What is god word of the day

                                            WORD OF THE DAY

Hebrews 4:12 — For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

03/05/2023 — If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

02/01/2023 — Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

10/18/2022- Psalm 138:1-8 I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; before the gods I will sing Your praise.

10/01/2022 — Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with gratitude, make your requests known to God.

09/21/2022 — Romans 8:38-39 — For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities nor powers, neither things present nor things to come, 39 neither height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

09/01/2022 — Hebrews 11:6 — And without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that He exists and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

08/22/2022 — 1 Timothy 5:17 — The leaders who lead well should be considered worthy of double honor, especially those working hard at communicating the Word and at teaching.

07/25/2022 — John 6:68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

07/08/22 — Psalm 56:3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.

07/07/22 — Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

0628/22 — Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me. For I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”

06/02/22 — Psalm 30:2 Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me.

04/30/22 — Proverbs 3:13-15 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gets understanding; 14 for her benefit is more profitable than silver, and her gain than fine gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire are not to be compared with her.

04/02/2022 — Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

03/30/22 — Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

03/16/22 — Romans 10:9-10 — If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

03/03/22 — Exodus 20:17 You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.

01/16/2021 — Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

01/08/22 — Psalm 1:1-2 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.

01/05/21 — Joshua 24:15 If it is displeasing to you to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve, if it should be the gods your fathers served beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites’ land where you are now living. Yet as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

11/29/21 — Matthew 5:43-44 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.

10/30/21 — John 10:11-18 — “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep

10/26/21 — John 15:15 I no longer call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master does. But I have called you friends, for everything that I have heard from My Father have I made known to you.

10/17/21 — Psalm 95:1- 2O come, let us sing unto the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! 2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms!

09/17/21 — Psalm 20:7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

08/13/21 — Proverbs 3:1-2 My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; 2 for length of days and long life and peace will they add to you.

07/29/20 — 1 Peter 1:18-20 For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. 19 It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. 20 God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake.

07/06/21 — Psalm 95:1-2 O come, let us sing unto the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! 2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms

06/08/21- 2 Corinthians 4:16-Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

05/5/21 — Psalm 37:5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust also in Him, and He will bring it to pass

04/11/20- Psalm 111:1-Praise the Lord! I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.

03/17/20- Psalm 29:11-The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.

03/16/20- Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

02/26/21 — Matthew 6:34 Therefore, take no thought about tomorrow, for tomorrow will take thought about the things of itself. Sufficient to the day is the trouble thereof.

01/22/21 — Joshua 1:8- «This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

01/20/21 — Psalms 56:3- Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.

12/28/20 — Psalm 46:1-God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

12/15/20 — Matthew 2:1-2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, wise men came from the east to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who was born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

11/08/20 — Romans 12:9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Hate what is evil. Cleave to what is good.

10/12/20 — Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

09/04/20 — Hebrews 4:14-16 Since then we have a great High Priest who has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who was in every sense tempted like we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then come with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

07/19/20 — Psalm 98:5 Let the heavens praise Your wonders, O Lord; Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.

06/30/20 — John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

06/23/20 — Psalm 27:4 One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.

06/10/10 — Psalm 145:20-21 The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. 21 My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.

05/20/20 — Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.

04/28/20 — Psalm 34:17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.

04/23/20 — Psalm 42: 5 Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted in me? Hope in God, for I will yet thank Him for the help of His presence.

04/05/20 — Luke 19:35—They brought it to Jesus. And they threw their garments on the colt, and they set Jesus on it. 36 As He went, they spread their clothes in the street.

03/10/20 — Psalm 100:1-2 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. 2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

02/23/20 — Isaiah 43:1-2 But now, thus says the Lord who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. 2 When you pass through waters, I will be with you. And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame kindle on you.

01/31/20 — Proverbs 16:1 — The preparations of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

01/07/20 — Psalm 75:6-7 For neither from the east nor west, nor from the wilderness comes victory. 7 But God is the judge; He brings one low, and lifts up another. 8 For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and it is full of mixed, foaming wine, and He pours from it; surely all the wicked of the earth will find and drink its dregs.

12/16/19 — But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

10/27/19 — Philippians 4:4-Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

10/16/19 — Leviticus 19:18 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

10/01/19-Psalm 139:7-12 Where shall I go from Your spirit, or where shall I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there.

09/26/19 — Philippians 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with gratitude, make your requests known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will protect your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

09/07/19 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness

08/21/19—Proverbs 1:20-33 — Wisdom cries out in the street; she utters her voice in the markets. 21 She cries at the corner of the streets, in the openings of the gates; she speaks her words in the city, saying:22 “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?

07/29/19 — Matthew 9:9 As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s station. And He said to him, “Come Follow Me.” And he rose and followed Him.

07/02/19 — Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.

06/19/19 — Proverbs 18: 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue,and those who love it will eat its fruit.

06/03/19- Galatians 5:1 — Galatians 5:1-15 For freedom Christ freed us. Stand fast therefore and do not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

05/29/19 — Genesis 18:14a Is anything too hard for the Lord?

05/07/19 — Proverbs 12:25 Heaviness in the heart of man makes it droop, but a good word makes it glad.

04/30/19 — Psalm 103:8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.

04/11/19 — Ephesians 5:1-Therefore become imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children (imitate their father).

03/20/19 — Matthew 24:12 Because iniquity will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

02/15/19 — Job 11:14-15 If you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent,
15 then, free of fault, you will lift up your face; you will stand firm and without fear.

02/04/19 — Psalm 16:11 You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

01/30/19 — Psalm 94:19 When there is a multitude of worries within me, Your comforts delight my soul.

01/04/19-Galatians 1:10 For am I now seeking the approval of men or of God? Or am I trying to please men? For if I were still trying to please men, I would not be the servant of Christ.

01/03/19 — 1 Timothy 4:8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable in all things, holding promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

12/12/18 — Luke 1:39-45 In those days Mary arose and quickly went into the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 

12/06/18 — Psalm 51:5 I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.

12/04/18 — Luke 17:17-19 Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

10/30/18 — Romans 12:19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to God’s wrath, for it is written: “Vengeance is Mine. I will repay,” says the Lord.

10/18/18 — Psalm 56:3 In the day when I am afraid, I will trust in You.

10/11/18 — 1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

10/03/18 — John 15:9 As the Father loved Me, I also loved you. Remain in My love.

10/02/18 — Psalm 145:8 The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger, and great in mercy.

09/24/18 — 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.”

09/10/18 — Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

08/24/18 — Proverbs 14:30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh, but envy the rottenness of the bones.

08/14/18- John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 

08/10/18 — Proverbs 10:17 Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.

07/31/18 — 2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one

07/26/18 — Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and health to the bones.

07/23/18 — 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

07/13/18 — Romans 12:19 — Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: «It is mine to avenge; I will repay,» says the Lord.

07/03/18 — Psalm 29:11 — The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.

06/28/18 — Colossians 1:21-22 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of[a] your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.

06/20/18 — Ephesians 5:20 — Give thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

06/19/18— Nahum 1:7 The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of distress; and He knows those who take refuge in Him.

06/12/18 — Leviticus 19:18 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

06/07/18 — Psalm 91:4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

05/29/18 — James 4:7  Therefore submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

05/25/18 — 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

05/22/18 — 1 Peter 1:24-25- For “All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass.The grass withers, and its flower falls away, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.”[a]This is the word that was preached to you.

05/16/18 — Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with gratitude, make your requests known to God.

05/08/18 — Ephesians 5:15-17 5 See then that you walk carefully, not as fools, but as wise men, 16 making the most of the time because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

05/01/18 — Philippians 1:6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

04/30/18 — James 4:15 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.

04/26/18 — Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

04/25/18 -Psalm 1:6 — For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

04/23/18 — Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.

04/19/18 — 1 Corinthians 16:13- Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.

04/15/18 — Psalm 100:3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

04/13/18 — 2 Corinthians 12:10-That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

04/11/18 — Psalm 10:17-18 -You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
18 defending the fatherless and the oppressed, so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror.

04/10/18 — Luke 17:15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned with a loud voice glorifying God, 16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.

04/09/18 — Psalm 147:3-He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

03/30/18 — Romans 13:12 — The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living.

03/28/18 — Acts 3:19 —  Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

03/26/18 — Romans 3:21-24 — But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets. 22 This righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ[a] to all and upon all who believe, for there is no distinction. 23 For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

03/22/18 —  Isaiah 40:1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

03/21/18 — Joshua 1:9 — Have not I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

03/19/18 — Psalm 37:34 — Hope in the Lord and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.

03/18/18 — Isaiah 40:28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

03/16/18 — Isaiah 45:5-I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me.

03/14/18- Romans 5:19-For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

03/06/18 — Psalm 119:9-How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.

03/05/18 — Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

02/22/18 — Romans 8:35-39  — Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:“For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities nor powers, neither things present nor things to come, 39 neither height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

02/21/18 — Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

02/16/18 — Psalm 143:10-Psalm 143:10-Teach me to do Your will [so that I may please You], For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

02/15/18 — John 3:16 — For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

02/09/18 Psalm 1:1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

02/05/18 — James 1:13- Let no man say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil; neither does He tempt anyone.

01/29/18 — Matthew 16:25 — For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

01/26/18 — Psalm 46:1-God is our refuge and strength, a well-proven help in trouble

01/23/18 — Revelation 3:20 — Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me.

01/17/18 — Psalm 37:1 -3 — Do not fret because of evildoers,nor be jealous of those who do injustice. For they will quickly wither like the grass, and fade like the green herbs. 3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and practice faithfulness.

01/15/18- Ester 4:15-17 — Esther sent a message to Mordecai, saying, 16 “Bring together all the Jews in Susa and tell them to go without eating for my sake! Don’t eat or drink for three days and nights. My servant girls and I will do the same. Then I will go in to see the king, even if it means I must die.” 17 Mordecai did everything Esther told him to do.

01/10/18 — Revelations 21:4 God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. There shall be no more death.’[a] Neither shall there be any more sorrow nor crying nor pain, for the former things have passed away.”

01/08/18 — 2 Corinthians 5:21 — God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

01/05/18 — Ephesians 6:12 — For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

01/02/18 — Psalm 119:169 — Let my cry come near before You, O Lord; give me understanding according to Your word.

01/01/18 — Isaiah 43:18-19 — Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

12/31/17 — Psalm 122:1-I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord.

12/27/17 — Luke 2:25-32 — Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 It was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 Led by the Spirit, he came into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, 28 he received Him in his arms and blessed God and said: 29 “Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; 30 for my eyes have seen Your salvation 31  which You have prepared in the sight of all people, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.”

12/22/17 — for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

12/21/17 — For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

12/20/17 — Matthew 1:21 — She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”

12/19/17 — Luke 18:27-He said, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”

12/18/17- Mark 9:23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

12/14/17 — Malachi 3:1-5 I will send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. He is coming, says the Lord of Hosts.

12/11/17-Acts 10:34-35 Then peter opened his mouth and said «in truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.

12/07/17 — Ephesians 5:16 — Make the most of your opportunities because these are evil days.

12/5/17 — Luke 2:20 — The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

12/04/17 — Luke 2:8-12  And in the same area there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And then an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were very afraid. 10 But the angel said to them, “Listen! Do not fear. For I bring you good news of great joy, which will be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign to you: You will find the Baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

11/30/17 — Romans 8:18 — 8 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us.

11/29/17 — Luke 1:38 —  Mary said, “I am the servant of the Lord. May it be unto me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

11/28/17 — Isaiah 55:11 — so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

11/27/18 — Psalm 86:12 — I will give You thanks, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your name forever

11/26/17 — 1 John 2:17 — The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

11/24/17 — Psalm 16:8 I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be moved.

11/21/17 — 1 Chronicles 16:36  Blessed be the Lord God of Israel From everlasting to everlasting! And all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord.

11/20/17 — Psalm 55:16 — But I will call on God, and the LORD will rescue me.

11/19/17 — Job 11:13-15 — Surrender your heart to God, turn to him in prayer, 14 and give up your sins— even those you do in secret. 15 Then you won’t be ashamed; you will be confident and fearless.

11/17/17- Psalm 16:8 — I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be moved.

11/16/17 — Psalm 119:9-10 — How shall a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. 10 With my whole heart I seek You; do not allow me to wander from Your commandments.

11/15/17 — Psalm 57:1 — Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.

11/14/17 — 1 Peter 5:7 — Cast all your care upon Him, because He cares for you.

11/13/17 — Romans 12:2 — Don’t be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him.

11/11/17 — Proverbs 3:27 — Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.

11 /10/17 — Psalm 62:1 —  My soul waits in silence on God alone; from Him comes my salvation.

11/09/17 — 1 Corinthians 16:14 — Let all that you do be done with love.

11/08/17 — Philippians 1:6  I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ.

11/07/17 — Isaiah 40:29 — He gives power to the faint, and to those who have no might He increases strength.

11/06/17 — 2 King 20:5 Turn back and say to Hezekiah the leader of My people: Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord.

11/05/17  — Proverbs 4:23 —  Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.

11/03/17 — Proverbs 16:24 — Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and health to the bones.

11/02/17 — Exodus 14:13-14  But Moses said to the people, “Fear not! Stand firm! And see the salvation of the Lord, which He will show you today. For the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you shall never see again. 14 The Lord shall fight for you, while you hold your peace.”

11/01/17 — Jeremiah 29:13 “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”

10/3/1/17 — Isaiah 41:10-Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.I will strengthen you, I will help you, yes, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

10//30/17- Isaiah 58:11 —  And the Lord shall guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones;
and you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

10/29/17 — Ecclesiastes 3:1 — To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.

10/28/17 — Luke 1:37 For with God nothing will be impossible.

10/27/18 — 1 Timothy 5:18 —  For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle the ox when it treads out the grain.”[a] And, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.

1 0/26/17 — Romans 8:18 — For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us.

10/25/17 — Proverbs 17:17  — A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

10/24/17 — 1 Thessalonians 2:13 — For this reason we thank God without ceasing because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you received it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which effectively works also in you who believe.

10/23/17 — Romans 3:24 — And all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

10/22/17 — Psalm 119:50 — When I am hurting, I find comfort in your promise that leads to life.

10/21/17 — Psalm 55:22-Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be moved.

10/20/17- Proverbs 18:10 — The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe.

10/19/17 — Psalm 34:8 — Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.

10/18/17 — 1 Thessalonians 2:12 — We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory.

10/17/17 —  Colossians 3:17 — And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

10/16/17-  I must do the works of Him who sent Me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work.

10/15/17 -John16:33 — “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.”

10/14/17 — John 14:27 — Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

10/13/17 — Isaiah 35:4-Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.

10/12/17 — For I have given them the words which You gave Me. They have received them and certainly know that I came from You, and they have believed that You sent Me.

10/11/17 — Jeremiah 17:14 — Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me, and I will be saved, for You are my praise.

10/10/11 — Matthew 11:28 — Then Jesus said, «Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

10/09/17 — Psalm 23:6 — Surely your goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

10/08/17 —  1 Corinthians 15:1-2 My brothers and sisters, I want you to remember the message that I preached and that you believed and trusted. 2 You will be saved by this message, if you hold firmly to it. But if you don’t, your faith was all for nothing.

10/07/17 — Romans 4:3 — For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

10/06/17 — Deuteronomy 4:24 — For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

10/05/17 — Jeremiah 17:7-8 — But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. 8 They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

10/04/17 — Psalm 34:15-The eyes of the LORD watch over those who are righteous; His ears are open to their cries for help.

10/03/17 — Joshua 1:9-Have not I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

10/02/17 — Psalm 100:1-2 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth!  2 Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing.

10/01/17 — Genesis 15:6-Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.

09/30/17- Genesis 15:6-Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.

09/29/17- Psalm 47:6-Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.

09/28/17-  Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,  and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.

09/27/17 — 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness. But He is patient with us, because He does not want any to perish, but all to come to repentance.

09/26/17 — 1 Corinthians 15:58-Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

09/25/17 — Isaiah 40:31-But those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint.

09/24/17- 3 John 1:12-Beloved, I pray you to prosper concerning all things and to be in good health, just as your soul prospers.

09/23/17 — Zephaniah 3:17- The Lord your God is in your midst, a Mighty One, who will save. He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will renew you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.

09/22/17 — Psalm 46:10-He says, «Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.»

09/21/17- Hebrew 4:12-For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

09/20/17 — John 15:13-Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.  

09/19/2017- John 3:16- For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

09/18/17 — JOHN 1:1-In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

What is God’s message for me today? And what kinds of things is He saying to me and everyone else?

God says things like this: “You are my beloved.” “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” “I formed you in your mother’s womb.” “If you will seek my face, you will find me.” Etc.

God’s message for me today is always one of love, acceptance, and affirmation.

We see this vividly in the story of the prodigal son and his father. We see that all the father had to say about his son was, “Welcome home son, here’s my robe, here is my signet ring, now let me feed you, and now let us feast and celebrate your return.” There’s no chastising, no correction, no instruction in righteousness in this very precious moment. The father simply says, “Welcome home, let’s eat!” And that is God’s message for me today.

Isn’t that a great picture? Doesn’t that show plainly what God’s message for me today looks like?

If ever you find yourself thinking that the Father is angry or cross with you, please remind yourself of that parable, and also the scene between Jesus, the Pharisees, and the woman caught in adultery. Do you remember that story?

The sum of it is that these very religious (but hypocritical!) men caught this woman in the very act of adultery. Now this story in no way justifies the misbehavior of this woman! No way! What stands over the misbehavior is both the grace and power of Jesus’ word to this woman. It is God’s message for me and you today, as well. Have you ever caught the fact that his word to her was a prophetic word of power?

You see, when Jesus commanded the woman to go and sin no more, he was actually declaring her both free from sin and able to go and sin no more. God’s message for me today, and the message to her on that very memorable day over 2000 years ago was, “I have set you free, and you are now free to choose the right way to live.”

Love, acceptance, and affirmation

God’s message for me today – of forgiveness and empowerment – is both liberating and responsibility inducing. Do you see this? Do you see that being free from sin means that I am now free to choose the right way? That I am able to engage my daily calendar with positive, edifying, merciful acts on behalf of others and myself? Sometimes we take freedom for granted, don’t we? God’s message for me today is that I am free to follow Jesus, that I am free to collaborate with Him in this phenomenal project He has launched here on Earth, which we call the Great Commission. This is found in Matthew 28. If you haven’t read this passage in a while, here it is:

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 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.” Amen. (Matt. 28:18-20)

God’s message for me today is that I am freed so that I might work with God in this field called Earth. God’s message for me today is that I am able to collaborate with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, along with God’s family, the Church, and get on with this phenomenally interesting and wonderful task of discipling the nations.

So God’s message for me today is that starts with the fact that I am free in Christ, by the Blood and the Cross of Jesus. And now, having been set free, I can engage myself in all kinds of wonderful relationships, projects, and adventures in fulfilling God’s purpose for my life. God’s message for me today is that I am a contributor and an important player in all that He is doing on the Earth.

I collaborate with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

I don’t know about you, but for us here at GOD TV this is the most exciting thing of all: we are working together with God. God’s message for me today is to seek his face, hang out with my tribe (the church), and then get out into the streets and declare His love, joy, peace, and acceptance.

So what is God saying to you today? Are you hearing the same thing I am hearing?

God’s message for me today is: “This is the way, walk in it.” “I have set my angels to guard your path.” “You have been endued with power from on high for the work and mission to which I have called you and invite you.”

Also read: Finding Breakthrough in God’s Presence!

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How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
² But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
³ He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.
⁴ The wicked are not so,
But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
⁵ Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
⁶ For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the wicked will perish.

If this is Prayer Week, why do we begin with a message on Psalm 1 that doesn’t mention prayer, and focus our attention on the Word of God and not prayer? The central point of this psalm is made in
verse 2: «But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.» The person who delights in God’s law so much that he meditates on it day and night is delivered from the ways of the wicked and sinners and scoffers, and is made fruitful and durable and prosperous. That’s the point. Delighting in the law of God is the central issue. So why begin Prayer Week with this psalm and this focus on delighting in the law of God?

Well, where is this psalm? It is the beginning of the book of Psalms. And what are the psalms? Many of them are prayers. In fact, the Psalter is the prayer book of the Bible. Millions of Christians go to the Psalms to find words for the cry of their hearts in the worst of times and the best of times. So I begin Prayer Week with Psalm 1 because the Bible begins its prayer book with Psalm 1.

But why does it? And why should we? The reason is that in the Christian life -in the life of God’s people — prayer and the Word are connected in such a way that if you disconnect them, both die. Let me sum up the connection between prayer and the Word in three ways. The Word of God inspires prayer, it informs prayer and it incarnates prayer. Just a word of explanation on each of these.

Connection Between the Word and Prayer

The Word of God inspires prayer. This means that the Word commands us to pray, and makes promises to us of what God will do if we pray, and tells us stories of great men and women of prayer. James 5:16-18 does all three. First, «Pray for one another so that you may be healed.» There’s a command from the Word. Second, «The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.» There is the encouraging promise. Third, «Elijah was a man with a nature
like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.» There’s a story to inspire us. So the Word inspires prayer by telling us to
do it (like a doctor telling us what’s good for us) and promising us good things if we will do it, and telling us stories to encourage us in our weakness.

Second, the Word of God informs prayer. This means that the Word tells us what to pray and becomes itself the content of our prayer. When you know the mind of God in his Word, you pray the mind of God in your prayers. For example, in Acts 4:24-26, the early church prayed like this: «They lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, «O Lord, it is You who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them [see Exodus 20:11], who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David your servant, said [quoting Psalm 2], ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples devise futile things? The kings of the earth took their stand, and
the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ.'» This is the way powerful saints have prayed throughout history. O may the Lord fill our payers with the great purposes and promises of God that we learn from his Word. The Word informs
prayer.

Third, the Word incarnates prayer. This means that prayers are often invisible and concealed in the soul and in the closet and in the church. But their effect is to be in the open in the lives of other people and among the nations. How does that happen? God
usually advances his purposes in world evangelization and personal transformation and cultural reformation by direct encounters with the truth of his Word. The Word incarnates our prayers. Prayers become effective through the truth getting into people’s ears and minds and hearts.

People don’t just start believing on Jesus because you pray for them. They need to hear about Jesus. «How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?» (Romans 10:14). «Pray for us that the Word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you» (2 Thessalonians 3:1). Prayer empowers the Word and the Word incarnates prayer. Saints don’t just become more holy because someone prays that they will. They need to see the truth: «Sanctify them in the truth. Thy Word is truth» (John 17:17). Cultural slavery to injustice and greed and dishonesty and sexual immorality does not just change because we pray for it. The agent of reformation is the truth: «You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free» (John 8:32). Prayer must be incarnated in declarations and demonstrations of the truth.

That’s probably enough to explain why we begin Prayer Week with a text on the Word of God. The Word inspires, informs and incarnates prayer. They go together, because Word and Spirit go together. Word without Spirit is intellectualism. Spirit without Word is emotionalism at best, and probably syncretism. But the Word and the Spirit are kept together when we depend on the Spirit for help in all our dealing with the Word, and express that dependence
in prayer.

The Blessing of Delighting in God’s Word

Now let’s consider Psalm 1 and focus on delighting in and meditating on the Word of God. First, let’s think about the blessing that comes from delighting in and meditating on the Word
day and night. The Psalm begins, «How blessed is the man. . .» So you are drawn in right away: do you want blessing in your life? The word means «happy» in the rich, full sense of happiness rooted in moral and mental and physical wellbeing.

But now who is this happy person? The one who does not do something and the one who does do something. The happy person does not «walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers!» (verse 1). But what does the happy person do? Verse 2: «But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.» So, instead of finding his pleasures in the words or the ways or the fellowship of the wicked, the one who is truly happy finds pleasure in meditating on the Word and the ways of God. («Law,» Torah, = instruction: God’s Words about God’s ways.)

Now the point of the psalm is to say that when you experience the Word of God like that — as so delightful and so satisfying that it captures your mind and heart day and night and weans you away from the counsel and path and seat of the world -when you experience the Word like that, you are blessed. You are happy.

The Person Who Delights in the Word of God

Then, in verse 3, it gives us three illustrations of that happiness. The first one is that the person who delights in the Word of God and meditates on it day and night will be «like a tree
firmly planted by streams of water which yields its fruit in its season.» The second one is that the person who delights in the Word of God and meditates on it day and night will be like a tree whose «leaf does not wither.» And the third is that the person who delights in the Word of God and meditates on it day and night «will prosper in all that he does.»

Let’s think about each of these for a moment.

1. Fruitful

If you delight in the Word of God and meditate on it day and night you will yield your fruit in season. You will be a fruitful person. O for more fruitful people! You know them. They are
refreshing and nourishing to be around. You go away from them fed. You go away strengthened. You go away with your taste for spiritual things awakened. Their mouth is a fountain of life. Their words are healing and convicting and encouraging and deepening and enlightening. Being around them is like a meal. This is the effect of delighting in the Word of God and meditating on it day and night. You will yield fruit in season.

2. Durable

The second illustration of your blessing if you delight in the Word of God and meditate on it day and night is that your leaf does not wither. The point here is that the hot winds are blowing and the rain is not falling and all the other trees that are not planted by streams are withering and dying, but in spite of all the heat and drought, your leaf remains green, because delighting in
the Word of God and meditating on it day and night is like being planted by a stream. The happiness of this person is durable. It is deep. It does not depend on which way the wind is blowing or whether the rain is falling. It gets its life from an absolutely changeless source: God in his Word.

The person who delights in the Word of God and meditates on it day and night speaks like the prophet in Habakkuk 3:17-18: «Though the fig tree do not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.»

(A Thought on Y2K)

This might be a place to say a word about the Y2K scare. Do you want a prophetic word about Y2K? I have two prophetic words about Y2K. First, the greatest need on January 1, 2000, will not be basements stocked with food and water and generators, but hearts stocked with the Word of God. You will be fruitful, you will flourish, you will be life-giving not by seeking the very things the world seeks (Matthew 6:32), but by delighting in the Word of God and meditating on it day and night. What the world will need and does need from the church is the Word of God that fits us to say, «Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? . .. In all these things we are more than
conquerors through him who loved us» (Romans 8:35-37).

The other prophetic word about Y2K is this: Nothing is going to happen on January 1, 2000, nothing, that is as bad as what is already happening to persecuted and starving Christians in Sudan. Or to the staggering number of orphans in Malawi and other AIDS-devastated countries of Africa. Or to survivors in Honduras and Nicaragua. Or to lonely, dying old people in dozens of skilled care centers around the Twin Cities who have outlived their families. There is something that smells of hypocrisy in the talk about stockpiling supplies in our homes to «minister» to others in the coming Y2K crisis when there are more places to minister this very day that are worse crises than anything that is going to happen a year from now. Y2K will happen to someone every day in 1999 — many of them within your reach.* Delight yourself in the Word of God, meditate on it day and night, and then take the fruit of your life and go minister to the lost and the hungry and the thirsty that are already so many. Then you won’t even notice when Y2K happens.

3. Prospering (Really?)

3. But now that leads to the question raised by the third illustration of blessing and happiness in verse 3. «And in whatever he does, he prospers.» Really? What does this mean? Does it mean that, if you delight in the Word of God and meditate enough, your business will make a big profit and your health will always be good and there will be no food shortages or car accidents or violence against your house?

Well, there are some reasons to believe that such a person will have some of those blessings. For example, when you delight in God’s Word instead of walking in the counsel of the wicked and standing in the way of sinners and sitting in the seat of scoffers, you will be doing the kinds of things that God approves of, and he is likely to bless what he approves. And when you are delighting in the Word of God, you are trusting it, and we know God works for those who trust him and wait for him (Isaiah 64:4; 2 Chronicles 16:9).

But there are reasons to believe that God does not always spare his most faithful people. There are many passages of Scripture that tell us «many are the afflictions of the righteous» (Psalm 34:19; cf. Acts 14:22). Psalm 73 expresses the reality that often the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper. The answer of that Psalm and this one is: Behold what becomes of them in the end (Psalm 73:17).

Psalm 1 says, «The wicked are not so, but they are like chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will
perish» (verses 4-5). When this Psalm ponders the value of being wicked or of delighting in the Word of God, it measures the value finally by what happens at the judgment. There may be some prosperity in this life for the wicked, but in the end they will be swept away like chaff, but those who have delighted in the Word of God will go on flourishing because God sets his eye and favor on them. He «knows» their way.

So the blessing, the happiness, referred to in verse 1 is a life that is nourishing and fruitful for others, a life that is deeply durable in the face of drought and a life whose «labor is not in
vain» (1 Corinthians 15:58), but succeeds in God’s good purposes into eternity. That’s the blessing of delighting in the Word of God and meditating on it day and night.

What Is Meditation?

Now what does this meditation involve? The word «meditation» in Hebrew means basically to speak or to mutter. When this is done in the heart it is called musing or meditation. So meditating on the Word of God day and night means to speak to yourself the Word of God day and night and to speak to yourself about it.

Here is where I plead with you to get involved in the Fighter Verse memory program or some other pattern of Bible memorization. Unless you memorize Scripture you will not meditate on it day and night. But O the benefits and delights of knowing communion with God hour by hour in his Word. If you have ever wondered, What is hour-by-hour walking in fellowship with the living God? the answer is: it is his speaking to you by his Word through your memory and meditation and illumination and application and your speaking to him words of thanks and praise and admiration and desire and seeking for help and guidance and understanding. The Word is the
basis for your hearing him and for his hearing you. The depth and solidity and certainty of your walk with God and your communion with God will rise and fall with whether God’s own written Word is the warp and woof of the fabric of your fellowship.

Let me just give you an example of how this works in my own life. As I was coming to the end of the year and reading the final pages of the Old Testament in the Minor Prophets, I was moved by Micah 7:18. It is the foundation of a favorite hymn of mine, «Who Is a Pardoning God Like Thee?» by Samuel Davies. So I memorized it and carried it around on the front burner of my mind for several days. It says, «Who is a God like thee, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever because he delights in steadfast love.»

One of the insights that I discovered and tasted with tremendous pleasure was that God does choose to be angry, but his anger is limited. Why? Because he «delights in steadfast love.» This means that anger is not God’s favorite emotion. He «delights» in love. This has huge implications — practical ones -about my life and my own anger and love as I rest in him. And theological ones, as I ponder the levels of willing in God: willing to be angry in his holiness at sin, and yet not delighting to be angry the way he delights to show steadfast love. I was fed by this text for several days before I moved on to another front-burner text.

So I urge you to memorize Scripture, and meditate on it day and night. It will change your life in many good ways.

What if Meditation and Prayer are Drudgery?

Finally, we must ask about this delight. The deepest mark of this happy person in Psalm 1 is that he delights in the Word of God (verse 2). Bible reading and Bible memory and meditation are not a burden to him, but a pleasure. This is what we want. What a sadness when Bible reading is just a drudgery. Something is wrong.

What shall we do? Well, we will say more next week, but let’s close considering this. We struggle with Bible reading and memory and meditation because we don’t find pleasure in it. We have other things we want to get to more. TV or breakfast or work or newspaper or computer. Our hearts incline to other things and do not incline to the Word. And so it is not a delight.

Did the psalmists ever struggle with this? Yes they did. Take heart. We all do. How shall this be changed? This is Prayer Week, and so the answer we will stress is that it is changed through
prayer. This is what I will focus on next week. We must pray for God’s enabling to help us delight in his Word. This will be clear from the way the psalmists pray. I hope you will come back and hear the help that the psalmists give us not only to pray without ceasing, but to do it with delight.