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The Christmas Experience, Pt 2

Experience God's Favor

If you would like to extend this over a week, you can easily do one of the points each day of your devotion.  Here is a printable version.
Read:

Luke 1:26-38 - In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendent of David.  The virgin's name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored!  The Lord is with you." 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.  The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 22 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." 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. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God." 38 "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered.  "May it be to me as you have said."  Then the angel left her.

Question:  Did anything stand out to you when you read those passages?   ____________________
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*   Take a few minutes and meditate on how Mary might have felt.

Question:  Verse 30 says:  God found favor with her.  What do you think that means?  __________
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*  Why did Mary say "Yes," to God's plan for her life?  It was going to be tough.  It was going to be misunderstood.  It was going to be a challenge.  Why did Mary say "Yes," in spite of her fears, in spite of her doubts, in spite of her questions?

* Fortunately, Mary wrote a song.  In that song she tells us her five reasons for accepting God's plan for her life.

Why God's Plan for Me is Best:

Mary's Song:  Luke 1:46-55.

1.  Because God made me for His purpose.

*  You are God's idea.  You are God's invention.  You are God's innovation.  You are God's product.  You didn't create yourself. You were created by God.  You are God's creation.

Question:  How do these statements make you look at your life?  _______________________________
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Question:  When it comes to life planning, even a lot of Christians act like atheists.  They accept God for their salvation, but then they think, "I can just go out and plan my life any way I want to."  Why do you think believers think that way?  _________________________________________________
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Luke 1:46 - And Mary said:  "My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior...

Psalm 100:3 - Know that the Lord is God.  It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Question:  If that is true, are there any adjustments that you need to make in your life's plans?  
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2.  Because no one cares for me more.  

Psalm 115:12 - The Lord remembers us and will bless us....

Question:  If you knew God thinks about you all the time, how would that change how you live?
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1 Peter 5:7 - Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Question:  How would 1 Peter 5:7 change your prayer life?  _____________________________________
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Luke 1:48 - ... for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.


*  "Mindful" means:  He's alert.  He's attentive.  He's aware.. He's focused.  He's paying attention.  When nobody else is paying attention to you, God's paying attention to you.  He notices everything.  

Question:  How would that change your perspective of life?  ____________________________________
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3.  Because it is the key to blessings.  

Luke 1:48-50 - ... for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.  From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me--holy is his name. 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.

*  If you ignore God's plan for your life and you go about with your plan, good luck because you're on your own.  God owes you nothing.  If you say, "Forget God, I'm going to go with my plan for my life," God owes you nothing.  God only blesses us when we do what we were created to do.

Question:  Read verse 50.  Who does God bless?  _______________________________________________
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Question:  Could Mary have said "No" to God's plan for her?  ____________  ...  Yes.

*  God doesn't ever force His plan on us.  He gives us a choice because He wants us to follow Him because we love Him, not because we're forced to love Him.  

Question:  Spend some time in prayer asking God to soften your heart and be more obedient to Him.  

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 - This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.  Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.  For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

4.  Because it is better than my plans.

Question:  can you think of a time when you had a plan that was not part of God's will?  How did it turn out?  ___________________________________________________________________________________
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1 Peter 5:5 - All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may life you up in due time.

 Question:  Look up the word "humble."  What is the definition?  ________________________________
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Question:  What does it look like for you to live a humble life for the Lord?  _____________________
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Luke 1:51-53 - He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
 

Question:  Remember Mary is somewhere between 13 and 15 years old.  Could you write something so powerful?  _________________________________________________________________________

5.  Because God keeps His promises.

Luke 1:54-55 - He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.

"I'm going to bless your family because through your line one day I'm going to send the Savior of the world.  Through your family line I'm going to send the promised Messiah who will save everybody from their sin."  That was a promise made by God four thousand plus years ago to Abraham.  And Mary knew the story had been promised thousands of years ago and she's saying, "He keeps his promise!"  In fact, Mary's story began hundreds and hundreds of years before Mary was even born.  
 
Question:  That is a very deep thought to get your mind around.  But what does it tell you about God's will for your life?  ____________________________________________________________________
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Isaiah 7:14 - Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign:  The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.  

*  My prayer is that you have a very blessed Christmas.  I look forward to seeing you soon!






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