pastor-gennarino

15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.
Wow, what an amazing set of information and instructions this messenger angel has for Zechariah. Obviously these instructions are not just ideas off the top of the angel’s head but were given to him by God to instruct Zechariah specifically. I think...

14He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,
The birth of John the Baptist was orchestrated to become somewhat of a spectacle. How is it that this old woman is able to conceive and then to bring to full term a son? As a priest before the Lord chosen to burn the incense in the Temple, Zechariah...

13But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.
By pronouncing to Zechariah that he should not be afraid and that his prayer has been heard the angel at once reveals what he is and from whom he has come from. To be a witness that your prayers have been heard is a pretty ominous condition. Our prayers...

12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.
What is the source of this fear? Perfect love casts out fear. 1Jn. 4:18 Ordinary fear is generated by the evil one who gets us confused and immobilized with fear. Chiefly figmented thoughts of failure, rejection, loss, even death. Once we allow ourselves...