Daily Bible Study
Topic: Salvation, Faith/Trust
Facts and faith are often thought of as contradictory; the two just don't go together. But the Bible teaches that, like the two wings of an airplane, both are necessary in our relationship with God.
What Does God Say?
"Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God's eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord's commandments and regulations. They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.
"One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying.
"While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. But the angel said, 'Don't be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.'
"Zechariah said to the angel, 'How can I be sure this will happen? I'm an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.'
"Then the angel said, 'I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! But now, since you didn't believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time'" (Luke 1:6-20, NLT).
- Why did Zechariah react the way he did to the message of the angel?
- Were you surprised by the angel's response to Zechariah's lack of faith?
- What example in Scripture should Zechariah have turned to (hint: it's in Genesis)?
My Thoughts
Are we related to Zechariah? Not by birth, but often by lack of faith? See how your faith accepts these facts.
"Jesus told her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.'"(John 11:25, NLT).
"[Jesus said,] 'Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me." (John 14:10)
And here is a fact: if you will receive Jesus by faith, God will forgive your sins and give you a home with Him in heaven for all eternity. The apostle Paul tells us in Romans:
"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved." (Romans 10:9-10, NLT).
My Part
God could have done whatever He wanted to bring the message of salvation through Christ to this world. He could have written it across the skies so you and I could look up at the heavens and read it. He could have inscribed it on the palm of your hand so every time you uncurled your fingers, there you would see the message that God loves you and has provided a Redeemer for you.
Instead, God gave us His Word, the Bible. And He gave us His Holy Spirit to apply that Word to our hearts. And He gave us the gift of faith (Romans 12:3) that we might respond.
Take time today to thank God for all these wonderful gifts.
What Does God Say?
My Thoughts
My Part
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