named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division

of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of

Aaron. Both were upright in the sight of God’ observing

all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly.

But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and

they were both well along in years.

Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving

as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom

of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled

worshipers were praying outside.

Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side

of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and

was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid,

Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear

you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and

delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be

great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented

drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many

of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he

will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the

hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom

of the righteous- to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man

and my wife is well along in years.”

The angel answered, I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and

have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now

you will be silent and not be able to speak until the day this happens,

because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their

proper time.

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why

he stayed so long in the temple. When he came out, he could not speak

to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept

making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

When his time of service was completed, he returned home. After this

his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained

in seclusion. “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days

He has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.

(Luke 1.5-25).

HALLELUJAH! THANK YOU LORD JESUS FOREVERMORE!

Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by

prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your

requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends

all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in

Christ Jesus.

(Philippians 4.4-7).

HALLELUJAH! THANK YOU LORD JESUS FOREVERMORE!

fear God, and I will declare what He has done for me!

I cried aloud to Him. He was extolled and high praise was

under my tongue.

If I regard iniquity in my heart,  the Lord will not hear me.

But certainly God has heard me. He has given heed to the

voice of my prayer.

Blessed be God, Who has not rejected my prayer nor removed

His mercy and loving-kindness from being with me.

(Psalm 66. 16-20).

HALLELUJAH! THANK YOU LORD JESUS FOREVERMORE!

of our Lord Jesus Christ,

From Whom the whole family in heaven and

earth is named,

That He would grant you, according to the

riches of His glory,

to be strengthened with might through His Spirit

in the inner man,

That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;

that you, being rooted and grounded in love.

May be able to comprehend with all the saints

what is the width

and length and depth and height-

To know the love of Christ which passes knowledge;

that you

may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to Him Who is able to do exceedingly abundantly

above all that we ask or think, according to the power

that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by

Christ Jesus to all generations,

forever and ever. AMEN!”

(Ephesians 3.14-21).

comes to our help and

bears up in our weakness,

for we do not know what

prayer to offer nor how to

offer it worthily as we ought,

but the Spirit Himself goes to

meet our supplication and pleads

in our behalf with yearnings

beyond words too deep to express.

And He Who searches the hearts of

men knows what is in the mind of the

Holy Spirit , because the Spirit interceeds

and pleads in behalf of the saints

according to and in harmony with

God’s will.

( Romans 8.26 and 27).

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution,

or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

As it is written: ” For Your sake we are killed

all day long; we are accounted as sheep for

the slaughter.”

Yet in all these things we are more than

conquerors through Him who loved us.

For I am persuaded that neither death

nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor

powers, nor things present nor things to come,

Nor height nor depth, nor any other created

thing, shall be able to separate us from the love

of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

( Romans 8.35-39).

PRAYER AND MEDITATION POINTS

Pray and meditate on the following:

1) The love of God is found fully expressed

and experienced in Christ Jesus or Lord.

2) Nothing can ever separate us from His love.

Who shall bring any charge against

God’s elect, when it is God Who puts

us in right relation to Himself ?

Who shall come forward and accuse

or impeach those whom God has chosen?

Will God, Who acquits us?

( Romans 8.33).

MEDITATION AND PRAYER POINTS

Meditate and pray about the following:

1) The immense peace that comes from

knowing that you are loved and accepted

by God Himself.

2) The fact that God, Who is rich in mercy,

because of His great love with which He

loved us,

Even when we were dead in trespasses,

made us alive together with Christ ( by

grace you have been saved),

And raised us up together, and made us

sit together in the heavenly places in

Christ Jesus. ( Ephesians 2.4-6).