It’s Amazing What God Can Reveal in His Word
Day 9 of Advent Bible study and a memory
Hi friends,
I hope you find this scripture study inspiring. Please feel free to email me or comment if you need prayer.
Today’s Scripture is a long passage.
The Birth of Jesus Foretold
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel[c] forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”
The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. For the word of God will never fail.”
Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her. (Luke 1:26–38, NLT)
While studying this passage, I discovered some fascinating meanings behind biblical names:
Nazareth means “Branch,” which is significant because Jesus is often referred to as the “Branch of the Lord.”
Galilee means “revealed,” and it’s notable that God chose to reveal Himself in Galilee.
We see the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary. Mary’s initial reaction is one of confusion and disturbance. When she hears the angel’s message, she asks an innocent question: “How can this happen?” After receiving the explanation, she humbly submits to God’s plan, declaring, “I am the Lord’s servant.”
The study journal Love Comes Near asked me to highlight the promises made about the Messiah in this passage:
A Son will be born.
He will be named Jesus, the Son of the Most High.
He will inherit the throne of King David.
He will reign over Israel forever.
His kingdom will never end.
The word of God will never fail
I love exploring different Bible translations to uncover the richness of Scripture. Luke 1:37 is one of those verses where various translations bring out beautiful expressions of God’s truth:
The NLT and NIV affirm, “For the word of God will never fail.” This highlights the steadfastness and reliability of God’s promises.
The ESV declares, “For nothing will be impossible with God.” Here, the emphasis is on God’s limitless power to accomplish His will.
The TPT expands the thought beautifully: “Not one promise from God is empty of power. Nothing is impossible with God!” This reminds us of the dynamic, life-giving force behind every word God speaks.
We were also given Hebrews 10:24–25 to study.
Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. (NLT)
We were asked to recall a time when God used a friend to strengthen our faith. The following is my story.
How a refugee family strengthened my faith
The story begins around 1999–2000, when a friend from church connected with a group of refugees from Zimbabwe staying at a local hotel. She was tirelessly searching for apartments, furniture, and sponsors to help them settle. I offered to assist, and one day, we set off to look at potential apartments together.
As we turned a corner, she abruptly pulled over in front of an apartment building with a clear sign that read, “No apartment available.” I was puzzled and asked, “Why are we stopping here?”
She replied confidently, “The Holy Spirit told me to stop.”
There wasn’t any parking, so she drove into the building’s lot, while I left my van on the street and ran to the door. Feeling a little foolish, I rang the buzzer and asked, “Do you happen to have an apartment for rent?” To my surprise, a voice answered, “Indeed, we do. Would you like to see it?”
I hurried back to her car, and together, we — along with the refugee mother and her baby — went into the building. As it turned out, the building was owned by the Salvation Army, and while the apartment wasn’t officially listed yet, they had plans to renovate and add a new fridge and stove.
Everything fell into place. The renovations were completed, the apartment was rented, and through the generosity of friends and their networks, it was fully furnished.
This experience strengthened my faith profoundly. It reminded me that when we trust God’s leading — even when it doesn’t seem to make sense — He opens doors we didn’t even know were there. The Holy Spirit’s nudge, paired with obedience, turned an ordinary day into a testimony of God’s provision and faithfulness.
Please tell me how God used a friend of yours to strengthen your faith.
May I pray for you and me?
Heavenly Father, circumstances, friends, and divine appointments can strengthen our faith. Help us to remember these times and share with others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
As we head into the week before Christmas, I pray that you can ignore the stress, focus on Jesus and your family and friends. Remember that Christmas is about Joy, Peace, Hope and Love. It’s not about getting. It’s about giving.
Many blessings,
Jan