BELIEF AND WORSHIP
 
     When Zechariah offered incense on god's Holy altar an angel told him that his son would prepare the Way for the Messiah. He apparently had doubts about the authentically of the angel's message for some unknown reason because he said in Luke 1:18..."whereby shall I know this? For I am an old man,and my wife well stricken in years." As a result the angel would not let Zechariah speak until the prophecy came true. The first thing that I think of regarding this is the significance of the tongue and our belief in God. In the mist of our busy lives we must go to the Holy Place of God or we will never be renewed by the Holy Spirit and we will live anxious lives.In reading this story God obviously wants us to believe Him as we worship. What's remarkable about this story is I know Zechariah probably read the story about the angel telling Abraham that He would have a son-same situation different time.Our preconceptions and our tongue can hinder us. It is pretty obvious to me that Zechariah had some preconceptions before he went into the temple to worship God and as a result his tongue spoke unbelief. When I go into the Word of God I try and allow God to position me where I am honestly able to say "Lord I don't know anything ,unless you show me I don't have it." It is very clear to me that Zechariah has a real heart for the Lord but wrong preconceptions will cause us to strive to know Jesus Christ in the flesh and God will never allow that. Just a couple of thoughts for anyone that desires to know God.
 
Love-in-Christ
Bob D.