Gospel Song of the Day – Your Grace and Mercy

The LORD said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have asked; for you have found favor (lovingkindness, mercy) in My sight and I have known you [personally] by name.”

Exodus 33:17 (AMP)

They sang [responsively], praising and giving thanks to the LORD, saying, “For He is good, for His lovingkindness (mercy) toward Israel endures forever.” And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the LORD because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.

Ezra 3:11 (AMP)

But as for me, I will enter Your house through the abundance of Your steadfast love and tender mercy; At Your holy temple I will bow [obediently] in reverence for You.

Psalm 5:7 (AMP)

Therefore, [inheriting] the promise depends entirely on faith [that is, confident trust in the unseen God], in order that it may be given as an act of grace [His unmerited favor and mercy], so that the promise will be [legally] guaranteed to all the descendants [of Abraham]—not only for those [Jewish believers] who keep the Law, but also for those [Gentile believers] who share the faith of Abraham, who is the [spiritual] father of us all—

Romans 4:16 (AMP)

For sin will no longer be a master over you, since you are not under Law [as slaves], but under [unmerited] grace [as recipients of God’s favor and mercy].

Romans 6:14 (AMP)

and they also long for you while they pray on your behalf, because of the surpassing measure of God’s grace [His undeserved favor, mercy, and blessing which is revealed] in you.

2 Corinthians 9:14 (AMP)

but He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in[your] weakness.” Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ [may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me.

2 Corinthians 12:9 (AMP)

even when we were [spiritually] dead and separated from Him because of our sins, He made us [spiritually] alive together with Christ (for by His grace—His undeserved favor and mercy—you have been saved from God’s judgment).

Ephesians 2:5 (AMP)

to Timothy, my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Timothy 1:2 (AMP])

Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].

Hebrews 4:16 (AMP)

Walk According to His Commandments

Grace, mercy, and peace (inner calm, a sense of spiritual well-being) will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, in truth and love.

2 John 1: 3 (AMP)

Lion Bites – Global Prophetic Alliance – I Still Am

Amidst great speculation, I asked My disciples ‘Who do you say that I am?’

In a moment of revelation, Peter had faith to believe that I was the Messiah, Son of the Living God.  

I still am.  

This level of faith is reflected in the life of blind Bartimaeus who cried out to Me, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’  I asked him what he wanted Me to do for him and in response to his desperation for sight to be restored, I opened his blind eyes to see.  My Beloved Bride, who do you say that I am and what do you want Me to do for you today? 

Where you need victory in your life, know that I am the Victorious One.  If you’re struggling with the guilt and shame of sin, I am your Great High Priest.  If you’re sick and need health restored, I am the Lord who heals you. If the darkness is looming in, I am the Light of the World.  Where you are held in oppression or addiction, I came to set the captives free.  Call on the Name that is above all other names and let Me meet you in your place of need.

My Beloved Child, as you celebrate this season of advent, reflect on the words of the Prophets as they foretold of the coming Messiah who is your Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace.

Activation:

Spend time in the Lord’s presence reflecting on the questions above.  Open your heart and bring to Him your requests and any area of need.  Repent of unbelief and thank Him for the divine exchange. Receive from Him by faith what He desires to give you and declare the truth of who He is.

For to us a Child shall be born, to us a Son shall be given;
And the government shall be upon His shoulder,
And His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6 (AMP)

Exaltation of the Afflicted

1 The Spirit of the LORD God is upon me,
Because the LORD has anointed and commissioned me
To bring good news to the humble and afflicted;
He has sent me to bind up [the wounds of] the brokenhearted,
To proclaim release [from confinement and condemnation] to the [physical and spiritual] captives
And freedom to prisoners,

2 To proclaim [a]the favorable year of the LORD,
[b]And the day of vengeance and retribution of our God,
To comfort all who mourn,

Isaiah 61:1-2 (AMP)

#lionbites

Friday Morning Scripture – Isaiah 9:1-7

Birth and Reign of The Prince of Peace

1 But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish [for with judgment comes the promise of salvation]. In earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He will make them honored [by the presence of the Messiah], by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.

2 The people who walk in [spiritual] darkness [1]will see a great Light; those who live in the dark land, The Light will shine on them.

3 You [O God] will increase the nation,You will multiply their joy; they will rejoice before You like the joy and jubilation of the harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil [of victory].

4 For You will break the yoke of Israel’s burden and the staff (goad) on their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, as at the [2]battle of Midian.

5 For every boot of the marching warrior in the battle tumult, and [every soldier’s] garment rolled in blood, will be used for burning, fuel for the fire.

6 For to us a Child shall be born, to us a Son shall be given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 There shall be no end to the increase of His government and of peace, [He shall rule] on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from that time forward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.

Isaiah 9:1-7 (AMP)

Footnotes

[a] Isaiah 9:2 Or have seen, Hebrew perfect tense. The perfect tense is used frequently in this passage and should probably be interpreted as the prophetic future, that is, the use of the perfect (past) tense to describe a future event as a certainty

[b] .Isaiah 9:4 A reference to Gideon’s great victory over the Midianites (Judg 7:22-25).

Friday Morning Scripture – Isaiah 61

Exaltation of the Afflicted

1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
Because the LORD has anointed and commissioned me to bring good news to the humble and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up [the wounds of] the brokenhearted, to proclaim release [from confinement and condemnation] to the [physical and spiritual] captives and freedom to prisoners,

2 To proclaim [a]the favorable year of the LORD,[b]And the day of vengeance and retribution of our God, to comfort all who mourn,

3 To grant to those who mourn in Zion the following: to give them a [c]turban instead of dust [on their heads, a sign of mourning],
The oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a disheartened spirit. So they will be called the trees of righteousness [strong and magnificent, distinguished for integrity, justice, and right standing with God], the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.

4 Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins,
They will raise up and restore the former desolations; and they will renew the ruined cities, the desolations (deserted settlements) of many generations.

5 Strangers will stand and feed your flocks,
and foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers.

6 But you shall be called the priests of the LORD; people will speak of you as the ministers of our God. You will eat the wealth of nations, and you will boast of their riches.

7 Instead of your [former] shame you will have a [d]double portion; and instead of humiliation your people will shout for joy over their portion. Therefore in their land they will possess double [what they had forfeited]; everlasting joy will be theirs.

8 For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery with [e]a burnt offering. and I will faithfully reward them, and make an everlasting covenant with them.

9 Then their offspring will be known among the nations, and their descendants among the peoples. All who see them [in their prosperity] will recognize and acknowledge them that they are the people whom the LORD has blessed.

10 I will rejoice greatly in the LORD,
My soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has covered me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom puts on a [f]turban, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

11 For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,
And as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord GOD will [most certainly] cause righteousness and justice and praise to spring up before all the nations [through the power of His word].

Isaiah 61:1-11 (AMP)

Footnotes

[a] Isaiah 61:2 The same as a day of salvation(49:8), and the year of my redeemed (63:4).

[b] Isaiah 61:2 See note Ezek 34:28.

[c] Isaiah 61:3 In the Hebrew there is a kind of wordplay here as “turban” (Heb pe’er) and dust (epher) have the same consonants and similar vowels.

[d] Isaiah 61:7 I.e. abundant reward.

[e] Isaiah 61:8 Another reading is wrongdoing or malice, but by itself either would hardly be an improvement. Some prefer to read with as “and,” which requires the assumption of a scribal error that is possible though not found in existing manuscripts. It would also raise the question of why robbery is singled out among other kinds of wrongdoing. In the Talmud the verse is taken to refer literally to the theft of an animal which the thief intends to offer as a sacrifice. The point is that the offering is unacceptable even though everything actually belongs to God and the thief arguably is only returning to God what is His.

[f] Isaiah 61:10 Or head wrap.

Lion Bites – Global Prophetic Alliance – Game On

I am calling you, My chosen ones, into My placement and orchestrated movements. In the game of chess there is no chaos but precise placement and prescribed movement. 

I want you to depend on Me to know where the most advantageous place for you will be as you prepare for the coming season. 

Lock into My heart as the chess master of your life and align yourself with others in this kingdom movement.

All are needed and have a part to play. Each “piece“ has assigned value and moves for the benefit of kingdom advancement. Know how unique you are and where you are meant to move by a daily dialogue with Me.

Let Me be your strategist and assist you in the timing of your move as we together take territory from the enemy. I will use you to achieve a kingdom “checkmate” as you listen and obey Me with focus and determined expectation. 

I ,the reigning King, call you and say, “Let the game begin.”

Activation: 

Sit quietly with the Lord and ask Him.

What is my role? Where are You placing me? How do you want me to move? Write what He tells you.

Prayer: 

Lord thank You that You are directing every movement of my life as we partner together in advancing the Kingdom. I submit to the role you have assigned me and the strategic timing of where you have placed me. I choose to stay close to your heart and mind so that I can hear you accurately and surrender to your plan.

You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 16:11 (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)

#lionbites

Thursday Morning Scripture – Psalm 16

The LORD, the Psalmist’s Portion in Life and Deliverer in Death.

A [a]Mikhtam of David [probably intended to record memorable thoughts].

1 Keep and protect me, O God, for in You I have placed my trust and found refuge.

2 I said to the LORD, “You are my LORD; I have no good besides You.”

3 As for the saints (godly people) who are in the land, they are the majestic and the noble and the excellent ones in whom is all my delight.

4 The sorrows [pain and suffering] of those who have chosen another god will be multiplied [because of their idolatry]; I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood, nor will I take their names upon my lips.

5 The LORD is the portion of my inheritance, my cup [He is all I need]; You support my lot.

6 The [boundary] lines [of the land] have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.

7 I will bless the LORD who has counseled me; indeed, my heart (mind) instructs me in the night.

8 I have set the LORD continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory [my innermost self] rejoices; my body too will dwell [confidently] in safety,

10 For You will not abandon me to Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead), nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.

11 You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 16:1-11 (AMP)

Footnotes

[a] Psalm 16:1 Meaning uncertain; perhaps a poem.

Thursday Morning Scripture – Psalm 32

Blessedness of Forgiveness and of Trust in God.

A Psalm of David. A skillful [a]song, or a didactic or reflective poem.

1 Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, favored by God] is he whose transgression is forgiven,
And whose sin is covered.

2 Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute wickedness,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit.

3 When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away
Through my groaning all the day long.

4 For day and night Your hand [of displeasure] was heavy upon me;
My [b]energy (vitality, strength) was drained away as with the burning heat of summer. Selah.

5 I acknowledged my sin to You,
And I did not hide my wickedness;
I said, “I will confess [all] my transgressions to the LORD”;
And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.

6 Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You [for forgiveness] in a time when You [are near and] may be found;
Surely when the great waters [of trial and distressing times] overflow they will not reach [the spirit in] him.

7 You are my hiding place; You, LORD, protect me from trouble;
You surround me with songs and shouts of deliverance. Selah.

8 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.

9 Do not be like the horse or like the mule which have no understanding,
Whose trappings include bridle and rein to hold them in check,
Otherwise they will not come near to you.

10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
But he who trusts in and relies on the LORD shall be surrounded with compassion and lovingkindness.

11 Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous [who actively seek right standing with Him];
Shout for joy, all you upright in heart.

Psalm 32:1-11 (AMP)

Footnotes

[a] Psalm 32:1 Meaning uncertain.

[b] Psalm 32:4 Lit life juices were turned into the drought of summer.

Lion Bites – Global Prophetic Alliance – Wild Opportunity

The Spirit of the Lord says, “I am about the business of breaking My people out from walls of confinement. Where you have been imprisoned by fear, disobedience and inactivity, I am calling you into freedom. Where there was domesticity and smallness there will be a wildness and a spaciousness. You will spread out to the left and to the right. I am taking you out of confinement into freedom and opportunity.

I’ve heard your cries just like I heard the cries of My people in Egypt. The time is now to pull you out of the slavery of religion. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Just as My people were led from the cruel confinement of Egypt into the wild freedom of the wilderness, I am taking you out from systems of control into rhythms of divine provision and instruction. Where you see wilderness, I see wild opportunity. Where you may see the desolation of what is, I will show you joy and freedom in the new. This wilderness season will look uncomfortable because it requires a deepening of daily dependency and reliance on Me.”

Activation: As you stay in intimacy with the Lord, ask him to show you where you have been confined and where you’ve accepted a small mindset that has limited what he could do in your life. Repent from partnering with any spirit of religion and ask Holy Spirit to show you how to go beyond your limits, old ways, and formulas through embracing deeper dependency and reliance on Him.

“For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
And your descendants will take possession of nations
And will inhabit deserted cities.

Isaiah 54:3 (AMP)

“I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery

Exodus 20:2 (AMP)

Walk by the Spirit

It was for this freedom that Christ set us free [completely liberating us]; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery [which you once removed].

Galatians 5:1 (AMP)

#lionbites

Wednesday Morning Scripture – Galatians 5

Walk by the Spirit

1 It was for this freedom that Christ set us free [completely liberating us]; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery [which you once removed].

2 Notice, it is I, Paul, who tells you that if you receive circumcision [as a supposed requirement of salvation], Christ will be of no benefit to you [for you will lack the faith in Christ that is necessary for salvation]. 

3 Once more I solemnly affirm to every man who receives circumcision [as a supposed requirement of salvation], that he is under obligation and required to keep the whole Law. 

4 You have been severed from Christ, if you seek to be [a]justified [that is, declared free of the guilt of sin and its penalty, and placed in right standing with God] through the Law; you have fallen from grace [for you have lost your grasp on God’s unmerited favor and blessing]. 

5 For we [not relying on the Law but] through the [strength and power of the Holy] Spirit, by faith, are waiting [confidently] for the hope of righteousness [the completion of our salvation]. 

6 For [if we are] in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but only faith activated and expressed and working through love.

7 You were running [the race] well; who has interfered and prevented you from obeying the truth? 

8 This [deceptive] persuasion is not from Him who called you [to freedom in Christ]. 

9 A little [b]leaven [a slight inclination to error, or a few false teachers] leavens the whole batch [it perverts the concept of faith and misleads the church]. 

10 I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view [contrary to mine on the matter]; but the one who is disturbing you, whoever he is, will have to bear the penalty. 

11 But as for me, [c]brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision [as I had done before I met Christ; and as [d]some accuse me of doing now, as necessary for salvation], why am I still being persecuted [by Jews]? In that case the stumbling block of the cross [to unbelieving Jews] has been abolished. 

12 I wish that those who are troubling you [by teaching that circumcision is necessary for salvation] would even [go all the way and] castrate themselves!

13 For you, my brothers, were called to freedom; only do not let your freedom become an opportunity for the [e]sinful nature (worldliness, selfishness), but through [f]love serve and seek the best for one another. 

14 For the whole Law [concerning human relationships] is fulfilled in one precept, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, you shall have an unselfish concern for others and do things for their benefit].”

15 But if you bite and devour one another [in bickering and strife], watch out that you [along with your entire fellowship] are not consumed by one another.

16 But I say, walk habitually in the [Holy] Spirit [seek Him and be responsive to His guidance], and then you will certainly not carry out the desire of the [g]sinful nature [which responds impulsively without regard for God and His precepts]. 

17 For the sinful nature has its desire which is opposed to the Spirit, and the [desire of the] Spirit opposes the [h]sinful nature; for these [two, the sinful nature and the Spirit] are in direct opposition to each other [continually in conflict], so that you [as believers] do not [always] do whatever [good things] you want to do. 

18 But if you are guided and led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the Law. 

19 Now the practices of the [i]sinful nature are clearly evident: they are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality (total irresponsibility, lack of self-control), 

20 [j]idolatry, [k]sorcery, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions [that promote heresies], 

21 envy, drunkenness, riotous behavior, and other things like these. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 

22 But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 

23 gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. 

24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the [l]sinful nature together with its passions and appetites.

25 If we [claim to] live by the [Holy] Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage—our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit]. 

26 We must not become conceited, challenging or provoking one another, envying one another.

Galatians 5:1-26 (AMP)

Footnotes

[a] Galatians 5:4 See note 2:16.

[b] Galatians 5:9 Leaven (yeasty dough) represents the man-made tradition and false teachings that obscure the truth regarding salvation through personal belief and faith in Christ.

[c] Galatians 5:11 Lit brethren.

[d] Galatians 5:11 Paul’s opponents in Galatia were trying to support their own arguments for circumcision by claiming that Paul was actually in favor of it. They probably knew that he had circumcised Timothy (Acts 16:3) and were taking advantage of that fact.

[e] Galatians 5:13 Lit flesh.

[f] Galatians 5:13 The key to understanding this and other statements about love is to know that this love (the Greek word agape) is not so much a matter of emotion as it is of doing things for the benefit of another person, that is, having an unselfish concern for another and a willingness to seek the best for another.

[g] Galatians 5:16 Lit flesh.

[h] Galatians 5:17 Lit flesh.

[i] Galatians 5:19 Lit flesh.

[j] Galatians 5:20 Including prostitution, which was often part of pagan ritual.

[k] Galatians 5:20 Including such things as occult practices, witchcraft, worship of evil powers, drug-induced trances.

[l] Galatians 5:24 Lit flesh.