John the b

MAL Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me.
JN There was a man #sent from God, whose name was #John. This man came for a #witness, to bear witness of the Light, #that all through him might believe. #He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
MK As #it is written #in the Prophets:

“Behold, I send #My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You.
The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the LORD;
Make His paths straight.’”

LK There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named #Zacharias, of #the division of Abijah. His wife was of the #daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was #barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, #his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and #fear fell upon him.

This is a proof of the truth that God is soverin and He alone controls all there is.  Even the superstorm in the Philippines wow 10,000 dead.  SO I want to taalk a bit on that.  Is death a bad thing?  I do not think it is for the people that know the Lord and if you do very good day.  But if you do not know Jesus you death is very hard as you do not go into heaven and go to hell.  10000 people died in a storm.  How bout you and you death.  God is going to take you one day.  Have you lied?  Have you stole anything?  Jesus said that is you hate anyone you kill?  Do you hate anyone? 

So If you did any of the thing you broke the laws of God and when you die you go to court and how is you plea?  If God is just and right and good your going to plead guilty and have to pay for your lies and hate in hell forever?  If that conserns you then maybe you need to look to Jesus who died for you and will pay your fine.



But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for #your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name #John. And you will have #joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink #neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, #even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him #in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to #turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Do not be afraid?  I think I would be if a angel showed up and began to chat with me.  How could you not be.  And John is going to be called one of the greatest man to live be Jesus who is God.  Wow.  He is going to prepare the way for the Lord of all to be on earth.  He is not to take strong drink.  If you want to be controlled by the Lord and not wine that is a good thing.  I do not think it is a wrong thing for a christian to drink but if you get drunk you cross the line.  Drunks are on the list that do not go to heaven andif this is a habit friend I ask you to make sure you are saved.  But for me I am not going to drink because I do not want to ever be drunk and I want my life to be done for the Lord.

And Zacharias said to the angel, “#How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.” And the angel answered and said to him, “I am #Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”

I want to look at the forerunner of Jesus John but the book I am doing this gives a lot of stuff that I do not think I am going to hit on.  I may.  I want you to think of times you pray and the times you ask and you get a surprize and God gives you what you ask for.  In this part Johns dad asks for a kid and when the angel said that God is going to do it He is not expecting it.  Do we pray thinking the Lord is going to do as we ask.  And sometimes He gives what we thought we wanted when we really do not need it.  When the Lord gives do we thank him?  Or do we doubt.

And the people waited for Zacharias, and #marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.
 So it was, as soon as the #days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she #hid herself five months, saying, “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”





MAL Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me.
JN There was a man #sent from God, whose name was #John. This man came for a #witness, to bear witness of the Light, #that all through him might believe. #He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
MK As #it is written #in the Prophets: