Tuesday Morning Scripture – Acts 2: 37-47

The Gathering

37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart [with remorse and anxiety], and they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what are we to do?” 

38 And Peter said to them, “Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah] and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

39 For the promise [of the Holy Spirit] is for you and your children and for all who are far away [including the Gentiles], as many as the Lord our God calls to Himself.” 

40 And Peter solemnly testified and continued to admonish and urge them with many more words, saying, “[a]Be saved from this crooked and unjust generation!” 

41 So then, those who accepted his message were baptized; and on that day about [h]3,000 souls were added [to the body of believers]. 

42 They were continually and faithfully devoting themselves to the instruction of the apostles, and to fellowship, to [c]eating meals together and to prayers.

43 A sense of awe was felt by [d]everyone, and many wonders and signs (attesting miracles) were taking place through the apostles. 

44 And all those who had believed [in Jesus as Savior] [k]were together and had all things in common [considering their possessions to belong to the group as a whole]. 

45 And they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing the proceeds with all [the other believers], as anyone had need. 

46 Day after day they met in the temple [area] continuing with one mind, and breaking bread in various private homes. They were eating their meals together with joy and generous hearts, 

47 praising God continually, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord kept adding to their number daily those who were being saved.

Acts 2:37-47 (AMP)

Footnotes

[a] Acts 2:40 Or Escape.

[b] Acts 2:41 There were about 100,000 to 120,000 people in Jerusalem at this time, and even more at these festivals.

[c] Acts 2:42 Lit the breaking of bread.

[d] Acts 2:43 Lit every soul.

[e] Acts 2:44 One early ms does not contain wereand and.

    Lion Bites – Global Prophetic Alliance – False Responsibility

    Beloved, I carry the world in My hands and yet I still have room for a million more. The depths of My capacity are infinite beyond measure.

    I am pleased when you partner with Me to release My Kingdom on the Earth. However, I do not expect you to carry around all the burdens that come with that. I intend for My yoke to be easy and My burden to be light so you can fly high and accomplish many great things.

    The enemy wants you to think you have to bear it all and fix everything for yourself and those around you. This is called false responsibility, and it makes you think you have to be Jesus to the world. That is not what I expect from you! It only makes you feel anxious and inadequate.

    I want you to be free from false responsibility. 

    Will you release it to Me? 

    I promise I can carry it all. I am ready to unburden you now and bring you into the fullness of your freedom where the only thing you have to carry is the weightless fruits of My Spirit.

    Activation: Assess what you have taken upon yourself as false responsibility, whether it pertains to yourself or those around you. This could be worry, concern, grief, sadness, control, stress, co-dependence, guilt, shame, etc. Accept the truth that none of these negative things belong to you, and carrying them around only weighs you down. Meet with Jesus. Lay it all down and let Him take it, for He can carry it ALL. Repent and receive your new garment of praise. Then go and run your race with your newfound freedom, carrying only the weightless peace, hope and joy that comes with co-laboring with God.

    28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation]. 

    29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls.

    30 For My yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light.”

    Matthew 11:28-30 (AMP)

    19 Blessed be the Lord, who bears our burden day by day,
    The God who is our salvation! Selah.

    20 God is to us a God of acts of salvation;
    And to     [a]God the Lord belong escapes from death [setting us free].

    Psalm 68:19-20 (AMP)

    Footnotes

    [a[ Psalm 68:20 Heb YHWH (Yahweh), usually rendered Lord.

    #lionbites

    Monday Morning Scripture – Psalm 68

    The God of Sinai and of the Sanctuary.

    To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. A Song.

    1 Let God arise, and His enemies be scattered;
    Let those who hate Him flee before Him.

    2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;
    As wax melts before the fire,
    So let the wicked and guilty perish before     [the presence of] God.

    3 But let the righteous be glad; let them be in good spirits before God,
    Yes, let them rejoice with delight.

    4 Sing to God, sing praises to His name;
    Lift up a song for Him who rides through the desert—
    His name is the LORD—be in good spirits before Him.

    5 A father of the fatherless and a judge and protector of the widows,
    Is God in His holy habitation.

    6 God makes a home for the lonely;
    He leads the prisoners into prosperity,
    Only the stubborn and rebellious dwell in a parched land.

    7 O God, when You went out before Your people,
    When You marched through the wilderness, Selah.

    8 The earth trembled;
    The heavens also poured down rain at the presence of God;
    Sinai itself trembled at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

    9 You, O God, sent abroad plentiful rain;
    You confirmed Your inheritance when it was parched and weary.

    10 Your flock found a dwelling place in it;
    O God, in Your goodness You provided for the poor.

    11 The Lord gives the command [to take Canaan];
    The women who proclaim the good news are a great host     (army);

    12 “The kings of the [enemies’] armies flee, they flee,
    And the beautiful woman who remains at home divides the spoil     [left behind].”

    13 When you lie down [to rest] among the [a]sheepfolds,
    You     [Israel] are like the wings of a dove [of victory] overlaid with silver,
    Its feathers glistening with gold     [trophies taken from the enemy].

    14 When the Almighty scattered [the Canaanite] kings in the land of Canaan,
    It was snowing on     [b]Zalmon.

    15 A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan;
    A     [high] mountain of many summits is Mount Bashan [rising east of the Jordan].

    16 Why do you look with envy, mountains with many peaks,
    At the mountain     [of the city of Zion] which God has desired for His dwelling place?
    Yes, the LORD will dwell there forever.

    17 The chariots of God are [c]myriads, thousands upon thousands;
    The Lord is among them as He was at Sinai, in holiness.

    18 You have ascended on high, You have led away captive Your captives;
    You have received gifts among men,
    Even from the rebellious also, that the LORD God may dwell there.

    19 Blessed be the Lord, who bears our burden day by day,
    The God who is our salvation! Selah.

    20 God is to us a God of acts of salvation;
    And to     [d]God the LORD belong escapes from death [setting us free].

    21 Surely God will shatter the head of His enemies,
    The hairy scalp of one who goes on in his guilty ways.

    22 The Lord said, “I will bring your enemies back from Bashan;
    I will bring them back from the depths of the     [Red] Sea,

    23 That your foot may crush them in blood,
    That the tongue of your dogs may have its share from your enemies.”

    24 They have seen Your [solemn] [e]procession, O God,
    The procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary     [in holiness].

    25 The singers go in front, the players of instruments last;
    Between them the maidens playing on tambourines.

    26 Bless God in the congregations, [give thanks, gratefully praise Him],
    The LORD, you who are from     [Jacob] the fountain of Israel.

    27 The youngest is there, Benjamin, ruling them,
    The princes of Judah and their company     [the southern tribes],
    The princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali     [the northern tribes].

    28 Your God has commanded your strength [your power in His service and your resistance to temptation];
    Show Yourself strong, O God, who acted on our behalf.

    29 Because of Your temple at Jerusalem
    [Pagan] kings will bring gifts to You [out of respect].

    30 Rebuke the beasts [living] among the reeds [in Egypt],
    The herd of bulls (the leaders) with the calves of the peoples;
    Trampling underfoot the pieces of silver;
    He has scattered the peoples who delight in war.

    31 Princes and envoys shall come from Egypt;
    Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hands     [with the offerings of submission] to God.

    32 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth,
    Sing praises to the Lord! Selah.

    33 To Him who rides in the highest heavens, the ancient heavens,
    Behold, He sends out His voice, a mighty and majestic voice.

    34 Ascribe strength to God;
    His majesty is over Israel
    And His strength is in the skies.

    35 O God, You are awesome and profoundly majestic from Your sanctuary;
    The God of Israel gives strength and power to His people.
    Blessed be God!

    Psalm 68:1-35 (AMP)

    Footnotes

    [a] Psalm 68:13 Or cooking stones or saddlebags.

    [b] Psalm 68:14 I.e. a dark, wooded hill near Shechem.

    [c] Psalm 68:17 Lit multiples of ten thousand.

    [d] Psalm 68:20 Heb YHWH (Yahweh), usually rendered Lord.

    [e] Psalm 68:24 A reference to the procession bringing the ark of the covenant to Mt. Zion.

    Monday Morning Scripture- Matthew 11

    He will give you rest

    John’s Question

    1 When Jesus had finished giving instructions to His twelve disciples, He went on from there to teach and to preach in their [Galilean] cities.

    2 Now when [a]John [the Baptist] in prison heard about the activities of Christ, he sent word by his disciples 

    3 and asked Him, “Are You the Expected One (the Messiah), or should we look for someone else [who will be the promised One]?” 

    4 Jesus answered, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: 

    5 the blind receive [their] sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed [by healing] and the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 

    6 And blessed[joyful, favored by God] is he who does not take offense at Me [accepting Me as the Messiah and trusting confidently in My message of salvation].”

    Jesus’ Tribute to John

    7 As these men were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out in the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind [which is commonplace]? 

    8 What did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing [entirely unsuited for the harsh desert]? Those who wear soft clothing are in the palaces of kings! 

    9 But what did you [really] go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one [more eminent, more remarkable, and] [b]far more than a prophet [who foretells the future]. 

    10 This is the one of whom it is written [by the prophet Malachi],

    ‘BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER AHEAD OF YOU,
    WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY BEFORE YOU.’

    11 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater [in privilege] than he. 

    12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violent assault, and violent men seize it by force [as a precious prize]. 

    13 For all the prophets and the Law prophesied up until John. 

    14 And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is [the fulfillment of] Elijah [as the messenger] who was to come[before the kingdom]. 

    15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear and heed My words.

    16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like little children sitting in the market places, who call to the others, 

    17 and say ‘We piped the flute for you [playing wedding], and you did not dance; we wailed sad dirges [playing funeral], and you did not mourn and cry aloud.’ 

    18 For John came neither eating nor drinking [with others], and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ 

    19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking [with others], and they say, ‘Look! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners [including non-observant Jews]!’ Yet wisdom is justified and vindicated by her deeds [in the lives of those who respond to Me].”

    The Unrepenting Cities

    20 Then He began to denounce [the people in] the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent [and change their hearts and lives]. 

    21 “Woe (judgment is coming) to you, [c]Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon [cities of the Gentiles], they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes [their hearts would have been changed and they would have expressed sorrow for their sin and rebellion against God]. 

    22 Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for [the pagan cities of] Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 

    23 And you, Capernaum, are you to be exalted to heaven[for your apathy and unresponsiveness]? You will descend to Hades (the realm of the dead); for if the miracles done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 

    24 But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment, than for you.”

    Come to Me

    25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth [I openly and joyfully acknowledge Your great wisdom], that You have hidden these things [these spiritual truths] from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants [to new believers, to those seeking God’s will and purpose]. 

    26 Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. 

    27 All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one fully knows and accurately understands the Son except the Father; and no one fully knows and accurately understands the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son [deliberately] wills to reveal Him.

    28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation]. 

    29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls.

    30 For My yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light.”

    Matthew 11:1-30 (AMP)

    Footnotes

    [a] Matthew 11:2 John and Jesus were about the same age and were related through their mothers, Elizabeth and Mary (Luke 1:36).

    [b] Matthew 11:9 John was unique among the prophets because he was sent to prepare the hearts of the people for the immediate disclosure of their Messiah.

    [c] Matthew 11:21 A city near Capernaum, where Jesus later made His home. They would have heard His teachings many times.

    Lion Bites – Global Prophetic Alliance – Purification

    Are you ready for transformational encounters with Me?

    When you come to Me, do not be content to leave the way you came but come ready to partner with My power to move you on in your maturity and call. Just as I called Isaiah to the holy place of My throne, so I am calling you to come before Me and see the magnitude of who I am. Isaiah was cleansed, his guilt removed and his sin atoned for.

    Just as David cried out, “Search me, oh God, and reveal any grievous way within me,” holiness will be the desire of your heart. I will purify your heart, thoughts, and desires. I will leave you changed, renewed, and ready for deeper levels of revelation. 

    Through purification, I am making you ready to perceive more fully; more trustworthy for increased influence; and stronger through My Spirit to carry the fuller weight of the mantle I have placed upon your shoulders.

    Prayer: 

    Lord Jesus, I accept your invitation into the holy place of transformation by your presence. Search me thoroughly and expose to me any ways that I do not line up with you. I repent for those things (name what he shows you) and break partnership with those patterns. Holy Spirit will you purify me and transform me according to the design you have for me. Amen. 

    23 Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart; Test me and know my anxious thoughts;

    24 And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.

    Psalm 139:23-24 (AMP)

    6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. 

    7 He touched my mouth with it and said, “Listen carefully, this has touched your lips; your wickedness [your sin, your injustice, your wrongdoing] is taken away and your sin atoned for and forgiven.”

    Isaiah 6:6-7 (AMP)

    For You have tested us, O God; You have refined us as silver is refined.

    Psalm 66:10 (AMP)

    #lionbites

    Friday Morning Scripture – Isaiah 6

    Isaiah’s Vision

    1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw [in a vision] the LORD sitting on a throne, high and exalted, with the train of His royal robe filling the [most holy part of the] temple. 

    2 Above Him seraphim (heavenly beings) stood; each one had six wings: with two wings he covered his face, with two wings he covered his feet, and with two wing she flew. 

    3 And one called out to another, saying,

    “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE LORD OF HOSTS;THE WHOLE EARTH IS FILLED WITH HIS GLORY.”

    4 And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, and the temple was filling with smoke. 

    5 Then I said,

    “Woe is me! For I am ruined,
    Because I am a man of     [ceremonially] unclean lips,
    And I live among a people of unclean lips;
    For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”

    6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. 

    7 He touched my mouth with it and said, “Listen carefully, this has touched your lips; your wickedness [your sin, your injustice, your wrongdoing] is taken away and your sin atoned for and forgiven.”

    Isaiah’s Commission

    8 Then I heard the voice of the LORD, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” 

    9 And He said, “Go, and tell this people:

    ‘Keep on listening, but do not understand;
    Keep on looking, but do not comprehend.’

    10 “Make the heart of this people insensitive,
    Their ears dull,
    And their eyes dim,
    Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
    Hear with their ears,
    Understand with their hearts,
    And return and be healed.”

    11 Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He answered,

    “Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant,
    And houses are without people
    And the land is utterly desolate,

    12 The LORD has removed [His] people far away, and there are many deserted places in the midst of the land.

    13 “And though a tenth [of the people] remain in the land, it will again be subject to destruction [consumed and burned], like a massive terebinth tree or like an oak whose stump remains when it is chopped down. The holy seed [the elect remnant] is its stump [the substance of Israel].”

    Isaiah 6:1-13 (AMP)

    Friday Morning Scripture – Psalm 66

    Praise for God’s Mighty Deeds and for His Answer to Prayer.

    To the Chief Musician. A Song. A Psalm.

    1  Shout joyfully to God, all the earth;

    2 Sing of the honor and glory and magnificence of His name;
    Make His praise glorious.

    3 Say to God, “How awesome and fearfully glorious are Your works!
    Because of the greatness of Your power Your enemies will pretend to be obedient to You.

    4 “All the earth will [bow down to] worship You [in submissive wonder],
    And will sing praises to You;
    They will praise Your name in song.” Selah    .

    5 Come and see the works of God,
    He is awesome in His deeds toward the children of men.

    6 He turned the sea into dry land;
    They crossed through the river on foot;
    There we rejoiced in Him.

    7 Who rules by His might forever,
    His eyes keep watch on the nations;
    Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.

    8 Bless our God, O peoples,
    And make the sound of His praise be heard abroad,

    9 Who keeps us among the living,
    And does not allow our feet to slip or stumble.

    10 For You have tested us, O God;
    You have refined us as silver is refined.

    11 You brought us into the net;
    You laid a heavy burden     [of servitude] on [a]us.

    12 You made men (charioteers) [b]ride over our heads [in defeat];
    We went through fire and through water,
    Yet You brought us out into a     [broad] place of abundance [to be refreshed].

    13 I shall come into Your house with burnt offerings;
    I shall pay You my vows,

    14 Which my lips uttered
    And my mouth spoke as a promise when I was in distress.

    15 I shall offer to You burnt offerings of fat lambs,
    With the     [sweet] smoke of rams;
    I will offer bulls with male goats. Selah.

    16 Come and hear, all who fear God [and worship Him with awe-inspired reverence and obedience],
    And I will tell what He has done for me.

    17 I cried aloud to Him;
    He was highly praised with my tongue.

    18 If I regard sin and baseness in my heart [that is, if I know it is there and do nothing about it],
    The Lord will not hear     [me];

    19 But certainly God has heard [me];
    He has given heed to the voice of my prayer.

    20 Blessed be God,
    Who has not turned away my prayer
    Nor His lovingkindness from me.

    Psalm 66:1-20 (AMP)

    Footnotes

    [a] Psalm 66:11 Lit upon our loins.

    [b] Psalm 66:12 The ancient rabbis understood this as times of captivity for Israel.

    Friday Morning Scripture – Psalm 139

    God’s Omnipresence and Omniscience

    To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David

    1 O Lord, you have searched me [thoroughly] and have known me.

    2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up [my entire life, everything I do];
    You understand my thought from afar.

    3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and You are intimately acquainted with all my ways.

    4 Even before there is a word on my tongue [still unspoken], behold, O Lord, You know it all.

    5 You have enclosed me behind and before, and [You have] placed Your hand upon me.

    6 Such [infinite] knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is too high [above me], I cannot reach it.

    7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?

    8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
    If I make my bed in Sheol     (the nether world, the place of the dead), behold, You are there.

    9 If I take the wings of the dawn, if I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,

    10 Even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will take hold of me.

    11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will cover me, and the night will be the only light around me,”

    12 Even the darkness is not dark to You and conceals nothing from You, but the
    night shines as bright as the day; Darkness and light are alike to You.

    13 For You formed my innermost parts;
    You knit me     [together] in my mother’s womb.

    14 I will give thanks and praise to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well.

    15 My frame was not hidden from You,
    When I was being formed in secret, and intricately and skillfully formed     [as if embroidered with many colors] in the depths of the earth.

    16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were appointed for me, when as yet there was not one of them [even taking shape].

    17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them!

    18 If I could count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You.

    19 [a]O that You would kill the wicked, O God; go away from me, therefore, men of bloodshed.

    20 For they speak against You wickedly,
    Your enemies take Your name in vain.

    21 Do I not hate those who hate You, O Lord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?

    22 I hate them with perfect and utmost hatred; they have become my enemies.

    23 Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts;

    24 And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.

    Psalm 139:1-24 (AMP)

    Footnotes

    [a] Psalm 139:19 In the first eighteen verses of this psalm, the psalmist acknowledges that God knows everything that the psalmist ever does, no matter when or where he does it. Although God’s vast knowledge of an individual’s deeds can be reassuring for the righteous, it should be frightening for the wicked. In verses 19-24, the psalmist distances himself from the wicked and asks God to help him live in such a way that pleases God.

    Lion Bites – Global Prophetic Alliance – Pure Gold

    My child, 

    I do not promise you a trouble-free life, but when your life is in My hands every painful experience is an opportunity for growth and transformation into the likeness of My Son.  This is the redemptive and sanctifying work of the cross and it is glorious!

    In this past season, I know that your faith has been tested like gold in the refiner’s fire and you have chosen to endure through the trials.  Rejoice that I am the God of the process as well as outcomes.  Now, I am calling you to arise and display the greater weight of My glory in the days ahead. Your faith, which is so precious to Me, has proved genuine, pure, and strong. 

    Even in the darkest moments, when tears may flow, hold onto the promise that I cause everything to work together for the good of those who love Me and are called according to My purpose for them. 

    Nothing is wasted in my Kingdom.  Let the cry of your heart be that of Job: “He knows where I am going and when He tests me, I will come out as pure gold.”

    Activation: Spend time praising God and thanking Him for His grace and strength through the challenging times. Be specific. Declare these scriptures over your life and receive fresh faith for the days ahead.

    “But He knows the way that I take [and He pays attention to it].
    When He has tried me, I will come forth as [refined] gold [pure and luminous].

    Job 23:10 (AMP)

    6 In this you rejoice greatly, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 

    7 so that the genuineness of your faith, which is much more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested and purified by fire, may be found to result in [your] praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

    1 Peter 1:6-7 (AMP)

    16 Therefore we do not become discouraged [spiritless, disappointed, or afraid]. Though our outer self is [progressively] wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day by day. 

    17 For our momentary, light distress [this passing trouble] is producing for us an eternal weight of glory [a fullness] beyond all measure [surpassing all comparisons, a transcendent splendor and an endless blessedness]! 

    18 So we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen; for the things which are visible are temporal [just brief and fleeting], but the things which are invisible are everlasting andimperishable.

    2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (AMP)

    #lionbites