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I'm studying the book of Luke over the next month and am going to be posting all the things God reveals to me on here. Doing this so I can bless you all as I do not want to keep what God tells me to myself as that is selfish. If you do not agree with what I have written, we can discuss it, as it could just be for me anyway 
. Just to let you know, I'm not the biggest theologian in the world and I don't really back up what I say with other scripture. I'm just writing down notes that I feel God is telling me personally. The way I like to study is read the scripture, observe what it is telling me personally and how to apply it to my life. It is taken from the S.O.A.P bible study. P stands for prayer but i like to do that out loud and not type it as it seems more personal. Just want to bless you if I can and give you another insight into the book of Luke God bless and hope that you enjoy reading
Scripture - Luke 1:18-20 "And Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."And the angel answered him, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time."
Observation - When Zachariah first saw the angle, he was fearful, as Gabriel came to him straight from Gods presence only seconds before. But the angle told him not to fear . As soon as Zachariah heard what the Gabriel said, he doubted what had been said. The message was a direct one from God. So in saying "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years", he was calling God, who is truth, a liar as he was looking at the situation through human eyes and not eyes in the spirit.
It was a valid question to ask as he WAS old and his wife WAS advancing in age. But God can use any one in any situation. His punishment was not being able to talk until after all John was born. The reason he was punished like this was because he said "How shall I know this". Him not being able to speak was a way of him knowing it!! He used words like the devil always uses, "How do I know you are God. Go on, prove to me that you are who you say you are".
If he had seen it through faith and believed, he would have been able to rejoice earlier and could have also told the others what he had encountered to empower and strengthen their faith. In his doubt, his only got to tell them the name of the child was indeed John. As soon as John was circumcised and was named, Zachariah was restored as he spoke a prophecy in chapters 68 to 79. We will never know what blessings he could have had if he believed as Mary had. We can think about that in our own lives too. Yes we are still blessed even after we initially doubted , but what blessings could we have had if we believed right away and His did not have to prove to us who He is all the time?
Application - This is, as with everyone, a biggy for me. I doubt sometimes when or even if God says something to me. It is ok to ask questions, as it says in the bible to look everything said to you in the Word. But it was the way in which he asked that was the problem, like he was mocking, just as Abraham did when Sarah did not get pregnant, as if saying ''Yeah right, whatever''. The only way I can improve in knowing something is from God and not doubting is by spending more time in His presence and reading and meditating the Word. This is because it says in the bible, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." John 10:27.
P.S. Excuse the grammar, I'm not the best writer
. Just to let you know, I'm not the biggest theologian in the world and I don't really back up what I say with other scripture. I'm just writing down notes that I feel God is telling me personally. The way I like to study is read the scripture, observe what it is telling me personally and how to apply it to my life. It is taken from the S.O.A.P bible study. P stands for prayer but i like to do that out loud and not type it as it seems more personal. Just want to bless you if I can and give you another insight into the book of Luke God bless and hope that you enjoy reading Scripture - Luke 1:18-20 "And Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."And the angel answered him, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time."
Observation - When Zachariah first saw the angle, he was fearful, as Gabriel came to him straight from Gods presence only seconds before. But the angle told him not to fear . As soon as Zachariah heard what the Gabriel said, he doubted what had been said. The message was a direct one from God. So in saying "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years", he was calling God, who is truth, a liar as he was looking at the situation through human eyes and not eyes in the spirit.
It was a valid question to ask as he WAS old and his wife WAS advancing in age. But God can use any one in any situation. His punishment was not being able to talk until after all John was born. The reason he was punished like this was because he said "How shall I know this". Him not being able to speak was a way of him knowing it!! He used words like the devil always uses, "How do I know you are God. Go on, prove to me that you are who you say you are".
If he had seen it through faith and believed, he would have been able to rejoice earlier and could have also told the others what he had encountered to empower and strengthen their faith. In his doubt, his only got to tell them the name of the child was indeed John. As soon as John was circumcised and was named, Zachariah was restored as he spoke a prophecy in chapters 68 to 79. We will never know what blessings he could have had if he believed as Mary had. We can think about that in our own lives too. Yes we are still blessed even after we initially doubted , but what blessings could we have had if we believed right away and His did not have to prove to us who He is all the time?
Application - This is, as with everyone, a biggy for me. I doubt sometimes when or even if God says something to me. It is ok to ask questions, as it says in the bible to look everything said to you in the Word. But it was the way in which he asked that was the problem, like he was mocking, just as Abraham did when Sarah did not get pregnant, as if saying ''Yeah right, whatever''. The only way I can improve in knowing something is from God and not doubting is by spending more time in His presence and reading and meditating the Word. This is because it says in the bible, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." John 10:27.
P.S. Excuse the grammar, I'm not the best writer
