Thursday Morning Scripture – Psalm 1

The Righteous and the Wicked Contrasted.

1 [a]Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked [following their advice and example],
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit [down to rest] in the seat of [b]scoffers (ridiculers).

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night.

3 And he will be like a tree firmly planted [and fed] by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season;
Its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers [and comes to maturity].

4 The wicked [those who live in disobedience to God’s law] are not so,
But they are like the chaff [worthless and without substance] which the wind blows away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand [unpunished] in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

6 For the Lord knows and fully approves the way of the righteous,
But the way of the wicked shall perish.

Psalm 1:1-6 (AMP)

Footnotes

[a] Psalm 1:1 This has been called “The Preface Psalm” because in some respects it introduces the complete book of Psalms as a godly message. It opens with a benediction, “Blessed,” as does the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5:3).

[b] Psalm 1:1 i.e. shallow thinkers who are quick to mock or disdain.

    Thursday Morning Scripture – Psalm 19

    The Works and the Word of God.

    To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

    1 The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
    And the expanse     [of heaven] is declaring the work of His hands.

    2 Day after day pours forth speech,
    And night after night reveals knowledge.

    3 There is no speech, nor are there [spoken] words [from the stars];
    Their voice is not heard.

    4 Yet their voice [in quiet evidence] has gone out through all the earth,
    Their words to the end of the world.
    In them and in the heavens He has made a tent for the sun,

    5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber;
    It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.

    6 The sun’s rising is from one end of the heavens,
    And its circuit to the other end of them;
    And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

    7 The law of the Lord is perfect (flawless), restoring and refreshing the soul;
    The statutes of the Lord are reliable and trustworthy, making wise the simple.

    8 The precepts of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart;
    The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

    9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
    The judgments of the Lord are true, they are righteous altogether.

    10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
    Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.

    11 Moreover, by them Your servant is warned [reminded, illuminated, and instructed];
    In keeping them there is great reward.

    12 Who can understand his errors oromissions? Acquit me of hidden (unconscious, unintended) faults.

    13 Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous (deliberate, willful) sins;
    Let them not rule and have control over me.
    Then I will be blameless     (complete),
    And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.

    14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
    Be acceptable and pleasing in Your sight,
    O Lord, my     [firm, immovable] rock and my Redeemer.

    Psalm 19:1-14 (AMP)

    Thursday Morning Scripture – Psalm 40

    God Sustains His Servant

    To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

    1 I waited patiently and expectantly for the LORD;
    And He inclined to me and heard my cry.

    2 He brought me up out of a horrible pit [of tumult and of destruction], out of the miry clay,
    And He set my feet upon a rock, steadying my footsteps and establishing my path.

    3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;
    Many will see and fear     [with great reverence]
    And will trust confidently in the LORD.

    4 Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who makes the LORD his trust,
    And does not regard the proud nor those who lapse into lies.

    5 Many, O LORD my God, are the wonderful works which You have done,
    And Your thoughts toward us;
    There is none to compare with You.
    If I would declare and speak of your wonders,
    They would be too many to count.

    6 Sacrifice and meal offering You do not desire, nor do You delight in them;
    You have opened my ears and given me the capacity to hear     [and obey Your word];
    Burnt offerings and sin offerings You do not require.

    7 Then I said, “Behold, I come [to the throne];
    In the scroll of the book it is written of me.

    8 “I delight to do Your will, O my God;
    Your law is within my heart.”

    9 I have proclaimed good news of righteousness [and the joy that comes from obedience to You] in the great assembly;
    Behold, I will not restrain my lips     [from proclaiming Your righteousness],
    As You know, O LORD.

    10 I have not concealed Your righteousness within my heart;
    I have proclaimed Your faithfulness and Your salvation.
    I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great assembly.

    11 Do not withhold Your compassion and tender mercy from me, O LORD;
    Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me.

    12 For innumerable evils have encompassed me;
    My sins have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see.
    They are more numerous than the hairs of my head,
    And my heart has failed me.

    13 Be pleased, O LORD, to save me;
    O LORD, make haste to help me.

    14 Let those be ashamed and humiliated together
    Who seek my life to destroy it;
    Let those be turned back     [in defeat] and dishonored
    Who delight in my hurt.

    15 Let those be appalled and desolate because of their shame
    Who say to me, “Aha, aha     [rejoicing in my misfortune]!”

    16 Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
    Let those who love Your salvation say continually,
    “The LORD be magnified!”

    17 Even though I am afflicted and needy,
    Still the LORD takes thought and is mindful of me.
    You are my help and my rescuer.
    O my God, do not delay.

    Psalm 40:1-17 (AMP)

    Lion Bites – Global Prophetic Alliance – Raise a Holy Roar

    Shout to Me, My Daughter!

    Shout to Me, My Son!

    Lift up your voices and shout to Me!

    Let your heart’s cry be heard!

    My Beloved, the cry of your heart needs to be heard in heaven and on earth. Your voice matters. Your holy roar needs to be released. It will set free My power and My victory, and cause My kingdom to break in. 

    Shout for your Lord and for His Kingdom – express your longing for My breakthroughs in a desperate battle cry! This is not a thought in your mind nor a whisper from your lips. It is a cry that emerges from the depth of your heart. Shout without restraints, without fear of men. 

    It is the shout of My enslaved people for freedom. It is the shout of My mistreated ones for justice. It is the cry of the blind ones for their sight to be restored, of the deaf to hear, of the lame to walk. It is the pleading of parents before the Lord for their prodigals to return. It is the declaration of faith passed on in triumph from one generation to another. It is the battle cry of My warrior Bride for victory in the face of the enemies.

    Activation:

    Go to a place where you are free to be “loud”. In this safe place let the cry of your heart come out. It may start slowly and gently. But then let it grow louder and louder. It might have rhythm or melody or words – it might not. Express your feelings, your longings, your desperation – whatever is in the depth of your heart. Let it out as it comes. Let your holy roar out! Shout to your Lord without restraint. As your confidence with this grows, consider doing it with your family, in a small group or in a church setting as Holy Spirit leads you.

    The Thirsting Soul Satisfied in God.

    A Psalm of David; when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

    1 O God, You are my God; with deepest longing I will seek You;
    My     [a]soul [my life, my very self] thirsts for You, my flesh longs and sighs for You,
    In a dry and weary land where there is no water.

    2  So I have gazed upon You in the sanctuary,
    To see Your power and Your glory.

    3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
    My lips shall praise You.

    Psalm 63:1-3 (AMP)

    Footnote

    [a] The Hebrew word translated “soul” in this psalm and elsewhere in the book of Psalms is nephesh. This word usually refers to a person’s “life” or “self,” but can also mean “throat,”

    3 Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised,
    And His greatness is     [so vast and profound as to be] unsearchable [incomprehensible to man].
    4 
    One generation shall praise Your works to another,
    And shall declare Your mighty and remarkable acts.

    Psalm 145:3-4 (AMP)

    A Psalm of Praise.

    1 O praise the Lord, all you nations!
    Praise Him, all you people!

    2 For His lovingkindness prevails over us [and we triumph and overcome through Him],
    And the truth of the Lord endures forever.
    Praise the Lord!     (Hallelujah!)

    Psalm 117 (AMP)

    Lion Bites – Global Prophetic Alliance – Be the Solution

    My child, I have called you to speak out and change atmospheres. I have called you to know your identity in Me, follow My Spirit and decree over the nations with the authority I have given you.
    This is not a time to slumber. Wars are raging and there are people around you that are either under resignation and denial, or enwrapped in fear.
    But I have My remnant who have gone through fire in preparation for this. I have refined you, you have felt the fire of My furnace and emerged through the other side. So arise and be the solution, be My solution to the world.
    Start with a friend, a neighbour or a colleague – speak Kingdom truth and solutions into their lives with confidence. Do not let any lying spirit deceive you into thinking that you can’t do it, that you’re not ready or that you’re not good enough.
    Follow Me, follow the sound of My voice, and I will show you who to talk to, when and how. Speak the truth and set them free. Don’t put limits on yourself, and don’t put limits on Me.

    Activation:

    Ask Holy Spirit to allow you to see with God’s eyes what is going on around you. Then ask Him to “zoom in” to better understand the details. After that, ask the Lord who is the person, people group or nation you should speak words of truth and deliverance to. After you have practised and become familiar with it, then make it a lifestyle to bring Kingdom solutions to those around you.

    The Truth Will Make You Free

    31 So Jesus was saying to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word [continually obeying My teachings and living in accordance with them, then] you are truly My disciples. 

    32 And you will know the truth [regarding salvation], and the truth will set you free [from the penalty of sin].”

    John 8:31-32 (AMP)

    “I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers,
    For You have given me wisdom and power;
    Even now You have made known to me what we requested of You,
    For You have made known to us     [the solution to] the king’s matter.”

    Daniel 2:23 (AMP)

    “I say to you, whoever declares openly and confesses Me before men [speaking freely of Me as his Lord], the Son of Man also will declare openly and confess him [as one of His own] before the angels of God.

    Luke 12:8 (AMP)

    #lionbites

    Monday Morning Prayer (W43/2024)

    21 But this I call to mind,
    Therefore I have hope.

    22 It is because of the LORD’s lovingkindnesses that we are not consumed,
    Because His     [tender] compassions never fail.

    23 They are new every morning;
    Great and beyond measure is Your faithfulness.

    Lamentations 3:21-23 (NIV)

    El Emunah. My God and Father. The Great and Mighty God of all. The One who is the Creator of all that is seen and unseen; things before, right now and ahead. I ask You for forgiveness of sins, whether they be of thoughts, words or deeds. I thank You that my sins are as far from me as the east is from the west, so You can use me once again.

    Today I come before You to give thanks, because Your mercies are new every morning. Life is a long road that has many things that step into our paths to sidetrack us, blind us, slow us down or speed us up. However, I can thank You for always being a God of a second chance; I can pull on Your mercy as it endures forever. You are a Faithful God and no matter how many times I fail, You are there to lift me up, forgive me and place me back up on the Rock from where I fell. Remind me, when I fall away it is not from physical things but it is from You. Help me to find myself within You. Once my roots are embedded in You, they will not be uprooted and pushed away. I remain rooted and focused. Joy, peace, love, confidence and courage are all available to me in abundance, if I request them from You, and do not expect to find them in this world. As I seek Your face, I ask for a new heart to be placed within me, which holds new desires. As the songwriter requests, ‘Prepare me to be a sanctuary; pure and holy, tried and true’. I look to You and ask that Your will be done in my life.

    Blessed (content, sheltered by God’s promises) are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

    Matthew 5:7 (AMP)

    Be merciful (responsive, compassionate, tender) just as your (heavenly) Father is merciful.

    Luke 6:36 (AMP)

    Blessed (gratefully praised and adored) be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts and encourages us in every trouble so that we will be able to comfort and encourage those who are in any kind of trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

    2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (AMP)

    But God, being (so very) rich in mercy, because of His great and wonderful love with which He loved us, 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 24:5 (AMP)

    ‘...having been deeply rooted (in Him) and now being continually built up in Him and (becoming increasingly more) established in your faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing in it with gratitude

    Colossians 2:7 (AMP)

    Nevertheless, do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day. The Lord does not delay (as though He were unable to act) and is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is (extraordinarily) patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance

    2 Peter 3:8-9 (AMP)

    If we (freely) admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises), and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness (our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose).

    1 John 1:9 (AMP)

    To You who is able to keep me from falling and to present me before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy – to You who is the only God, my Saviour, be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Yeshua The Anointed One, my Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. Jude 1:24-25

    Lion Bites – Global Prophetic Alliance – Blessed are the Merciful

    “Blessed [content, sheltered by God’s promises] are the merciful, for they will receive mercy

    Matthew 5:7 (AMP)

    The Lord says: “I am taking you on a journey to expand your heart.”

    “It is not enough that you love family and friends and forgive them when they offend you by word or deed. Your love for them covers a multitude of offences and you know My commands to you about forgiveness. But don’t those who do not know Me do the same as you? Is the bar of forgiveness and mercy set so low?

    I require a level of mercy from you that will test you in the days ahead. I will ask you to forgive those who ignore and shun you, those who set themselves up against you, those who plot against you and seek your downfall, those who show enmity towards you and those who are false to you.

    I know the pain and hurt this will cause you. Just as a mother lovingly cares for and protects her newborn baby, so I lovingly care and protect you who are weak and vulnerable. I will be with you at these times of trial, I will be your strength.

    My Spirit will enlarge your heart so that you can forgive – by acknowledging the hurt, letting you see beyond the offence and denying bitterness and resentment from constricting your heart. As you share in My sufferings, so you will share in My comfort.”

    Activation:

    The Hebrew word for mercy is ‘rachamim’, meaning to love tenderly, to pity, to sympathise with and to have compassion for. It is closely related to the word for ‘womb’ – representing the unconditional love a mother has for her baby.

    Ask Holy Spirit to help you visualise yourself being held like a child in the hands of a truly loving God. What are the sensations that you feel? Can you feel His love completely surrounding you? This is the same God who sent His Son to die on a cross – deserted by His friends, vilified by the crowds and who, as they cast lots for His clothes, said: “Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34).

    [a]And Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing His clothes among themselves.

    Luke 23:34 (AMP)

    Footnotes

    [a] Luke 23:34 Some early mss do not contain the words “And Jesus was saying…doing.”

    Make mercy an action word. Allow Holy Spirit to show you any unresolved areas of forgiveness and agree to keep short accounts. Pause and pray before responding, remembering that picture of God’s love for you. Surrender any thoughts of justice to the Lord.

    8 The Lord is gracious and full of compassion,
    Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.

    9 The Lord is good to all,
    And His tender mercies are over all His works     [the entirety of things created].

    Psalm 145:8-9 (AMP)

    12 So, as God’s own chosen people, who are holy [set apart, sanctified for His purpose] and well-beloved [by God Himself], put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience [which has the power to endure whatever injustice or unpleasantness comes, with good temper]; 

    13 bearing graciously with one another, and willingly forgiving each other if one has a cause for complaint against another; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so should you forgive.

    Colossians 3:12-13 (NLT)

    #lionbites

    Monday Morning Scripture – Colossians 3:1-17

    Put On the New Self

    1 Therefore if you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, sharing in His resurrection from the dead], keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

    2 Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value]. 

    3 For you died [to this world], and your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God. 

    4 When Christ, who is our life, [a]appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

    5 So put to death and deprive of power the evil longings of your earthly body [with its sensual, self-centered instincts] immorality, impurity, sinful passion, evil desire, and greed, which is [a kind of] idolatry [because it replaces your devotion to God]. 

    6 Because of these [sinful] things the [divine] wrath of God is coming [b]on the sons of disobedience [those who fail to listen and who routinely and obstinately disregard God’s precepts], 

    7 and in these [sinful things] you also once walked, when you were habitually living in them [without the knowledge of Christ]. 

    8 But now rid yourselves [completely] of all these things: anger, rage, malice, slander, and obscene (abusive, filthy, vulgar) language from your mouth. 

    9 Do not lie to one another, for you have stripped off the old self with its evil practices, 

    10 and have put on the new [spiritual] self who is being continually renewed in true knowledge in the image of Him who created the new self— 

    11 a renewal in which there is no [distinction between] Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, [nor between nations whether] [c]barbarian or [d]Scythian, [nor in status whether] slave or free, but Christ is all, and in all [so believers are equal in Christ, without distinction].

    12 So, as God’s own chosen people, who are holy [set apart, sanctified for His purpose] and well-beloved [by God Himself], put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience [which has the power to endure whatever injustice or unpleasantness comes, with good temper]; 

    13 bearing graciously with one another, and willingly forgiving each other if one has a cause for complaint against another; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so should you forgive. 

    14 Beyond all these things put on and wrap yourselves in [unselfish] love, which is the perfect bond of unity [for everything is bound together in agreement when each one seeks the best for others]. 

    15 Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers]. And be thankful [to God always]. 

    16 Let the [spoken] word of Christ have its home within you [dwelling in your heart and mind—permeating every aspect of your being] as you teach [spiritual things] and admonish and train one another with all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 

    17 Whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus [and in dependence on Him], giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

    Colossians 3:1-17 (AMP)

    Footnotes

    [a] Colossians 3:4 A reference to His second coming.

    [b] Colossians 3:6 Two early mss do not contain this phrase.

    [c] Colossians 3:11 A derogatory term used to describe uneducated, uncultured people who were not fluent in the Greek language.

    [d] Colossians 3:11 The Scythians were savage equestrian herdsmen who were skilled archers and often worked as mercenaries and/or slave traders. The Scythian women were known to dress as warriors and fight alongside the men.