July 28
An Angel Visits Zechariah Luke 1:5-25
Zechariah was a priest from Judea. His wife was Elizabeth. They were both growing old, and the Lord had not given them any children. One day Zechariah was in the temple when he heard a voice say, “Don’t be afraid!” Zechariah looked up and saw an angel standing by the altar. “Your wife is going to have a son. He will be a special person. God is going to use his life to help people see the truth. Your son will also make parents more loving toward their children. Name him John. He will
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get the Lord's people ready for his promised arrival.” Zechariah did not know what to think. “How can this be true? My wife and I are much too old to have any children,” he said to the angel. “I am the angel Gabriel, and I speak the truth. I know you don’t believe me. But just wait, and you’ll see the wonderful blessing God has in store for you.” Zechariah didn’t know what to think. He went home to his wife Elizabeth and told her about the angel. Elizabeth had no doubt that God would keep His promise. “The Lord has done this for me,” she said to herself. “I will finally get to be a mother.”
July 29
An Angel Visits Mary Luke 1:26-38
Then the angel Gabriel went to the town of Nazareth. He had a message for a young virgin named Mary. “Greetings,” he told her. “You are truly blessed!” But Mary was alarmed. She didn’t know what the angel was talking about. “Don’t be afraid. The Lord is with you,” the angel said. “He has sent me to tell you that you will give birth to a son. He will be called
the Son of God. And God will make him a king, just like his ancestor David. But his kingdom will never end.” “How can I have a child?” Mary asked him. “I’m not married.” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will give come over you to give you your child. That’s why your child will be called holy and the Son of God. Know also that your relative Elizabeth is going to have a child also. She thought she was too old, but nothing is impossible for God!” “I am God’s servant,” Mary said. “I will do whatever he wants.” Then the angel Gabriel left her.
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