Deuteronomy 1-2, Luke 1-

Deuteronomy 1-2

8 See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land that the LORD swore he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them." 21 See, the LORD your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the LORD, the God of your fathers, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."

Taking with them some of the fruit of the land, they brought it down to us and reported, "It is a good land that the LORD our God is giving us." 26 But you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the command of the LORD your God. 27 You grumbled in your tents and said, "The LORD hates us; so he brought us out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us. 28 Where can we go? Our brothers have made us lose heart. They say, 'The people are stronger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the sky. We even saw the Anakites there.' "29 Then I said to you, "Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them.
30 The LORD your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, 31 and in the desert. There you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place."

(Caleb) vs 36 he followed the LORD wholeheartedly."

39 And the little ones that you said would be taken captive, your children who do not yet know good from bad—they will enter the land. I will give it to them and they will take possession of it.

Everyone under age 20 was allowed to enter the Promised Land.

2:7 The LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast desert. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you, and you have not lacked anything.

God was SO faithful to the Israelites, giving them everything they needed for 40 years, leading them despite their grumbling and sin, their lack of trust and belief.

So often, I think HOW could the Israelites ignore God when He's hovering as a cloud in front of their eyes? HOW can the Israelites ignore God when DAILY they'd go out and find food just laying on the ground for them. The words He uses to describe all He's done, He carried them (31), He fought for them (29).

God, help me to constantly remember you are present in my daily life, even though I don't have an obvious cloud or manna on my lawn! Thank you God for being with me and, for making sure we haven't lacked anything. Lord, help me to follow you and serve you wholeheartedly.

Luke 1-
13But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard.

I thank you God that you hear our prayers! Sometimes God you don't answer how MY will would be but you have a plan!

17And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

Lord, we don't know the day of your return but you've called us to help make ready a people prepared for the Lord. (vs 17)

An angel of God appears to Zechariah, he's afraid. The angel speaks to him and Zechariah ends up questioning the angel, how can this prophesy happen?! The angel punished Zechariaih's unbelief by making him unable to speak till the baby arrived!

What an honor for an angel of God to come to you and say "You have found favor with God (vs 30). Vs 28The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Then, to see Mary's response in vs 38 "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her. The humble spirit, ready to do God's will. I'm sure Mary was ridiculed for being pregnant before being married but, it didn't matter to her, she was doing God's will!

51 he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. God KNOWS our inmost thoughts, He knows what we're thinking even when we don't express them!

37For nothing is impossible with God." This is the MOST powerful verse in the chapter! So true! Nothing is impossible with God! I thank you God that you are in control of everything and that nothing is impossible for you!