He Has Done Marvelous Things

Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him - Psalm 98:1. 

I will show them marvelous things - Micah 7:15.

For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God - Psalm 86:10. 

He does great things, and unsearchable, marvelous things without number - Job 5:9.

Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints! - Revelation 15:3. 

Before all your people I will do marvels such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord. For it is an awesome thing that I will do with you - Exodus 34:10.

Marvelous things He did in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan. He divided the sea and caused them to pass through; and He made the waters stand up like a heap. In the daytime also He led them with the cloud, and all the night with a light of fire. He split the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink in abundance like the depths. He also brought streams out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers - Psalm 78: 12-16.

This was the Lord’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes - Psalm 118:23.

I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works - Psalm 9:1.

Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth - 1 Chronicles 16:12.

Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples - Psalm 96:2,3.       

                                                                  

PRAYER: Dear Lord, We thank You for doing marvelous things in our life. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.      

What Kind of Soil Is Our heart

 He who has ears to hear, let him hear - Matthew 13:9.

          In the parable of Sower, Jesus described four types of soil and related the soil to that of our hearts and the seed that is sown to that of the Word of God. Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever - 1 Peter 1:23. My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding - Proverbs 2:1,2. Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it - Proverbs 4:23.

The Hard Soil 

The seed, which fell along the path, represents those who hear the Word and does not understand it. As their heart is hard, the devil comes and easily snatches away what was sown in their heart. They will not believe and be saved. 

And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them - Matthew 13:4.

When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside - Matthew 13:19. 

The Stony Soil

The seed that fell on rocky soil are those who receive the Word with joy, but it never takes root. They believe for a while, but when there is a time of testing they fall away from the Lord without producing any fruit. 

Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away - Matthew 13:5,6.

But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles - Matthew 13:20,21.

The Thorny Soil 

The seed that fell among the thorns are those who hear the Word, but thorns that are life’s worries, riches, and pleasures choked them becoming unfruitful. 

And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them - Matthew 13:7.

Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful - Matthew 13:22. 

The Good Soil

The seed that fell on good ground represents those who receive and love the Word, keep it in their hearts, bear fruit and yield harvest. 

But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty -Matthew 13:8.

But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty - Matthew 13:23.

                                                                              

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Like good soil, let our heart receive Your Word, bear fruit and yield harvest. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

God of All Grace

 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you - 1 Peter 5:10.

             Our God is the God of all grace who extends unlimited grace to all people. For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people - Titus 2:11. And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace - John 1:16. But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” - James 4:6. Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 2 Peter 1:2.

              God's grace is available for our every need in all things and at all times. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work -  2 Corinthians 9:8. My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me - 2 Corinthians 12:9. 

              Let us thank our God of all grace who makes all grace abound to us in all things and at all times to have all that we need. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence - Ephesians 1:7-8. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need - Hebrews 4:16. 

                                                                      

PRAYER: Dear Lord, You are the God of all grace. We thank You for making all grace abound to us in all things and at all times to have all that we need. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Be Wise

Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil - Ephesians 5:15-16. 

                     Our God is the only wise God and He wants us also to be wise in all we do. To the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen - Romans 16:27. Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves - Matthew 10:16. 

In speech

The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing - Proverbs 12:18. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness - Proverbs 31:26. Wise words bring many benefits - Proverbs 12:14.

In good deeds

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom - James 3:13. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us - 1 Peter 2:12.

In the way we act toward outsiders

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity - Colossians 4:5. 

To be wise, fear God

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom - Proverbs 9:10. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil - Proverbs 3:7.      

To be wise, ask God

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him - James 1:5. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding - Proverbs 2:6. 

To be wise, receive Christ

But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God - 1 Corinthians 1:24.

To be wise, hear the Word of God

Hear instruction and be wise - Proverbs 8:33.               

To be wise, walk with the wise

Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm - Proverbs 13:20.

To be wise, talk less

When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise - Proverbs 10:19.

To be wise, take advice

Wisdom is found in those who take advice - Proverbs 13:10.    

To be wise, be humble

When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom - Proverbs 11:2.                             

 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy - James 3:17.

I will behave wisely in a perfect way - Psalm 101:2. 

I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power - Daniel 2:23.

PRAYER: Dear. Lord, You are the only wise God. Help us to be wise in all we do. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

God's Presence

                   My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest - Exodus 33:14.

Joshua 1:9: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Psalm 16:11: “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”

Matthew 18:20: “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Psalm 139:7-10: “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”

Isaiah 43:2: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

Genesis 28:15: Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you. 

Psalm 16:11: In your presence there is fullness of joy.

Psalm 21:6: For You have made him most blessed forever; You have made him exceedingly glad with Your presence.

Psalm 95:2: Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

Exodus 13:21: And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. 

Exodus 40:34-35: “Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.”

Psalm 97:5: The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the Lord, At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. 

 Psalm 37:7: Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him. 

Psalm 105:4: Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His presence continually!                                                                        

PRAYER: Dear Lord, We thank You for Your presence that goes with us wherever we go. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Sacrifice Thank Offerings to God

Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me - Psalm 50:14–15.    

Offer sacrifice of thank offerings to God

        In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you - 1 Thessalonians 5:18. Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name - Hebrews 13:15.

Fulfill your vows to the Most High

          Make vows to the Lord your God, and pay them - Psalm 76:11. When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it - Ecclesiastes 5:4.

Call upon Him

          Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray - James 5:13. God is our refuge and strength, very present help in trouble - Psalm 46:1.

                     At midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God in the prison

             And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them - Acts 16:23-25.

God's Promise: I will deliver you 

               God promises us to deliver us in the day of trouble as we call upon Him. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation - Psalm 91:15, 16.

You will honor Me

          We will honor God for delivering us in the day of trouble as we call upon Him. Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me, and to the blameless I will show my salvation - Psalm 50:23.

                    Immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed

Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed - Acts 16:26.      

       

PRAYER: Dear Lord,  Let us offer You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, fulfill our vows, call upon You in the midst of trouble and honor You for delivering us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Christ Our Living Hope

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead - 2 Peter 1:3. 

           Christ is our living hope. In this world we will have struggles but they won’t destroy us, defeat us or leave us discouraged as we have a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead given to us by His great mercy. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world - John 6:33. We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us - Romans 5:3-5.

                The living hope in us makes us more hopeful and so we will never lose heart in any suffering that we go through. Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal - 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.

                   Let us praise God for He has given us new birth into a living hope through His resurrection by His great mercy.  With the living hope that lives in us, let us use our life to reflect the hope and joy of the gospel to those around us. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age - Matthew 28:18-20. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory - Colossians 1:27.

                                                                           

PRAYER: Dear Lord, You are our Living Hope. We thank you for giving us new birth into a living hope through Your resurrection by your great mercy. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.