Luke 1:26-38 The archangel Gabriel visits the Virgin Mary in the city of Nazareth-
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!"
29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His Name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His Kingdom there will be no end."
34 Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?"
35 And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One Who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible."
38 Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.
NKJV
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!"
29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His Name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His Kingdom there will be no end."
34 Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?"
35 And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One Who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible."
38 Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.
NKJV
[Editor's Commentary: What a magnificent story about the Archangel Gabriel who was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth. I have been to Nazareth when Melvine and I were there several years ago with Greta Campbell, Patsy Welch, Pastors Phillip and Inez Hart. There were sixteen wonderful people in our group. I felt I was on hallowed ground in Nazareth. I think that there have not been many people to be visited by Archangel Gabriel. I believe it would be awesome and frightening.
I believe in angels and that we have guardian angels. When I was six years old, my sister, Mary Evelyn, and I traveled with our parents from our home in Birmingham, Alabama to Franklin Springs to attend the General Conference there. I liked to explore things, and I walked over the hills of Franklin Springs and got lost. There was a large pond that separated me from where I thought I needed to be on a path back to the large building with the auditorium for the conference. I thought I would walk through the pond, but soon discovered that I was in water over my head and I couldn't swim. I was drowning.
All of a sudden, a man appeared and took me by the hand and pulled me up and out of the pond. To my amazement my clothes, shoes and socks were completely dry after getting out of the water. This man took me up the hill to the auditorium where the General Conference was in session. I don't remember what the man said to me, but I knew he had spared my life and I felt safe with him. As quick as a blink of the eye this man was gone and I have come to my destination.
As I have reflected on this unusual experience, I have come to believe it was an angel sent from God to rescue me, and spare my life. As the angel was on a mission from heaven, I believe I am on a mission to share the good news of the Gospel with everyone I can.
The Virgin Mary asked questions for clarification about how this birth would happen since she had never been with a man. Unlike Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist who did not believe the word of the angel, she responded with faith and trust in God to perform in her God's Will for Jesus the Son of the Highest, the Son of God to be formed in her womb by the Holy Spirit. Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. His mission was accomplished.
Mary confessed that she was the maidservant of the Lord. She received the angel's word which was from the throne room of heaven. She yielded her will, mind, soul, spirit and body to God by saying, "Let it be according to your word."
May God enable us to respond like Mary that God's Word will be fulfilled in our lives. It is my desire to do the will of God. I want Jesus to be supreme in my life. I trust this is true of you my readers.
The message is: "For with God nothing will be impossible."
An addendum to this story. I learned many years later that Lonnie Rex was also there. Lonnie is a little over 4 years older than me. His parents, the Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Robert L. Rex drove them there from Oklahoma. He has stories to tell about his experience. He is a masterful story teller.
I remember that on the way we had to cross a river on a ferry that took our car and us across. That was a new
experience for me. I was amazed.]
I believe in angels and that we have guardian angels. When I was six years old, my sister, Mary Evelyn, and I traveled with our parents from our home in Birmingham, Alabama to Franklin Springs to attend the General Conference there. I liked to explore things, and I walked over the hills of Franklin Springs and got lost. There was a large pond that separated me from where I thought I needed to be on a path back to the large building with the auditorium for the conference. I thought I would walk through the pond, but soon discovered that I was in water over my head and I couldn't swim. I was drowning.
All of a sudden, a man appeared and took me by the hand and pulled me up and out of the pond. To my amazement my clothes, shoes and socks were completely dry after getting out of the water. This man took me up the hill to the auditorium where the General Conference was in session. I don't remember what the man said to me, but I knew he had spared my life and I felt safe with him. As quick as a blink of the eye this man was gone and I have come to my destination.
As I have reflected on this unusual experience, I have come to believe it was an angel sent from God to rescue me, and spare my life. As the angel was on a mission from heaven, I believe I am on a mission to share the good news of the Gospel with everyone I can.
The Virgin Mary asked questions for clarification about how this birth would happen since she had never been with a man. Unlike Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist who did not believe the word of the angel, she responded with faith and trust in God to perform in her God's Will for Jesus the Son of the Highest, the Son of God to be formed in her womb by the Holy Spirit. Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. His mission was accomplished.
Mary confessed that she was the maidservant of the Lord. She received the angel's word which was from the throne room of heaven. She yielded her will, mind, soul, spirit and body to God by saying, "Let it be according to your word."
May God enable us to respond like Mary that God's Word will be fulfilled in our lives. It is my desire to do the will of God. I want Jesus to be supreme in my life. I trust this is true of you my readers.
The message is: "For with God nothing will be impossible."
An addendum to this story. I learned many years later that Lonnie Rex was also there. Lonnie is a little over 4 years older than me. His parents, the Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Robert L. Rex drove them there from Oklahoma. He has stories to tell about his experience. He is a masterful story teller.
I remember that on the way we had to cross a river on a ferry that took our car and us across. That was a new
experience for me. I was amazed.]