September 18, 2021: SOAP #4307:  Ezekiel 45-46; Luke 1

SCRIPTURE:  Luke(NIV) 1:31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus….
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

OBSERVATION:  It was not so much what Mary was to do, it was what was going to happen to her.  It was what God was going to do through her.  There was no way Mary could accomplish what God desired. But God was not depending on Mary’s ability.  He already had a plan!   The plan of God depended as much on the Holy Spirit as it did on Jesus! 

APPLICATION:  I am finding it more and more common for God to give assignments that are beyond my ability to accomplish.  But they are not too big for God to accomplish through me.  God is not depending on me to fulfill His will; He is depending on me to be the avenue through which HE can work. 

God gives me an assignment and like Mary, I may ask, “How can this be?”  And like God told Mary, “The Holy Spirit will empower you.”  Everyone will recognize that what happened was far beyond my ability and they will give glory to God!

PRAYER: Holy Spirit, I am depending on you as I write these SOAPs.  Use them for your glory.  Encourage each reader to accept each assignment you give them as a challenge for their faith.  Then empower them to its accomplishment.  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!