Key Thought

In the first two chapters of Luke, God announces great news to people through angels. God does great things that excite and thrill his faithful ones. God's people are caught up in once in a lifetime experiences. Yet at the end of these experiences, they have to return home and live out their everyday lives. "Mountain top experiences" are not the norm. They are the powerful reminders of God's love and grace that move constantly behind the scenes of our everyday lives. When heaven's grace and glory break through, God's people are blessed with an extraordinary gift. That gift is given so that they can return to their everyday lives with faith, power, and confidence to bless those around them. Enjoy those mountain top experiences of faith, but remember to return home and share the blessings of that faith with those around you!

Today's Prayer

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Father in heaven, thank you for the mountain top moments in my life when you felt so close and my faith was so vibrant. Help me to use the power of those moments to come back home and live with passionate faith. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

During the time when Herod ruled Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah. Zechariah belonged to Abijah’s group. Zechariah’s wife came from the family of Aaron. Her name was Elizabeth. Zechariah and Elizabeth were truly good people before God. They did everything the Lord (God) commanded and told people to do. They were without fault. But Zechariah and Elizabeth had no children. Elizabeth could not have a baby; and both of them were very old. Zechariah was serving as a priest before God for his group. It was his group’s time to serve. The priests always chose one priest to offer the incense. Zechariah was chosen to do this. So Zechariah went into the temple of the Lord (God) to offer the incense. There were many, many people outside. They were praying at the time the incense was offered. Then, on the right side of the incense table, an angel of the Lord (God) came and stood before Zechariah. When he saw the angel, Zechariah was upset and very afraid. But the angel said to him, “Zechariah, don’t be afraid. Your prayer has been heard by God. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give birth to a baby boy. You must name him John. You will be very, very happy. Many people will be happy because of his birth. John will be a great man for the Lord (God). He will never drink wine or liquor. Even at the time when John is being born, he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. John will help many Jews return to the Lord their God. John himself will go first before the Lord. John will be powerful like Elijah. He will have the same spirit Elijah had. He will make peace between fathers and their children. Many people are not obeying God. John will bring those people back to the right way that people should think. He will make people ready for the coming of the Lord.” Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I know that what you say is true? I am an old man, and my wife is also old.” The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I always stand ready before God. God sent me to talk to you and to tell you this good news. Now, listen! You will not be able to talk until the day when these things happen. You will lose your speech. Why? Because you did not believe what I told you. But these things will really happen.” Outside, the people were still waiting for Zechariah. They were surprised that he was staying so long in the temple. Then Zechariah came outside, but he could not speak to them. So the people knew that Zechariah had seen a vision F9 inside the temple. Zechariah could not speak. He could only make signs to the people. When Zechariah’s time of service was finished, he went home. Later, Zechariah’s wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant. So she did not go out of her house for five months. Elizabeth said, “Look what the Lord (God) has done for me! He decided to help me have a baby. Now people will stop thinking there is something wrong with me.”

— Luke Luke 1:5-25 (ERV)

Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.