Wednesday Morning Scripture – Isaiah 40

The Greatness of God

1 “Comfort, O comfort My people,” says your God.

2 “Speak [a]tenderly to Jerusalem,
And call out to her, that her time of compulsory service in warfare is finished,
That her wickedness has been taken away [since her punishment is sufficient],
That she has received from the LORD’s hand
Double [punishment] for all her sins.”

3 A voice of one is calling out,
“Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness [remove the obstacles];
Make straight and smooth in the desert a highway for our God.

4 “Every valley shall be raised,
And every mountain and hill be made low;
And let the rough ground become a plain,
And the rugged places a broad valley.

5 “And the glory and majesty and splendor of the LORD will be revealed,
And all humanity shall see it together;
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken it.”

6 A voice says, “Call out [prophesy].”
Then he answered, “What shall I call out?”
[The voice answered:] All humanity is [as frail as] grass, and all that makes it attractive [its charm, its loveliness] is [momentary] like the flower of the field.

7 The grass withers, the flower fades,
When the breath of the LORD blows upon it;
Most certainly [all] the people are [like] grass.

8 The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.

9 O Zion, herald of good news,
Get up on a high mountain.
O Jerusalem, herald of good news,
Lift up your voice with strength,
Lift it up, do not fear;
Say to the cities of Judah,
“Here is your God!”

10 Listen carefully, the Lord GOD will come with might,
And His arm will rule for Him.
Most certainly His reward is with Him,
And His restitution accompanies Him.

11 He will protect His flock like a shepherd,
He will gather the lambs in His arm,
He will carry them in His bosom;
He will gently and carefully lead those nursing their young.

12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand,
And marked off the heavens with a span [of the hand],
And calculated the dust of the earth with a [b]measure,
And weighed the mountains in a balance
And the hills in a pair of scales?

13 Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD,
Or has taught Him as His counselor?

14 With whom did He consult and who enlightened Him?
Who taught Him the path of justice and taught Him knowledge
And informed Him of the way of understanding?

15 In fact, the nations are like a drop from a bucket,
And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales;
Now look, He lifts up the islands like fine dust.

16 
And [the forests of] Lebanon cannot supply sufficient fuel to start a fire,
Nor are its wild beasts enough for a burnt offering [worthy of the LORD].

17 All the nations are as nothing before Him,
They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless.

18 To whom then will you liken God?
Or with what likeness will you compare Him?

19 As for the cast image (idol), a metalworker casts it,
A goldsmith overlays it with gold
And a silversmith casts its silver chains.

20 He who is too impoverished for such an offering [to give to his god]
Chooses a tree that will not rot;
He seeks out for himself a skillful craftsman
To [carve and] set up an idol that will not totter.

21 Do you [who worship idols] not know? Have you not heard?
Has it not been told to you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth [the omnipotence of God and the stupidity of bowing to idols]?

22 It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,
And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;
[It is He] who stretches out the heavens like a veil
And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.

23 It is He who reduces dignitaries to nothing,
Who makes the judges (rulers) of the earth meaningless (useless).

24 Scarcely have they been planted,
Scarcely have they been sown,
Scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth,
But He merely blows on them, and they wither,
And a strong wind carries them away like stubble.

25 “To whom then will you compare Me
That I would be his equal?” says the Holy One.

26 Lift up your eyes on high
And see who has created these heavenly bodies,
The One who brings out their host by number,
He calls them all by name;
Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power,
Not one is missing.

27 Why, O Jacob, do you say, and declare, O Israel,
“My way is hidden from the LORD,
And the justice due me escapes the notice of my God”?

28 Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth
Does not become tired or grow weary;
There is no searching of His understanding.

29 He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who has no might He increases power.

30 Even youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,

31 But those who wait for the LORD [who expect, look for, and hope in Him]
Will gain new strength and renew their power;
They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun];
They will run and not become weary,
They will walk and not grow tired.

Isaiah 40:1-31 (AMP)

Footnotes

[a] Isaiah 40:2 Lit to the heart of.

[b] Isaiah 40:12 Lit third.

Wednesday Morning Scripture – John 10:1-21

Parable of the Good Shepherd

1 “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up from some other place [on the stone wall], that one is a thief and a robber. 

2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep[the protector and provider]. 

3 The [a]doorkeeper opens [the gate] for this man, and the sheep hear his voice  and pay attention to it. And [knowing that they listen] he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out [to pasture]. 

4 When he has brought all his own sheep  outside, he walks on ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice and recognize his call. 

5 They will never follow a stranger, but will run away from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.”

6 Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what He was talking about.

7 So Jesus said again, “I assure you and  most solemnly say to you, I am [b]the Door for the sheep[leading to life]. 

8 All who came before Me [as false messiahs and self-appointed leaders] are thieves and robbers, but the [true] sheep did not hear them. 

9 I am the Door; anyone who enters through Me will be saved [and will live forever], and will go in and out [freely], and find pasture (spiritual security). 

10 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].

11 [c]I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd [d]lays down His [own] life for the sheep. 

12 But the hired man [who merely serves for wages], who is neither the shepherd nor the owner of the sheep, when he sees the wolf coming, deserts the flock and runs away; and the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them. 

13 The man runs because he is a hired hand [who serves only for wages] and is not concerned about the [safety of the] sheep. 

14 I am the Good Shepherd, and I know  [without any doubt those who are] My own and My own know Me [and have a deep, personal relationship with Me]— 

15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father—and I lay down My [very own]  life [sacrificing it] for the benefit of the sheep. 

16 I have [e]other sheep [beside these] that are not of this fold. I must bring those also, and they will listen to My voice and  pay attention to My call, and they will become [f]one flock with one Shepherd. 

17 For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My[own] life so that I may take it back. 

18 No one takes it away from Me, but I lay it down voluntarily. I am authorized and  have power to lay it down and to give it up, and I am authorized and have power to take it back. This command I have received from My Father.”

19 A division [of opinion] occurred again among the Jews because of these words [of His]. 20 Many of them said, “He has a demon and He is mad [insane—He raves and rambles]. Why listen to Him?” 

21 Others were saying, “These are not the words and thoughts of one possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

John 10:1-21 (AMP)

Footnotes

[a] John 10:3 The shepherd’s hired assistant who guarded the sheep at night when they were inside the stone enclosure.

[b] John 10:7 The third of the memorable “I am” statements. See note 6:35.

[c] John 10:11 The fourth of the memorable “I am” statements. See note 6:35.

[d] John 10:11 A reference to the atoning sacrifice Jesus was going to make to provide the way for sinners to be saved and reconciled with God.

[e] John 10:16 i.e. the Gentiles.

[f] John 10:16 Jews and Gentiles will be joined through their personal belief in Jesus. The revelation that God intended to unite the Jews and Gentiles into one body of believers was a difficult concept to accept for many in the early church.

    Lion Bites – Global Prophetic Alliance – Be My Disciples

    My Beloved, 

    I call you closer to me, closer to My heart. I call you to spend time with Me, listening to Me, reading My Word with Me, talking things through with Me. This is how I want to grow and equip you for the upcoming season. This is My training ground for you over the next few months: Come and be My disciple and let Me transform you into My image and My likeness.

    Become aware of how much I love you and imitate Me just like children learn by watching their parents. I love you dearly. Now come and spend time with Me and discover a life filled with deep love. 

    I love you boldly and extravagantly, not cautiously. I do not love you to gain something from you but to give My whole self. Now go and love in the same way.

    Read the Gospel and observe how I interact with people and handle various situations. Begin to imitate Me in your daily life. Little by little you will become more like Me. Then, when others look at you, they will see Me in you and through you. They will see My actions reflected in you and hear My proclamations through your words. They will see Me healing the sick through your touch and feel My love through your loving care. They will experience My deliverance when you command demons to leave them.

    This is My heart’s desire for your life: Just as I was in the Father, so you will be in Me and I will be in you. You will experience the same love-filled union with Me that I shared with the Father. Then the world around you will see and know My love through you.

    Activation:

    In the coming weeks, as you read Gospel stories, pay attention to Jesus’s actions, words and the love and dignity He shows towards others. Let His behavior inspire you in your daily life.

    Follow Him, follow His ways in handling situations and relating to people. Go and imitate Jesus in your daily tasks and your encounters with people – and His Love will begin to radiate in you and from you.

    19 After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. 

    20 On that day [when that time comes] you will know for yourselves that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you.

    John 14:19-20 (AMP)

    For those whom He foreknew [and loved and chose beforehand], He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son [and ultimately share in His complete sanctification], so that He would be the firstborn [the most beloved and honored] among many believers.

    Romans 8:29 (AMP)

    Be Imitators of God

    1 Therefore become imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]; 

    2 and walk continually in love [that is, value one another—practice empathy and compassion, unselfishly seeking the best for others], just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God [slain for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.

    Ephesians 5:1-2 (AMP)

    #lionbites

    Tuesday Morning Scripture – Psalm 86

    A Psalm of Supplication and Trust.

    A Prayer of David

    1 Incline Your ear, O LORD, and answer me,
    For I am distressed and needy     [I long for Your help].

    2 Protect my life (soul), for I am godly and faithful;
    O You my God, save Your servant, who trusts in You     [believing in You and relying on You, confidently committing everything to You].

    3 Be gracious and merciful to me, O LORD,
    For to You I cry out all the day long.

    4 Make Your servant rejoice,
    For to You, O LORD, I lift up my soul     [all that I am—in prayer].

    5 For You, O LORD, are good, and ready to forgive [our sins, sending them away, completely letting them go forever and ever];
    And abundant in lovingkindness andoverflowing in mercy to all those who call upon You.

    6 Hear, O LORD, my prayer;
    And listen attentively to the voice of my supplications     (specific requests)!

    7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon You,
    For You will answer me.

    8 There is no one like You among the gods, O LORD,
    Nor are there any works     [of wonder and majesty] like Yours.

    9 All nations whom You have made shall come and kneel down in worship before You, O LORD,
    And they shall glorify Your name.

    10 For You are great and do wondrous works!
    You alone are God.

    11 Teach me Your way, O LORD,
    I will walk and live in Your truth;
    Direct my heart to fear Your name     [with awe-inspired reverence and submissive wonder].

    12 I will give thanks and praise You, O LORD my God, with all my heart;
    And will glorify Your name forevermore.

    13 For great is Your lovingkindness and graciousness toward me;
    And You have rescued my life from the depths of Sheol     [from death].

    14 O God, arrogant and insolent men have risen up against me;
    A band of violent men have sought my life,
    And they have not set You before them.

    15 But You, O LORD, are a God [who protects and is] merciful and gracious,
    Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness and truth.

    16 Turn to me, and be gracious to me;
    Grant Your strength     [Your might and the power to resist temptation] to Your servant,
    And save the son of Your handmaid.

    17 Show me a sign of [Your] goodwill,
    That those who hate me may see it and be ashamed,
    Because You, O LORD, helped and comforted me.

    Psalm 86:1-17 (AMP)

    Tuesday Morning Scripture – Ephesians 5:1-21

    Be Imitators of God

    1 Therefore become imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]; 

    2 and walk continually in love [that is, value one another—practice empathy and compassion, unselfishly seeking the best for others], just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God [slain for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.

    3 But sexual immorality and all [moral] impurity [indecent, offensive behavior] or greed must not even be hinted at among you, as is proper among saints [for as believers our way of life, whether in public or in private, reflects the validity of our faith]. 

    4 Let there be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse [obscene or vulgar] joking, because such things are not appropriate [for believers]; but instead speak of your thankfulness [to God]. 

    5 For be sure of this: no immoral, impure, or greedy person—for that one is [in effect] an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God [for such a person places a higher value on something other than God].

    6 Let no one deceive you with empty arguments [that encourage you to sin], for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience [those who habitually sin]. 

    7 So do not participate or even associate with them [in the rebelliousness of sin]. 

    8 For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of Light [live as those who are native-born to the Light] 

    9 (for the fruit [the effect, the result] of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 

    10 trying to learn [by experience] what is pleasing to the Lord [and letting your lifestyles be examples of what is most acceptable to Him—your behavior expressing gratitude to God for your salvation]. 

    11 Do not participate in the worthless and unproductive deeds of darkness, but instead expose them [by exemplifying personal integrity, moral courage, and godly character]; 

    12 for it is disgraceful even to mention the things that such people practice in secret. 

    13 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light [of God’s precepts], for [a]it is light that makes everything visible.

    14 For this reason He says,

    “Awake, sleeper,
    And arise from the dead,
    And Christ will shine     [as dawn] upon you and give you light.”

    15 Therefore see that you walk carefully [living life with honor, purpose, and courage; shunning those who tolerate and enable evil], not as the unwise, but as wise [sensible, intelligent, discerning people], 

    16 [b]making the very most of your time [on earth, recognizing and taking advantage of each opportunity and using it with wisdom and diligence], because the days are [filled with] evil. 

    17 Therefore do not be foolish and thoughtless, but understand and firmly grasp what the will of the Lord is. 

    18 Do not get drunk with wine, for that is wickedness (corruption, stupidity), but be filled with the [Holy] Spirit and constantly guided by Him. 

    19 [c]Speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, [offering praise by] singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 

    20 always giving thanks to God the Father for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 

    21 being subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.

    Ephesians 5:1-21 (AMP)

    Footnotes

    [a] Ephesians 5:13 Paul, who was privileged to study under the brilliant Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), is probably speaking from the viewpoint of ancient Greek science. Even the philosopher Plato maintained that vision essentially is the process of light forming an image of an object it touches and conveying that image to the eyes. So Paul may mean that what is actually seen is an image composed of light (like the photographic process), and since light is always reliable and its physical properties are constant, nothing exposed to light escapes being revealed. Spiritually speaking, to the extent that a believer functions as Light (v 8), he will expose the sins of unbelievers simply by his presence, just as it is the nature of light to expose whatever it touches.

    [b] Ephesians 5:16 The Greek word in this verse means “buy up at the market place.” Opportunity is regarded as a commodity to be used by believers.

    [c] Ephesians 5:19 The Greeks had a tradition of holding drinking parties (called, in the singular, a symposium) where the object was to sing the praises of the pagan gods while becoming drunk. Perhaps with this tradition in mind, Paul instructs believers to “be filled” instead with the Holy Spirit and to sing meaningful praises to God.

    Lion Bites – Global Prophetic Alliance – Delve Into My Heart

    My child,

    I want you to delve into My heart to discover those aspects of Me that you haven’t seen yet. You have asked Me to open your eyes to My different facets.

    In this season I am going to stir your hunger for Me and your utter desire to be stripped off of what hinders you from touching that place of intimacy. In this new time the process will be fierce and thorough. There is no longer the option for half-hearted devotion. Situations will conspire to keep you close and to have your eyes fixed on Me.

    Your whole heart is being renewed. 

    Where you have felt hindered or unable to accomplish a steadfastness rooted in Me, this spirit of hinderance will no longer hold. You will ascertain what it means to be in Me and to be enveloped by My presence. So much so, that you will cry out: “There is no place I’d rather be than in the presence of the Lord” and “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.” 

    There is a purpose to all of this, My beloved. 

    I am strengthening your feet on the Rock Jesus Christ and building on this foundation so that in Me nothing will be swept away by the storms and squalls that are fast approaching. 

    Only in My presence, in that depth of depths, will you be able to climb those mountains, reach those peaks and walk the path I’m calling you into: for My glory and the enhancement of My Kingdom. So look into My eyes and lose yourself in Me as I show you this new way.  

    Activation: Begin to ask the Lord what has been hindering you in your past. Ask Jesus how He is bringing breakthrough in these areas of your heart and how you can partner with Holy Spirit to leave behind what is stale and doesn’t bring fruit anymore. 

    For You are great and do wondrous works!
    You alone are God.

    Psalm 84:10 (AMP)

    He hushed the storm to a gentle whisper,
    So that the waves of the sea were still.

    Psalm 107:29 (AMP)

    “The Rock! His work is perfect,
    For all His ways are just;
    A God of faithfulness without iniquity     (injustice),
    Just and upright is He.

    Deuteronomy 32:4 (AMP)

    #lionbites

    Monday Morning Scripture – Psalm 84

    Longing for the Temple Worship.

    To the Chief Musician; set to a [a]Philistine lute. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

    1 How lovely are Your dwelling places,
    O LORD of hosts!

    2 My soul (my life, my inner self) longs for and greatly desires the courts of the LORD;
    My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.

    3 The bird has found a house,
    And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young—
    Even Your altars, O LORD of hosts,
    My King and my God.

    4 Blessed and greatly favored are those who dwell in Your house and Your presence;
    They will be singing Your praises all the day long. Selah.

    5 Blessed and greatly favored is the man whose strength is in You,
    In     [b]whose heart are the highways to Zion.

    6 Passing through the Valley of Weeping ([c]Baca), they make it a place of springs;
    The early rain also covers it with blessings.

    7 They go from strength to strength [increasing in victorious power];
    Each of them appears before God in Zion.

    8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;
    Listen, O God of Jacob! Selah.

    9 See our shield, O God,
    And look at the face of Your anointed     [the king as Your representative].
    10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand     [anywhere else];
    I would rather stand     [as a doorkeeper] at the threshold of the house of my God
    Than to live     [at ease] in the tents of wickedness.

    11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
    The LORD bestows grace and favor and honor;
    No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.

    12 O LORD of hosts,
    How blessed and greatly favored is the man who trusts in You     [believing in You, relying on You, and committing himself to You with confident hope and expectation].

    Psalm 84:1-12 (AMP)

    Footnotes

    [a] Psalm 84:1 A technical musical term, meaning uncertain.

    [b] Psalm 84:5 Lit their.

    [c] Psalm 84:6 Possibly a kind of plant.

    Lion Bites – Global Prophetic Alliance – Above the Chaos

    Beloved, I, the Lord, have set a higher standard for My people to rest and take refuge in Me. I am calling you to rise to higher places with Me far above the chaos and distractions around you. My desire is for you to experience My vantage point as we soar together at great heights.  As we begin to feel the thermals and ascend, take my hand and don’t look down. Stay focused on Me. I will be that comforting and stabilizing force as you rise. 

    As we ascend through the clouds, keep your eyes on Me only. Just like an image becomes unclear when a snow globe is shaken, avoid fixating on the clouds or anything else that can hinder your view of what I wish to reveal to you. By maintaining your focus on Me, I will guide you toward clarity. With Me, you’ll find peace as you understand your new surroundings while staying calm and allowing everything to become clear

    Activation:

    Picture yourself inside of a shaken snow globe with the snow swirling about you. As you visualize this, reflect on a current situation in your life where you need the Lord’s clarity. Ask the Lord to share with you what He sees and His perspective regarding this situation. Ask Him to reveal its clear details to you. Additionally, according to Philippians 4:7, ask for His peace, which transcends all understanding, to guard your heart and mind in this situation. As you feel His peace settle you, visualize the swirling snow settling, allowing the image He wishes to show you to come into full focus and with clarity.

    10 “Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God.
    I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth.”

    11 The LORD of hosts is with us;
    The God of Jacob is our stronghold     [our refuge, our high tower]. Selah.

    Psalm 46:10-11 (AMP)

    I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
    I will counsel you     [who are willing to learn] with My eye upon you.

    Psalm 32:8 (AMP)

    The Sea Is Divided

    13 Then Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid! Take your stand [be firm and confident and undismayed] and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today; for those Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see again. 

    14 The LORD will fight for you while you [only need to] keep silent and remain calm.”

    Exodus 14:13-14 (NKJV)

    #lionbites