ നല്ല വാഗ്ദാനങ്ങളെല്ലാറ്റിലും വെച്ചു ഒന്നെങ്കിലും നിഷ്ഫലമായിട്ടില്ലല്ലോ.

Tamil OV)  தாம் வாக்குத்தத்தம் பண்ணினபடியெல்லாம் தம்முடைய ஜனமாகிய இஸ்ரவேலுக்கு இளைப்பாறுதலை அருளின கர்த்தருக்கு ஸ்தோத்திரம், அவர் தம்முடைய தாசனாகிய மோசேயைக்கொண்டு சொன்ன அவருடைய நல்வார்த்தைகளில் எல்லாம் ஒரு வார்த்தையானாலும் தவறிப்போகவில்லை.

(Telugu)  ఎట్లనగాతాను చేసిన వాగ్దానమంతటినిబట్టి ఇశ్రాయేలీయులగు తన జనులకు నెమ్మది దయచేసిన యెహోవాకు స్తోత్రము కలిగియుండును గాక. తన దాసుడైన మోషేద్వారా ఆయన చేసిన శుభవాగ్దానములో ఒక మాటైన తప్పి పోయినదికాదు

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Faith Building Exercise

Faith comes by continually hearing God’s Word. When you confess (speak) God’s Word out loud you are planting God’s incorruptible seed in your heart (spirit). In time, God’s Word will take root in your spirit (heart) and produce a plentiful harvest of all God’s blessings and promises in your life.

Confess these out loud every day until you believe them in your spirit. They will build your faith. Look up these verses and read them as they appear in your Bible. You can always trust God’s Word because He cannot lie.

I do not doubt God’s promises. I am fully persuaded that what God promises, He will do.
(Romans 4:20-21)

Whatever I ask for in faith, I receive because I do not doubt.
(Matthew 21:21-22; Mark 11:22-24)

God is faithful. I can trust His promises.
(Hebrews 11:11)

God gives me rest. All of His promises are true in my life. None will ever fail.
(1 Kings 8:56)

God gives me the desires of my heart and has not withheld the requests of my lips.
(Psalm 21:2)

My faith rests on God’s power not men’s wisdom.
(1 Corinthians 2:4-5)

Praise the Lord! Praise His holy name! He forgives all my iniquities and heals all my diseases. He redeems my life from the pit and crowns me with loving-kindness. He satisfies all my needs and desires. My youth is renewed.
(Psalm 103:1-5)

I will still bear fruit in old age. I will stay fresh and green.
(Psalm 92:14)

I walk in all the way God commanded. I will live and prosper and prolong my days in the land I possess.
(Deuteronomy 5:33)

God sends His angel ahead of me to guard me in my way and to lead me to the place that He has prepared for me. I pay close attention to him and obey him. I don’t go against him because he won’t put up with any rebellion because he’s acting on God’s authority. I obey him and do everything he tells me. God is an enemy to my enemies and fights against those who fight against me.
(Exodus 23:20-22)