Scriptures for Sunday School, March 9, 2014

His Whisperings Posted on by

On this first Sunday in Lent, the lesson focuses on the Birth of Christ Jesus and on the prophecies that were fulfilled by his birth.

This post is a work in progress. I enjoy recording these scriptures and the process helps my A.D.D. brain to focus on the passages better as well. I believe it is more important to digest the Bible verses than all of the rest of the material that comes in the student quarterly, so my plan is to publish this post as soon as I complete the recordings. I may add more to this post after I’ve had some time to further digest the scripture readings and to consider the rest of the lesson material.

Psalm 89:3-14

3 The Lord said, “I have made a covenant with David, my chosen servant.
I have sworn this oath to him:
4 ‘I will establish your descendants as kings forever;
they will sit on your throne from now until eternity.’”Interlude
5 All heaven will praise your great wonders, Lord;
myriads of angels will praise you for your faithfulness.
6 For who in all of heaven can compare with the Lord?
What mightiest angel is anything like the Lord?
7 The highest angelic powers stand in awe of God.
He is far more awesome than all who surround his throne.
8 O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies!
Where is there anyone as mighty as you, O Lord?
You are entirely faithful.

9 You rule the oceans.
You subdue their storm-tossed waves.
10 You crushed the great sea monster.[a]
You scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
11 The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours;
everything in the world is yours—you created it all.
12 You created north and south.
Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon praise your name.
13 Powerful is your arm!
Strong is your hand!
Your right hand is lifted high in glorious strength.
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.
Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants.

–Psalm 89:3-14 (NLT)

Psalm 89:30-37

30 But if his descendants forsake my instructions
    and fail to obey my regulations,
31 if they do not obey my decrees
    and fail to keep my commands,
32 then I will punish their sin with the rod,
    and their disobedience with beating.
33 But I will never stop loving him
    nor fail to keep my promise to him.
34 No, I will not break my covenant;
    I will not take back a single word I said.
35 I have sworn an oath to David,
    and in my holiness I cannot lie:
36 His dynasty will go on forever;
    his kingdom will endure as the sun.
37 It will be as eternal as the moon,
    my faithful witness in the sky!” Interlude

 –Psalm 89:30-37 (NLT)

Isaiah 9:1-7

1 [a]Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory.

2 [b] The people who walk in darkness
    will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness,[c]
    a light will shine.
3 You will enlarge the nation of Israel,
    and its people will rejoice.
They will rejoice before you
    as people rejoice at the harvest
    and like warriors dividing the plunder.
4 For you will break the yoke of their slavery
    and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders.
You will break the oppressor’s rod,
    just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian.
5 The boots of the warrior
    and the uniforms bloodstained by war
will all be burned.
    They will be fuel for the fire.

6 For a child is born to us,
    a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
    And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor,[a] Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 His government and its peace
    will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
    for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
    will make this happen!

 –Isaiah 9:1-7 (NLT)

Matthew 1:18-21

18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement[a] quietly.

20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus,[b] for he will save his people from their sins.”

Matthew 1:22-25

22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
    She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
    which means ‘God is with us.’”

24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

–Matthew 1:22-25

Matthew 2:1-6

2 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men[a] from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose,[b] and we have come to worship him.”

3 King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. 4 He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”

5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:

6 ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah,
    are not least among the ruling cities[c] of Judah,
for a ruler will come from you
    who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’[d]”

Mark 12:35-37

35 Later, as Jesus was teaching the people in the Temple, he asked, “Why do the teachers of religious law claim that the Messiah is the son of David? 36 For David himself, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said,

‘The Lord said to my Lord,
Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
    until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.’[a]

37 Since David himself called the Messiah ‘my Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?” The large crowd listened to him with great delight.

Luke 1:26-33

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you![a]”

29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel[b] forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

This song came on the radio as I was working on this post, and it seemed so perfect to complement this lesson. Click this link to hear “There Is a Redeemer” by Keith Green.

First Christmas eBWhen I started this project two weeks ago I had no idea that this week’s lesson would be devoted to the birth of Christ. I have a children’s Bible storybook entitled The First Christmas, and for reasons only remotely connected to this project, I undertook to create an ebook version of the book a week and a half ago and to offer it for free for a week. I then learned that this week was “Read and e-Book Week” so I extended the free download through Sunday. Feel free to take advantage of this freebie by clicking on this picture.

Ash Wednesday – Beginning of Lent

His Whisperings Posted on by

Ash-WednesdayWhat is Ash Wednesday? I grew up in the church and had often heard about the 40 days of Lent in which Christians would give up something for Lent, but I had never heard of Ash Wednesday until my last move when I joined my present church.

The Ash Wednesday service serves as a reminder to the congregation that we came from dust and that we will return to dust. This message is personally delivered to each participant as they kneel at the alter while the pastor or priest places a cross of ashes on his or her forehead with his finger.

The Ash Wednesday service also serves to remind us of our need for repentance of our sins to receive God’s forgiveness. An Ash Wednesday service typically includes communion following the imposition of the ashes.

The Ash Wednesday service takes place on the first day of Lent or 40 days Before Easter. The first day of Lent falls on March 5 in 2014.

I have mixed feelings about this service. I love the message that it brings and feel the need to absorb it fully every year. I am not ashamed to be seen wearing the cross on my forehead following the service; however, I have problems with wearing it as a badge to show how holy I might be (or not). I feel that for me, the place I need to be following an Ash Wednesday service is at home in a period of reflection with my Lord. But many see this as an opportunity to share their faith as people ask why they have a cross of ashes on their foreheads.

I post this article about Ash Wednesday to inform, not to instruct. I don’t believe anyone’s salvation is sealed by whether or not they participate in an Ash Wednesday service. But I especially want parents to know what the ashes represent so if they are with their children and they see people with crosses of ashes on their foreheads they can explain what it is about. This is not a sign of a mysterious cult. Churches of many denominations practice this tradition.

Father God, we thank you for your gift of your Son. May we never take it for granted. Prepare our hearts to know you fully. Help us to be aware of the shameful areas in our lives that still demand repentance and help us to turn away from them so we can serve you wholeheartedly.

To learn more about Ash Wednesday services, read Ashes to Ashes as it appeared in the February 9, 2010 issue of Christianity Today.

Prophecies Fulfilled – Daily Scripture Recordings for March 3-March 9

His Whisperings Posted on by

This week’s scriptures focus on the birth and ministry of Christ and how these events fit into the prophecies of the Old Testament.

This blog post is under construction… meaning that I will add more recordings and comments on the scripture references through the week. I do enjoy reading scriptures and hope to help others find a love for God’s Word by sharing them in this way. My goal is to record the Daily Bible Study passages every day to follow the Daily Bible Study that many Christian denominations use in their Sunday school adult lesson quarterlies. These are known as the International Sunday School Lessons for Christian Teaching and published by the Committee on the Uniform Series.

I am reading from the New Living Translation for these recordings.

Matthew 1:22-25 (March 3)

22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
    She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
    which means ‘God is with us.’”

24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

–Matthew 1:22-25 (NLT)

Verse 23 is a quote from Isaiah 7:14.

God planted his seed in Mary, and encouraged Joseph to stay by her side as she faced the pointing fingers of the people who would falsely accuse her of sexual sin. Thirty years later the world would hear that God had come to live among us, though not all would understand. Isaiah foretold Christ’s birth hundreds of years earlier.

For children: The First Christmas – a Bible storybook by Janice D. Green also available as an ebook

Matthew 2:1-6 (March 4)

2 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men[a] from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose,[b] and we have come to worship him.”

3 King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. 4 He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”

5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:

6 ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah,
    are not least among the ruling cities[c] of Judah,
for a ruler will come from you
    who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’[d]”

–Matthew 2:1-6 (NLT)

These foreign men traveled a great distance to worship the Messiah, but King Herod feared an unwelcome threat to his throne. The wise men were able to find the Christ Child because of the prophecy Isaiah received and recorded hundreds of years earlier.

For children: The First Christmas – a Bible storybook by Janice D. Green also available as an ebook

Matthew 12:15-23 (March 5)

15 But Jesus knew what they were planning. So he left that area, and many people followed him. He healed all the sick among them, 16 but he warned them not to reveal who he was. 17 This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning him:

18 “Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen.
    He is my Beloved, who pleases me.
I will put my Spirit upon him,
    and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
19 He will not fight or shout
    or raise his voice in public.
20 He will not crush the weakest reed
    or put out a flickering candle.
    Finally he will cause justice to be victorious.
21 And his name will be the hope
    of all the world.”[a]

22 Then a demon-possessed man, who was blind and couldn’t speak, was brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he could both speak and see. 23 The crowd was amazed and asked, “Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?”

–Matthew 12:15-23 (NLT)

Again we are reading about the fulfillment of more of Isaiah’s prophecies about Jesus. He came healing the people and doing good. Ultimately his divine goodness would bring hope to a dark and troubled world – something we need today as much as, or more than, ever.

Matthew 21:12-17 (March 6)

12 Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. 13 He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!”[a]

14 The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple, and he healed them. 15 The leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the children in the Temple shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David.”

But the leaders were indignant. 16 They asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?”

“Yes,” Jesus replied.“Haven’t you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, ‘You have taught children and infants to give you praise.’[b]” 17 Then he returned to Bethany, where he stayed overnight.

–Matthew 21:12-17 (NLT)

Jesus performs more miracles, and as he does, the children sing his praises calling him the Son of David. When the religious leaders grumbled to Jesus about what the children were saying, Jesus pointed out Isaiah’s prophecy that the children and infants praise him.

Mathew 22:41-45 (March 7)

 

41 Then, surrounded by the Pharisees, Jesus asked them a question: 42 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”

They replied, “He is the son of David.”

43 Jesus responded, “Then why does David, speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit, call the Messiah ‘my Lord’? For David said,

44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
    until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.’[a]

45 Since David called the Messiah ‘my Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?”

–Mathew 22:41-45 (NLT)

Jesus uses the Scriptures to explain who he is to the religious leaders of his day. He is a descendant of King David, yet he is King David’s Lord.

Mark 10:46-52 (March 8)

 

46 Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road. 47 When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

48 “Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him.

But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

49 When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.”

So they called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, he’s calling you!”50 Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus.

51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked.

“My rabbi,[a]” the blind man said, “I want to see!”

52 And Jesus said to him,“Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road.[b]

–Mark 10:46-52 (NLT)

What joy! The Son of David (Messiah – Son of God) had given him what he had longed for all of his life. His response? To follow Jesus.

Psalm 89:35-37  (March 9)

35 I have sworn an oath to David,
    and in my holiness I cannot lie:
36 His dynasty will go on forever;
    his kingdom will endure as the sun.
37 It will be as eternal as the moon,
    my faithful witness in the sky!” 

–Psalm 89:35-37 (NLT)

God’s perfect holiness will not let him go back on his promise to David. God’s Son, an offspring of David, will become the promised Messiah to the world, and that kingdom will never end.

Isaiah 9:6-7  (March 9)

6 For a child is born to us,
    a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
    And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor,[a] Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 His government and its peace
    will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
    for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
    will make this happen!

–Isaiah 9:6-7 (NLT)

We hear these beautiful words quite often in Christmas and Easter programs. How beautifully they describe our Savior, Jesus the Christ, yet they were written hundreds of years before he was born.

Matthew 1:18-21 (March 9)

18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement[a] quietly.

20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus,[b] for he will save his people from their sins.”

–Matthew 1:18-21 (NLT)

This reading directly precedes the reading for March 3 which includes the prophecy which said Christ would be born of a virgin. Contemplate how God brought these two people together and held them together against human logic and probably under the critical eye of those around them who would prefer to point fingers than approve of their marriage.

For children: The First Christmas – a Bible storybook by Janice D. Green also available as an ebook

Scripture Recordings for Feb 24-Mar 2

His Whisperings Posted on by

Oh how I wish I could get the attention of our nation’s leaders and the people with these passages. How we need to be looking to God instead of allowing the world to twist our country into a limp rag of what it once was. Or am I looking at this backwards… Didn’t we first allow ourselves as individuals to be twisted by the world? Isn’t this where the real problem lies, and the place to begin for setting things right again?

I’m still experimenting with Scripture recordings. I do enjoy reading scriptures and want to record the Daily Bible Study passages every day to follow the Daily Bible Study that many Christian denominations use in their Sunday school adult lesson quarterlies. These are known as the International Sunday School Lessons for Christian Teaching and published by the Committee on the Uniform Series.

I’m fallible, and I acknowledge up font that this is likely to be a hit or miss project. Several years ago I started to write a devotion every day based on these passages and bogged down because I was pushing myself too hard.

Instead of making a post every day, I will simply add to weekly posts. They will go up when I post the first recording for the week, then I’ll add the others as (and if) I complete them. I will also try to at least comment on the recordings, but as with most people, life sometimes gets in the way of what we set out to do. Expect hit or miss… 🙂

I will be reading from the New Living Translation for these recordings.

Psalm 93 (February 24)

You may wish to read along here as you listen:

1 The Lord is king! He is robed in majesty.
Indeed, the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength.
The world stands firm
and cannot be shaken.

2 Your throne, O Lord, has stood from time immemorial.
You yourself are from the everlasting past.
3 The floods have risen up, O Lord.
The floods have roared like thunder;
the floods have lifted their pounding waves.
4 But mightier than the violent raging of the seas,
mightier than the breakers on the shore—
the Lord above is mightier than these!
5 Your royal laws cannot be changed.
Your reign, O Lord, is holy forever and ever.

–Psalm 93 (NLT)

How we fret over our nation and our personal issues… Our God is mighty, in control, and he knows what he is doing. It is time to grab hold of him in a way we never have before so we can stand and not crumble with the world around us.

Psalm 2 (Feb 25)

1 Why are the nations so angry?

    Why do they waste their time with futile plans?
2 The kings of the earth prepare for battle;
    the rulers plot together
against the Lord
    and against his anointed one.
3 “Let us break their chains,” they cry,
    “and free ourselves from slavery to God.”

4 But the one who rules in heaven laughs.
    The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then in anger he rebukes them,
    terrifying them with his fierce fury.
6 For the Lord declares, “I have placed my chosen king on the throne
    in Jerusalem,[a] on my holy mountain.”

7 The king proclaims the Lord’s decree:
“The Lord said to me, ‘You are my son.[b]
    Today I have become your Father.[c]
8 Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance,
    the whole earth as your possession.
9 You will break[d] them with an iron rod
    and smash them like clay pots.’”

10 Now then, you kings, act wisely!
    Be warned, you rulers of the earth!
11 Serve the Lord with reverent fear,
    and rejoice with trembling.
12 Submit to God’s royal son,[e] or he will become angry,
    and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities—
for his anger flares up in an instant.
    But what joy for all who take refuge in him!

–Psalm 2 (NLT)

Isn’t this so true… The people want to be free from slavery to God as if he were out to mess up their plans. If they only knew how much God wants to love them and fill their lives with hope and purpose. We must pray that our leaders will come to their senses and to put their trust into the God Almighty who once made our nation great.

Psalm 45:1-9 ( Feb 26)

For the choir director: A love song to be sung to the tune “Lilies.” A psalm[a] of the descendants of Korah.

1 Beautiful words stir my heart.
    I will recite a lovely poem about the king,
    for my tongue is like the pen of a skillful poet.

2 You are the most handsome of all.
    Gracious words stream from your lips.
    God himself has blessed you forever.
3 Put on your sword, O mighty warrior!
    You are so glorious, so majestic!
4 In your majesty, ride out to victory,
    defending truth, humility, and justice.
    Go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds!
5 Your arrows are sharp, piercing your enemies’ hearts.
    The nations fall beneath your feet.

6 Your throne, O God,[b] endures forever and ever.
    You rule with a scepter of justice.
7 You love justice and hate evil.
    Therefore God, your God, has anointed you,
    pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.
8 Myrrh, aloes, and cassia perfume your robes.
    In ivory palaces the music of strings entertains you.
9 Kings’ daughters are among your noble women.
    At your right side stands the queen,
    wearing jewelry of finest gold from Ophir!

–Psalm 45:1-9 (NLT)

Oh that we would praise God like this every day. Maybe reading and recording these scriptures every day will help to discipline myself to praise him more. It really helps me to pour myself into the meaning of these passages to read them aloud for others to hear – somehow it helps open my own ears as well.

Psalm 94:8-15 (Feb 27)

8 Think again, you fools!
    When will you finally catch on?
9 Is he deaf—the one who made your ears?
    Is he blind—the one who formed your eyes?
10 He punishes the nations—won’t he also punish you?
    He knows everything—doesn’t he also know what you are doing?
11 The Lord knows people’s thoughts;
    he knows they are worthless!

12 Joyful are those you discipline, Lord,
    those you teach with your instructions.
13 You give them relief from troubled times
    until a pit is dug to capture the wicked.
14 The Lord will not reject his people;
    he will not abandon his special possession.
15 Judgment will again be founded on justice,
    and those with virtuous hearts will pursue it.

–Psalm 94:8-15 (NLT)

These are strong words. Is there anything we are careless about thinking nobody will notice? Are we glad for God’s discipline? …even when it hurts?

Psalm 98 (Feb 28)

A psalm.

1 Sing a new song to the Lord,
    for he has done wonderful deeds.
His right hand has won a mighty victory;
    his holy arm has shown his saving power!
2 The Lord has announced his victory
    and has revealed his righteousness to every nation!
3 He has remembered his promise to love and be faithful to Israel.
    The ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.

4 Shout to the Lord, all the earth;
    break out in praise and sing for joy!
5 Sing your praise to the Lord with the harp,
    with the harp and melodious song,
6 with trumpets and the sound of the ram’s horn.
    Make a joyful symphony before the Lord, the King!

7 Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!
    Let the earth and all living things join in.
8 Let the rivers clap their hands in glee!
    Let the hills sing out their songs of joy
9 before the Lord.
    For the Lord is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with justice,
    and the nations with fairness.

–Psalm 98 (NLT)

What joy! What a happy Psalm to shout in praise to the Lord!

Revelation 11:15-19 (March 1)

15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven:

“The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ,[a]
    and he will reign forever and ever.”

16 The twenty-four elders sitting on their thrones before God fell with their faces to the ground and worshiped him. 17 And they said,

“We give thanks to you, Lord God, the Almighty,
    the one who is and who always was,
for now you have assumed your great power
    and have begun to reign.
18 The nations were filled with wrath,
    but now the time of your wrath has come.
It is time to judge the dead
    and reward your servants the prophets,
    as well as your holy people,
and all who fear your name,
    from the least to the greatest.
It is time to destroy
    all who have caused destruction on the earth.”

19 Then, in heaven, the Temple of God was opened and the Ark of his covenant could be seen inside the Temple. Lightning flashed, thunder crashed and roared, and there was an earthquake and a terrible hailstorm.

–Revelation 11:15-19 (NLT)

What an awesome God we have. Reading this through several times to get it right helped to implant the message on my heart. God will have the last Word, he will assume the fullness of his power and might, and he will pass judgement on all who oppose him. What a glorious Kingdom we will be able to enjoy when everyone on the earth sings in unity and harmony with his Son, Jesus the Christ.

2 Samuel 7:4-16 (March 2)

4 But that same night the Lord said to Nathan,

5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord has declared: Are you the one to build a house for me to live in? 6 I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. I have always moved from one place to another with a tent and a Tabernacle as my dwelling. 7 Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel’s tribal leaders, the shepherds of my people Israel. I have never asked them, “Why haven’t you built me a beautiful cedar house?”’

8 “Now go and say to my servant David, ‘This is what theLord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel. 9 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth! 10 And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won’t oppress them as they’ve done in the past,11 starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies.

“‘Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! 12 For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. 13 He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. 15 But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight.16 Your house and your kingdom will continue before me[a]for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’”

–2 Samuel 7:4-16 (NLT)

 

The Lord is King – Psalm 93

His Whisperings Posted on by

I have always enjoyed reading aloud to children. After I learned to love the Bible, I began to realize the benefit of reading it aloud with expression. Today’s post is more of an experiment to see if people will enjoy listening to great passages of Scripture in small bites on my blog. I am reading Psalm 93 from the New Living Translation.The recording:

You may wish to read along here as you listen:

1 The Lord is king! He is robed in majesty.
Indeed, the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength.
The world stands firm
and cannot be shaken.

2 Your throne, O Lord, has stood from time immemorial.
You yourself are from the everlasting past.
3 The floods have risen up, O Lord.
The floods have roared like thunder;
the floods have lifted their pounding waves.
4 But mightier than the violent raging of the seas,
mightier than the breakers on the shore—
the Lord above is mightier than these!
5 Your royal laws cannot be changed.
Your reign, O Lord, is holy forever and ever.

–Psalm 93 (NLT)

In the future I will probably expound on the verses, but today I am anxious to put this up quickly and apply myself to another very urgent project. Life happens. This post is the scripture from today’s Daily Bible Study in my Sunday school lesson quarterly and I felt there may be others following this as well. I would like to make a practice of doing something with these scriptures on a fairly regular basis.