WEBVTT 1 00:00:05.160 --> 00:00:09.000 Welcome Just hand Away tagalog sermon podcast Your daily does 2 00:00:09.039 --> 00:00:13.439 I'm inspiring heartfelt tagalog sermons from different pastors and speakers 3 00:00:13.480 --> 00:00:16.480 all over the Philippines. We hope that this podcast finds 4 00:00:16.480 --> 00:00:22.079 you in good shape. And now here's your message. 5 00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:27.199 You're listening to a message from Victory. Learn what it 6 00:00:27.280 --> 00:00:36.399 means to have faith. In week one of our Christmas series, Hark, we. 7 00:00:36.520 --> 00:00:41.719 Are starting our new series today and it's about Christmas. Okay, 8 00:00:41.799 --> 00:00:46.840 it's about Christmas. Have you prepared for Christmas preparation? I 9 00:00:46.840 --> 00:00:48.880 don't know. If you follow me in my social media 10 00:00:49.039 --> 00:00:51.640 or you've been to church for quite some time, you 11 00:00:51.679 --> 00:00:55.960 would have known. For our family, Christmas is actually a career. Okay. 12 00:00:56.200 --> 00:00:59.520 We make a career out of Christmas, not just in 13 00:00:59.600 --> 00:01:03.880 our house sold but in the entire Oi family. It's 14 00:01:03.880 --> 00:01:08.079 something that we look forward to around May or June. 15 00:01:08.599 --> 00:01:13.719 My mom would start asking already, okay, Larry Santaios a Christmas, 16 00:01:14.040 --> 00:01:17.200 Larry's Santaios a new Year, So we need to have 17 00:01:17.239 --> 00:01:20.480 an answer already, we prepare for it. But how do 18 00:01:20.599 --> 00:01:24.920 you really prepare for Christmas? Especially when you're asking Lord 19 00:01:25.000 --> 00:01:28.599 kilan byon thirteen month pay? How can I prepare for Christmas. 20 00:01:29.840 --> 00:01:34.040 Is Christmas hinge on your thirteen month pay? Or is 21 00:01:34.120 --> 00:01:39.680 Christmas hinge on money period? Or is Christmas hinge on 22 00:01:40.280 --> 00:01:44.239 the things we need to buy? The red shirt, the 23 00:01:44.280 --> 00:01:48.040 new red shirt, the new green shirt, the new white 24 00:01:48.079 --> 00:01:51.400 green red shirt, the new Christmas tree? Is it hinge 25 00:01:51.879 --> 00:01:58.359 on the decorations inside our home? Christmas? We prepare Christmas, 26 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:02.599 prepare Christmas every day of our life. We should be 27 00:02:02.599 --> 00:02:05.599 preparing Christmas every day of our life. It's not just 28 00:02:05.640 --> 00:02:08.319 in a season. It's not just in a on a day. 29 00:02:08.719 --> 00:02:11.840 It's not hinge on on on a time. It's not 30 00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:14.120 hinge in that, it's not just on the on December. 31 00:02:14.759 --> 00:02:17.719 That's what the world wants to do. That's how the 32 00:02:17.759 --> 00:02:20.080 world does it. That's why they have a Christmas count 33 00:02:20.120 --> 00:02:24.560 on Christmas eal, pre Christmas sale, Christmas sales, post Christmas 34 00:02:24.560 --> 00:02:28.000 el post pre Christmas post sale. But it shouldn't be. 35 00:02:28.479 --> 00:02:31.680 Christmas is on Jesus and Jesus alone. He He is 36 00:02:31.719 --> 00:02:37.800 the true meaning of Christmas, Christmas season. Christmas seasons would 37 00:02:37.800 --> 00:02:41.759 come and go, but Jesus, the reason for the season remains. 38 00:02:43.439 --> 00:02:46.439 He is. He is the true reason why we celebrate Christmas. 39 00:02:46.479 --> 00:02:49.360 He's actually the true reason why why we can come 40 00:02:49.400 --> 00:02:53.759 here every Sunday and and and and celebrate, sing songs, 41 00:02:54.319 --> 00:02:59.360 worship him, come to church, go to our victory groups, 42 00:02:59.400 --> 00:03:03.000 share the God Gospel. He's the only reason. But my 43 00:03:03.120 --> 00:03:06.120 prayer is that all throughout the as we go through 44 00:03:06.159 --> 00:03:09.199 this four weeks, will know that it's not about the gifts. 45 00:03:09.240 --> 00:03:12.599 It's not just about visiting orphanages. Some would say that 46 00:03:12.680 --> 00:03:17.199 Chrissmuss is about sharing. I love how uh Lizette said 47 00:03:17.199 --> 00:03:19.879 a while ago that that she knows now how to 48 00:03:19.919 --> 00:03:23.120 be blessed and to bless others. Some would say that 49 00:03:23.240 --> 00:03:26.000 Christmas is the time to share, share? What is it 50 00:03:26.159 --> 00:03:29.680 just sharing gifts? Is it simply just going to orphanagists? 51 00:03:30.319 --> 00:03:32.719 Is that is Christmas ison the only time that you 52 00:03:32.759 --> 00:03:36.439 can share gifts, share the gospel and be married. It 53 00:03:36.479 --> 00:03:41.159 shouldn't be. We're starting on a series. It's called Heart. Yes, 54 00:03:41.199 --> 00:03:44.800 it sounds German. It has actually a German origin. Okay. 55 00:03:45.319 --> 00:03:48.879 During the time that they would hunt for dogs, hunt 56 00:03:48.919 --> 00:03:52.520 for for wild hounds, heart they would sayt the heart 57 00:03:52.840 --> 00:03:56.680 heart is to listen attentively, to call somebody, to listen, 58 00:03:57.319 --> 00:04:00.319 to hear, or so to obey. If you look, come 59 00:04:01.159 --> 00:04:04.439 in the Old Testament, in the Book of Deuteronomy, you 60 00:04:04.439 --> 00:04:07.759 would hear it to hear so as to obey, to 61 00:04:07.879 --> 00:04:11.520 listen attentively. And we're gonna be sharing this story. We're 62 00:04:11.520 --> 00:04:16.600 gonna sharing stories of four individuals, four different characters, Zechariah 63 00:04:17.519 --> 00:04:23.360 for this week, Mary, Joseph, and the Shepherds, four different individuals, 64 00:04:23.399 --> 00:04:29.160 four different situations in their lives that they're facing. One message, 65 00:04:29.720 --> 00:04:32.839 one message about the birth of Jesus. He's sorry to 66 00:04:32.879 --> 00:04:37.279 dispel the plot of our preaching, but it's about Jesus. 67 00:04:37.399 --> 00:04:41.079 It's about celebrating the true reason for the season. Four 68 00:04:41.120 --> 00:04:47.000 different characters, four different plots. One one message about the 69 00:04:47.040 --> 00:04:51.160 gospel about the birth of Jesus, and one messenger. One 70 00:04:51.160 --> 00:04:56.519 messenger which is the angel Gabriel, the Angel. And we'll 71 00:04:56.519 --> 00:04:59.680 talk about Zacharai today. And I know that we've been 72 00:04:59.720 --> 00:05:03.920 prayed for and uh for some things. Okay, maybe for 73 00:05:04.040 --> 00:05:06.560 the younger people, you've been praying for a new toy, 74 00:05:06.759 --> 00:05:11.279 a new shirt. Okay. I remember, I remember my wife 75 00:05:11.839 --> 00:05:14.759 she said that she looks forward to Christmas because there's 76 00:05:14.800 --> 00:05:19.480 only two two important dates that they can buy toys 77 00:05:19.720 --> 00:05:23.040 and new new clothes. When when she was growing up 78 00:05:23.480 --> 00:05:27.959 and it was only during her birthday or Christmas. And 79 00:05:28.040 --> 00:05:31.319 during Christmas there will be more toys, more food, so 80 00:05:31.360 --> 00:05:34.160 she would look forward to it. But we're gonna look 81 00:05:34.160 --> 00:05:37.639 at Zechariah in his life. He has been serving the 82 00:05:37.720 --> 00:05:43.319 Lord faithfully as a priest, but he's waiting for an 83 00:05:43.360 --> 00:05:47.199 answered prayer. Something that that feeling up in a kitan 84 00:05:47.480 --> 00:05:50.560 the Lord, something that they feel like the Lord with 85 00:05:50.839 --> 00:05:53.639 help from them. Let me ask you this questions. Have 86 00:05:53.759 --> 00:05:57.959 you ever been believing God for something and your timeline 87 00:05:58.120 --> 00:06:02.000 is always Christmas or the end of the year. Have 88 00:06:02.079 --> 00:06:05.160 you been believing God for something that is up until 89 00:06:05.160 --> 00:06:09.279 now un answered. Have you been praying for someone? Maybe 90 00:06:09.279 --> 00:06:15.120 it's someone Lord twenty sixteen, the Lord two seventeen. Now, 91 00:06:15.120 --> 00:06:18.519 where is your promise? Maybe it's someone, Maybe it's a promotion, 92 00:06:19.399 --> 00:06:23.519 Maybe it's even help, or maybe it's about salvation, salvation 93 00:06:23.600 --> 00:06:27.920 of family members, whatever it is. When our prayers are 94 00:06:27.920 --> 00:06:32.199 not immediately answered, how do we respond and react? How 95 00:06:32.199 --> 00:06:35.480 do we respond? How do we react? Do we learn 96 00:06:35.519 --> 00:06:39.120 from from this four people how they reactored? Or are we? 97 00:06:40.439 --> 00:06:45.560 Are we actually in thatcument? Now? Maybe you are searching 98 00:06:45.920 --> 00:06:48.920 and for an answer. Maybe you're you've been waiting for 99 00:06:48.959 --> 00:06:50.680 an answer. Do you feel like you have to come 100 00:06:50.720 --> 00:06:53.720 to church to know that answer? My prayers that we 101 00:06:53.720 --> 00:06:58.759 would learn from Zicariah's life, Zickariah and Elizabeth's life. Let's pray, 102 00:06:59.079 --> 00:07:02.600 pray before we start. Father, We thank you Lord for indeed, Lord, 103 00:07:02.639 --> 00:07:06.319 you are faithful. Thank you, Lord God, that the true 104 00:07:06.319 --> 00:07:10.480 meaning of Christmas doesn't just fade away. But you've given 105 00:07:10.560 --> 00:07:14.480 us the best gift you've presented us, Lord God, real love, 106 00:07:14.800 --> 00:07:18.399 real unconditional love. So my prayer, Lord God, is that 107 00:07:18.439 --> 00:07:21.360 as we go through this series, Lord, that we would 108 00:07:21.639 --> 00:07:25.800 know more of your plans in our lives. And Lord, 109 00:07:26.040 --> 00:07:29.079 may we also see in our very situations. Right now, 110 00:07:29.120 --> 00:07:32.759 Lord God, how you move in Jesus name. We pray 111 00:07:32.839 --> 00:07:37.120 and everybody say amen. It's found in Luke one, the 112 00:07:37.160 --> 00:07:41.439 story of of of Zicariah and just a just a backdrop. 113 00:07:42.040 --> 00:07:44.680 It's it's a time that this is a perfect timing 114 00:07:44.759 --> 00:07:48.720 because they were actually waiting for a Messiah to be born. Actually, 115 00:07:49.920 --> 00:07:53.759 Zicariah is the father of who John the Baptist, the 116 00:07:53.759 --> 00:07:57.639 one who God has called to prepared the way for Jesus. 117 00:07:57.920 --> 00:08:01.079 So again we're going back again to the prepar How 118 00:08:01.120 --> 00:08:04.639 do we actually prepare. We have to prepare our hearts 119 00:08:04.920 --> 00:08:08.439 my prayers, that our hearts are prepared to accept. That 120 00:08:08.600 --> 00:08:11.240 is the accept but actually to be enlightened and to 121 00:08:11.279 --> 00:08:15.240 see where we stand as lovers of God. Let's read 122 00:08:15.279 --> 00:08:18.120 one day, Zikariah was serving God in the temple for 123 00:08:18.199 --> 00:08:20.720 his order was on duty that week and was the 124 00:08:20.800 --> 00:08:23.879 cousdom of the priest. He was chosen by lot to 125 00:08:24.040 --> 00:08:27.279 enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. While 126 00:08:27.319 --> 00:08:31.759 the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside praying. 127 00:08:32.279 --> 00:08:35.480 While Zikariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the 128 00:08:35.519 --> 00:08:38.679 Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the 129 00:08:38.720 --> 00:08:43.759 altar of the incense altar. Zakariah was shaken and overwhelmed 130 00:08:43.799 --> 00:08:46.960 with fear when he saw him, but the angel said, 131 00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:51.360 don't be afraid, Zikariah. God has heard your prayer. Your 132 00:08:51.399 --> 00:08:54.120 wife Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are 133 00:08:54.159 --> 00:08:57.480 to name him John. This story is found the Book 134 00:08:57.519 --> 00:09:00.960 of Luke. What I love about the look Apostle Look 135 00:09:01.360 --> 00:09:05.720 is that he's very systematic when he writes. When he 136 00:09:05.759 --> 00:09:10.080 writes the Gospel of his look is very systematic, chronological order, 137 00:09:10.240 --> 00:09:14.720 and he doesn't even miss details. The papas when you 138 00:09:14.759 --> 00:09:17.879 read your Bible, but Nasa Luke Mejo Mahaban basahat in 139 00:09:18.720 --> 00:09:23.759 it averages around forty to fifty even sixty versus when 140 00:09:23.759 --> 00:09:26.919 you read Luke because he doesn't he doesn't mince his words. 141 00:09:26.919 --> 00:09:30.879 He makes sure that everything is there. He's very systematic, systematic, 142 00:09:30.919 --> 00:09:35.120 and very chronological. He's a doctor, look is actually a doctor. 143 00:09:35.399 --> 00:09:38.240 Maybe some would say that how could Luke do that 144 00:09:38.919 --> 00:09:41.759 chronicle that accounts he wasn't even there during the time 145 00:09:41.759 --> 00:09:45.080 of Jesus. He wasn't with the original Apostles of Jesus. 146 00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:48.440 He wasn't there, but he had the first hand witness 147 00:09:48.759 --> 00:09:51.320 that tells him the story, the background of his story. 148 00:09:51.519 --> 00:09:53.360 It was during the time of King Herod. You know 149 00:09:53.440 --> 00:09:58.080 King Herod, right, the Mighty King, the Great King Herod, 150 00:09:58.240 --> 00:10:02.360 who's so evil that the he's really scared, not just 151 00:10:02.399 --> 00:10:06.679 scared that people would get his power, but he loves power, okay, 152 00:10:07.159 --> 00:10:11.639 and he's very paranoid. This king, King Herod, would even 153 00:10:12.519 --> 00:10:16.639 cause people to die. Thousands and thousands of people died 154 00:10:16.679 --> 00:10:19.559 because of him, put him to death, not only people 155 00:10:19.600 --> 00:10:22.080 that he doesn't know, but even his wife he put 156 00:10:22.159 --> 00:10:24.759 him to He put her to death. Even his three 157 00:10:24.879 --> 00:10:28.799 children were put to death. Why because he's paranoid that 158 00:10:28.919 --> 00:10:31.759 they would take his place, that his power would be, 159 00:10:32.080 --> 00:10:34.639 would be God, that they would they were after actually 160 00:10:34.639 --> 00:10:38.039 his power. It was a time where this was a 161 00:10:38.080 --> 00:10:42.120 time where we're in Israel. There was around roughly eight 162 00:10:42.200 --> 00:10:46.120 hundred years of people searching for for for answers, five 163 00:10:46.240 --> 00:10:50.559 hundred years since the last angel appeared and the prophet 164 00:10:50.600 --> 00:10:53.320 the word from God. They haven't heard in four hundred years. 165 00:10:53.320 --> 00:10:57.799 They were searching for answer. Zachariah was a priest serving 166 00:10:58.200 --> 00:11:00.519 as a priest. He's absolutely not a Jew, but he's 167 00:11:00.559 --> 00:11:05.200 a gentile, a gentile priest, and he was advancing years. 168 00:11:05.480 --> 00:11:09.799 His wife's name is Elizabeth, and Elizabeth was also advantaged 169 00:11:09.960 --> 00:11:13.120 in years. But the problem is they didn't have a children. 170 00:11:13.600 --> 00:11:17.120 They don't have children. She was found barren. She doesn't 171 00:11:17.120 --> 00:11:20.480 have a child. And because of that during the Old Testament, 172 00:11:20.559 --> 00:11:22.960 during the time of the early times of Israel, if 173 00:11:22.960 --> 00:11:26.320 you don't have a child, or you don't you haven't 174 00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:30.720 bear a children yours. It's something that's shameful. Although he's 175 00:11:30.720 --> 00:11:34.080 in a status that he's a priest, people would see 176 00:11:34.080 --> 00:11:38.039 maybe he's not as holy, maybe his her husband is 177 00:11:38.039 --> 00:11:41.720 not holy. Or why are they not blessed? Something's missing. 178 00:11:42.399 --> 00:11:45.559 It's a shame for them, for especially for Elizabeth not 179 00:11:45.679 --> 00:11:49.360 to be abble to give a child, to bear a child, 180 00:11:50.159 --> 00:11:55.399 both advancing years, both Eli and then and Zechariah. They 181 00:11:55.399 --> 00:11:58.399 have been praying and were believing, believing God for this 182 00:11:58.559 --> 00:12:03.360 prayer request. But again, it's Christmas about bearing a child. 183 00:12:03.840 --> 00:12:08.360 It's Christmas being about having having not just material but 184 00:12:08.440 --> 00:12:12.279 even spiritual blessings. Let me submit you this that God's 185 00:12:12.399 --> 00:12:17.360 infinite ability is not limited with our present reality. It's 186 00:12:17.399 --> 00:12:20.039 a reality where we live, how we're living right now, 187 00:12:20.120 --> 00:12:25.039 it is our reality. But God is not limited. His 188 00:12:25.200 --> 00:12:29.600 ability is not limited. Let us not box God here 189 00:12:29.759 --> 00:12:32.679 and just here. He is a great God. He is 190 00:12:32.720 --> 00:12:36.279 a big God. Let's learn from the life of Zicarias. 191 00:12:36.759 --> 00:12:39.480 Are we in that predicament? Now? Have we thought about this? 192 00:12:39.799 --> 00:12:43.039 Are we limiting God? You know what? Let me pray 193 00:12:43.080 --> 00:12:46.399 because I pray this prayer also early this morning and 194 00:12:46.440 --> 00:12:49.440 I was asking Lord, what is it in my life 195 00:12:50.080 --> 00:12:52.720 that you're pointing at that you want to make sure 196 00:12:52.960 --> 00:12:56.840 that I'm believing your ability and not my ability not 197 00:12:56.840 --> 00:13:01.399 not not limited to my finite What can we do? 198 00:13:01.879 --> 00:13:06.960 What should we do? One day Zikaria. One day, Zikaria 199 00:13:07.120 --> 00:13:09.799 was serving God in the temple for his order, was 200 00:13:09.840 --> 00:13:11.960 on duty that week and was the cosm of the priest. 201 00:13:12.120 --> 00:13:14.440 He was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of 202 00:13:14.440 --> 00:13:18.000 the Lord and burn incense. Yes, Zicariah was a priest, 203 00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:22.720 but he was among eighteen thousand other priests. It's not 204 00:13:22.799 --> 00:13:25.000 like he was annoyed. Yes, he's annoyed and he's chosen, 205 00:13:25.559 --> 00:13:28.080 but he was among eighteen thousand, so he was just 206 00:13:28.200 --> 00:13:31.399 among one among the crowd. What I want to point 207 00:13:31.440 --> 00:13:35.600 out here is that they would only serve once, maybe 208 00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:38.840 once at the most twice in their lifetime. There's a 209 00:13:38.919 --> 00:13:43.639 cycle because there's so many priests, Sasabdandabing priest eighteen thousand. 210 00:13:43.840 --> 00:13:47.080 They were actually grouped into twenty four different groups to serve, 211 00:13:47.480 --> 00:13:51.720 and it was his time to serve. Then it happened 212 00:13:52.279 --> 00:13:56.799 when it was his time to serve. God intervenes in 213 00:13:56.840 --> 00:14:01.960 their situation, seemingly impossible situation that no one can comprehend. 214 00:14:02.279 --> 00:14:07.919 How can you explain a barren, old mature in age 215 00:14:08.159 --> 00:14:13.120 Elizabeth give birth? Remember the story of Abraham. It was 216 00:14:13.159 --> 00:14:17.679 actually that kind of story. Because God can intervene in 217 00:14:17.720 --> 00:14:22.279 any way He can. Whatever your situation right now, you 218 00:14:22.320 --> 00:14:25.840 cannot say it is impossible. The more impossible it is 219 00:14:25.919 --> 00:14:29.840 for us, the more possible God can move for you, Amen, 220 00:14:30.320 --> 00:14:35.799 the more possible. The bigger God is, the bigger He is, 221 00:14:36.480 --> 00:14:40.320 the smaller or impossibility, the impossibility in their lives can happen. 222 00:14:40.840 --> 00:14:44.080 And there's no accident in God's plan. It is not accident. 223 00:14:44.120 --> 00:14:47.759 This is no accident. God is predestined this day for 224 00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:51.799 Zechariah to hear and to know his ways and his plans. 225 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:55.120 While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood 226 00:14:55.159 --> 00:14:59.120 outside praying. While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel 227 00:14:59.159 --> 00:15:01.720 of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right 228 00:15:01.799 --> 00:15:05.879 of the incense outer incense. Have you heard of frankensin 229 00:15:05.960 --> 00:15:10.600 and mirror? Remember the three wives men who presented those gifts. 230 00:15:10.720 --> 00:15:13.960 It was actually it was actually used to make incense. 231 00:15:14.320 --> 00:15:18.279 When when you mix frankenson it's made out of minerals 232 00:15:18.600 --> 00:15:20.960 and the mayor, which is out of leaves. When you 233 00:15:21.000 --> 00:15:23.720 mix them together, they would create the if you burned, 234 00:15:23.759 --> 00:15:26.480 and if they create a sweet aroma, and you would 235 00:15:26.559 --> 00:15:30.759 visibly see the smoke going up to heaven. It's symbolic 236 00:15:30.919 --> 00:15:36.200 of our prayers being being being heard, and the whole 237 00:15:36.320 --> 00:15:39.080 Israel was actually praying whenever a priest would go in. 238 00:15:39.360 --> 00:15:43.000 They were praying. Why because of their situation, they're waiting 239 00:15:43.039 --> 00:15:47.559 for a Messiah. They're waiting for for for that someone 240 00:15:47.759 --> 00:15:50.639 that the Prophet has said that would come and take 241 00:15:50.679 --> 00:15:54.440 them out of their misery and save them and redeem them, 242 00:15:54.840 --> 00:15:58.639 redeem Israel. When all of a sudden an angel appeared 243 00:15:58.679 --> 00:16:03.720 to Zechariah was his reaction. He was shaken, he was surprised. 244 00:16:04.240 --> 00:16:08.320 Maybe there's even fear. Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with 245 00:16:08.399 --> 00:16:11.799 fear when he saw him. Remember again, four hundred years 246 00:16:11.840 --> 00:16:14.320 ago was the last time that they heard the Prophet. 247 00:16:14.639 --> 00:16:17.600 They were waiting for five hundred years for another angel 248 00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:21.200 to give them news to appear to them. This was 249 00:16:21.240 --> 00:16:23.919 the time all Testament when Jesus was not born yet. 250 00:16:24.200 --> 00:16:27.200 So it's very important for him for them to hear 251 00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:31.039 directly from from God. So I church that do that 252 00:16:31.159 --> 00:16:33.639 lesson the value of knowing Jesus Christ and how Jesus 253 00:16:33.639 --> 00:16:36.360 came here for you and I that we don't have 254 00:16:36.440 --> 00:16:39.879 to wait directly to hear from God that he intercedes 255 00:16:39.960 --> 00:16:43.559 for us. That Jesus is our high Priest, don't you 256 00:16:43.840 --> 00:16:46.120 don't you praise God that we don't have to put 257 00:16:46.960 --> 00:16:50.559 nobody has to go or altern it to sacrifice, to 258 00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:53.879 to to sacrifice for all our sins because Jesus already 259 00:16:53.879 --> 00:16:56.519 did it for you and I. But why was he shaken? 260 00:16:56.559 --> 00:17:00.960 Why was he afraid of angels? Maybe in our in 261 00:17:01.320 --> 00:17:05.079 our minds, angels are something that that are cute. The 262 00:17:05.079 --> 00:17:07.920 angels gets something like out of a out of a 263 00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:12.839 Hollywood film film, or it's like out of a greeting 264 00:17:12.920 --> 00:17:18.400 card Parahollmark, citzilla. Sometimes not a diaper, and during Valentine 265 00:17:18.440 --> 00:17:25.359 they're carrying an arrow. The angel Gabriel, who actually who 266 00:17:25.519 --> 00:17:29.640 Zechariah saw, is not this kind of angel, an angel 267 00:17:29.839 --> 00:17:36.319 that comes from God. A biblical angel represents something that's manly, huge, 268 00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:42.319 it's something powerful. It's something that's that's that's sphere summer. Okay, 269 00:17:42.519 --> 00:17:46.720 there's no gender, but they're that, they're they're big, they're strong. 270 00:17:47.440 --> 00:17:49.640 Even in the Old Testament, when you read the Old Testament, 271 00:17:49.680 --> 00:17:52.440 you can see that one blow of an angel can 272 00:17:52.519 --> 00:17:56.440 actually defeat one hundred thousand people. That doesn't happen with 273 00:17:56.519 --> 00:18:02.799 an angel with a diaper and a arrow. Something strong, 274 00:18:04.400 --> 00:18:08.079 but the Angel said, don't be afraid, Zachariah, God has 275 00:18:08.160 --> 00:18:13.279 heard your prayer. When Zachariah was praying, when he went inside, 276 00:18:13.680 --> 00:18:17.519 when he burned the incense, he was actually praying not 277 00:18:17.640 --> 00:18:20.400 just for Israel, but he was also praying for himself. 278 00:18:20.880 --> 00:18:24.400 He was actually praying and asking, Lord, I've been serving you. 279 00:18:24.440 --> 00:18:27.680 Remember the first few verses when he said that they 280 00:18:27.680 --> 00:18:31.160 are they're there, holy, they're almost perfect. Not they're not, 281 00:18:31.640 --> 00:18:35.160 they don't sin, they live righteously. But every every time 282 00:18:35.240 --> 00:18:38.799 he would be praying for himself for God to answer 283 00:18:38.880 --> 00:18:42.799 his prayer, for God to actually give them that child 284 00:18:43.240 --> 00:18:46.960 when hope was lost because of our situation. Remember that 285 00:18:47.519 --> 00:18:51.640 God hears our prayers. He hears our prayers. He is 286 00:18:51.759 --> 00:18:55.839 not deaf for you and I. Whether your situation is 287 00:18:55.920 --> 00:19:00.799 high or low, whether you're praying for somebody who's or 288 00:19:00.839 --> 00:19:05.880 who you're praying for somebody's salvation, our prayers don't fall 289 00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:09.519 on deaf ears. That I can promise my very life 290 00:19:09.640 --> 00:19:15.519 is a testimony that God is not deaf. Yes, maybe 291 00:19:15.799 --> 00:19:18.279 it took me some time to get to know Jesus 292 00:19:18.400 --> 00:19:22.400 Christ thirty three years after, but it is his timing, 293 00:19:22.519 --> 00:19:26.119 not my timing. Proverbs fifteen, Verse twenty nine said the 294 00:19:26.200 --> 00:19:29.279 Lord is afar from the wicked, but he hears the 295 00:19:29.319 --> 00:19:32.920 prayers of righteous. He is afar from the wicked, but 296 00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:36.720 he hears our prayers. If we have a right standing 297 00:19:36.759 --> 00:19:40.920 with God, he hears us when we pray. He hears 298 00:19:41.279 --> 00:19:44.599 the very Christ that you make. He hears you when 299 00:19:44.640 --> 00:19:48.200 you kneel down and cry for help. He knows even 300 00:19:48.240 --> 00:19:51.279 the pain that you're going through. Do not ever say that, Lord, 301 00:19:52.079 --> 00:19:55.519 you don't know what I'm going through. Lord, why are 302 00:19:55.519 --> 00:19:59.680 you doing this to me? He hears you. And if 303 00:19:59.720 --> 00:20:02.559 the word world or anyone would say that he's not 304 00:20:02.680 --> 00:20:05.759 listening to you, you're on your own. Do not believe that, 305 00:20:06.359 --> 00:20:08.680 because that is not God, that is not from God. 306 00:20:08.799 --> 00:20:11.319 And first Peter says here, for the eyes of the 307 00:20:11.359 --> 00:20:15.799 Lord are on the righteous, and these ears are open 308 00:20:15.839 --> 00:20:18.960 to their prayer. On a Monday, it's our day off, 309 00:20:19.240 --> 00:20:21.559 sorry Sabbath. But then on Tuesday when we come in, 310 00:20:22.039 --> 00:20:25.720 the first thing that I look forward to the or 311 00:20:25.720 --> 00:20:29.400 the prayer request that you're right. Yes, I do read. 312 00:20:29.519 --> 00:20:33.000 We do read your prayer requests, so yes we know. 313 00:20:33.119 --> 00:20:35.640 If you've been praying for a PS. Four for the 314 00:20:35.680 --> 00:20:38.839 longest time, is that you he knows who he is. 315 00:20:39.480 --> 00:20:41.559 Or you've been praying for the salvation of your family 316 00:20:41.599 --> 00:20:44.920 for the longest time, or you're praying for healing, you're 317 00:20:44.920 --> 00:20:48.839 praying for restoration, you're praying for unforgiveness or for forgiveness. 318 00:20:49.440 --> 00:20:52.680 We know those prayers, and we are praying with you. 319 00:20:53.319 --> 00:20:56.799 Stand We stand with you in our prayer. Regardless of 320 00:20:56.839 --> 00:21:01.880 your situation. God waits to call. God's wait for our call. 321 00:21:02.240 --> 00:21:06.319 God waits. God waits for our call. Regardless of your situation. 322 00:21:07.359 --> 00:21:10.799 God wait for us to call on him. God's infinite 323 00:21:10.839 --> 00:21:16.240 ability again is not limited with our present reality. A 324 00:21:16.359 --> 00:21:20.079 testament of Zechariah when he said, your wife Elizabeth will 325 00:21:20.079 --> 00:21:22.920 give you a son, and you are to name him John. 326 00:21:23.240 --> 00:21:26.559 Can you imagine what was his reaction? What could have 327 00:21:26.680 --> 00:21:30.240 been his reaction? I hope you've gone through this, this 328 00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:33.160 this chapter of you've read through this chapter. But then 329 00:21:33.519 --> 00:21:37.000 in reality, have you seen his face? Wouldn't he be jubilant? 330 00:21:37.119 --> 00:21:41.880 Wouldn't it be excited that he's about to do the 331 00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:44.559 prayer in his life is about to come to pass. 332 00:21:44.960 --> 00:21:48.400 God do not just hear our prayers, but God answers 333 00:21:48.440 --> 00:21:52.359 our prayers. He do answers our prayers, but he answers 334 00:21:52.440 --> 00:21:57.960 it in his own timing, but he answered it according 335 00:21:58.039 --> 00:22:02.000 to his faith. He is faithful. He will give you 336 00:22:02.039 --> 00:22:04.960 all the promises. But then again, he would not give 337 00:22:05.039 --> 00:22:10.160 you something or anything that could harm you. Why would 338 00:22:10.240 --> 00:22:15.559 he give something to you that would harm especially your 339 00:22:15.599 --> 00:22:19.799 relationship with God. They may have been given up because 340 00:22:19.839 --> 00:22:24.559 of their situation, Elizabeth and Zachariah, but it is actually 341 00:22:24.599 --> 00:22:29.319 God's timing. Their shame was taken away of being bearing 342 00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:32.599 no child. When God is silent, it doesn't mean that 343 00:22:32.720 --> 00:22:36.960 he is absent. It's not. When he's silent, it means 344 00:22:37.279 --> 00:22:42.680 maybe not now. When he's silent means enough. I have 345 00:22:42.759 --> 00:22:49.200 to prepare you for it. I remember recently my dad 346 00:22:49.240 --> 00:22:53.680 is a very generous lolo, and recently he gave my 347 00:22:53.799 --> 00:22:59.480 son a secondhand car when he celebrated his sixteenth birthday. 348 00:23:00.160 --> 00:23:03.640 I was really excited to bring my son to Lto 349 00:23:04.079 --> 00:23:07.799 to get to finally get his license. But then I 350 00:23:07.920 --> 00:23:12.680 found out a day before his birthday that the government 351 00:23:12.759 --> 00:23:17.559 right now moved the age for a student permit from 352 00:23:17.599 --> 00:23:21.279 sixteen to seventeen. Can you imagine the face of my 353 00:23:21.400 --> 00:23:26.400 son one day before his birthday? He has a Yes, 354 00:23:26.440 --> 00:23:32.039 it's not news. It's okay, it's still a car. It's 355 00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:37.880 part now in my garage, doing nothing. Not yet, not yet. 356 00:23:38.599 --> 00:23:42.519 Maybe God was actually teaching him something, maybe even teaching 357 00:23:42.559 --> 00:23:48.519 me something. But God, God's timing is perfect. He's never absent. 358 00:23:49.039 --> 00:23:51.920 He knows the very account of your hair. He knows 359 00:23:51.960 --> 00:23:56.519 the cries, the wound, he knows it. He's never absent. 360 00:23:56.559 --> 00:23:59.480 He's always there for you. That's his promise. He will 361 00:23:59.480 --> 00:24:03.359 never leave nor forsake us. That's a promise that he 362 00:24:03.400 --> 00:24:07.680 always keeps. And he is a promise keeper. John five, 363 00:24:07.759 --> 00:24:11.400 verse fourteen says, and we are confident that he hears 364 00:24:11.480 --> 00:24:17.000 us whenever we ask for for what, louder for what? 365 00:24:18.000 --> 00:24:22.680 Anything he pleases, anything please that pleases him. And since 366 00:24:22.799 --> 00:24:25.559 we know he hears us when we make our requests, 367 00:24:25.559 --> 00:24:28.519 we also know that he will give us what we 368 00:24:28.559 --> 00:24:31.480 ask for. This is the very verse that I told 369 00:24:31.480 --> 00:24:34.920 my son, you ask for a car, you forgot to 370 00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:38.759 ask for a driver's license. Here it's worth. But he 371 00:24:38.839 --> 00:24:41.720 taught him something, taught him out the way. God's three 372 00:24:41.759 --> 00:24:46.759 answers is always yes, not yet, and I have something 373 00:24:46.839 --> 00:24:52.240 better in mind. Let's never no, Let's never no, Let's 374 00:24:52.279 --> 00:24:54.279 never know when you search the Bible. When you look 375 00:24:54.319 --> 00:24:57.279 at different all the different stories in the Bibles, there's 376 00:24:57.279 --> 00:25:00.880 no word. There's nowhere there that there's an no. It's 377 00:25:00.920 --> 00:25:06.240 always yes, not now. Wait for a while and then 378 00:25:06.319 --> 00:25:13.559 hear something better, something better for you, someone better for you. Look, look, 379 00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:18.720 let's continue. Look one verse eighteen, Zachariah said to the angel, 380 00:25:18.759 --> 00:25:21.319 how can I be sure that this will happen? I'm 381 00:25:21.359 --> 00:25:24.480 an old man now, and my wife is also well 382 00:25:24.519 --> 00:25:28.759 along in years, Zachariah said to the angel. Instead of 383 00:25:28.799 --> 00:25:33.160 being jubilant and happy, he doubted what the angel said. 384 00:25:34.160 --> 00:25:37.359 At first he was shaken, he was afraid, but now 385 00:25:37.400 --> 00:25:42.000 he had the nerve to doubt the angel. Doubt and 386 00:25:42.079 --> 00:25:46.119 faith never goes together. Let me say it again. When 387 00:25:46.119 --> 00:25:51.559 there's doubt, there's an absence of faith. When you're in doubt, 388 00:25:51.599 --> 00:25:56.359 that means you fear something and you're not faithful. When 389 00:25:56.440 --> 00:26:00.200 we look at our situations, doubt can set us, can 390 00:26:00.240 --> 00:26:03.720 set in and shake our faith. Healing when you're praying 391 00:26:03.720 --> 00:26:07.640 for healing. When you're praying for healing and then suddenly 392 00:26:08.119 --> 00:26:12.039 you knew that there's no actually a cure. Do you 393 00:26:12.119 --> 00:26:15.440 doubt or are you in fear? You have to be 394 00:26:15.480 --> 00:26:20.720 in faith. I remember two thousand and six, my wife 395 00:26:20.759 --> 00:26:23.319 and I got saved two thousand and six, March two 396 00:26:23.359 --> 00:26:27.920 thousand and six and December Christmas of two thousand and six. 397 00:26:28.680 --> 00:26:32.559 We were very excited because it's going to be our 398 00:26:32.680 --> 00:26:37.720 very first Simbangabie and it will be held in the 399 00:26:37.759 --> 00:26:41.559 new church plant of Victoria Alabam in Victory, Santa Rosa, 400 00:26:42.119 --> 00:26:44.359 all the way in Santa Rosa. And we were so 401 00:26:44.480 --> 00:26:48.799