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All Things Are Possible
Andrea Lende • September 14, 2020
Luke 1:37
All Things are Possible
You can also listen to the meditation and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/All-Things-Are-Possible-ejj7js
Daily Word:
Luke 1:37
“For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment.”
The angel Gabriel spoke these words to Mary after he told her that she would be the mother of the Son of God.
Ah, to be visited by the angel Gabriel.
Gabriel who stands in the presence of the Lord.
Imagine all he has seen and experienced.
Imagine being in the Lord’s presence and watching His power and might, His mercy and grace, and His love conquering all.
Gabriel visited Zachariah and told him that he would soon have a son.
Zachariah questioned him because he and Elizabeth were getting old in age.
To make sure that Zachariah positively knew that this plan came straight from the Lord, he was made unable to speak until the baby, John, was born.
Just months after his visit to Zachariah, the angel Gabriel was sent to Mary.
What an amazing message he had for her.
She would be the mother of God’s Son.
She would be remembered for all generations to come for birthing the Messiah.
How exciting!
Way back then, and for many years prior, the Israelites waited for the Messiah.
Finally, the angel Gabriel was able to deliver the Good News!
The world changed that day.
Even the way we would number our years forever would change with Christ’s birth.
The angel Gabriel was involved in it all.
And he said to Mary, “For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment.”
My heart was encouraged as I read about the quiet and yet miraculous messages Gabriel brought.
I was encouraged by Gabriel’s convictions about the Lord.
God’s is powerful and mighty!
He is wonderful.
He is God of the universe and God of our hearts.
Today I choose to believe that God is in control of our world and will deliver us from evil and keep us safe.
May you find that the Lord is glorious and mighty and that He is caring for you in all ways.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for reminding me of Your might, Your power, and Your greatness. Thank You for reminding me that there is nothing that You cannot do. Thank You for the power in Your Word. Thank You for sending Your Son to us in such a quiet and humble way. Thank You for lifting up the poor and downtrodden as You sent Your Son to this earth. Your ways are too wonderful for me to know. I pray for Wisdom, Lord, as much as You will give me. I pray that You will show me Your secret ways so that I may praise You more and more. Help me see You work, Lord, so that my faith increases beyond measure. Help me believe in You more and more every day. May my spirit reach You, Lord. May I sit in Your presence as You heal my heart, soul, and body. Thank You for healing me in every way, Lord. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I AM the Great I AM, and I take pleasure in teaching you about Me.
Response: Thank You, most gracious and mighty Lord.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.