Luke 1:5-56

Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

 ^5(M) In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah,^[a](N) of^(O) the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. ⁶And they were both^(P) righteous before God, walking^(Q) blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. ⁷But they had no child, because^(R) Elizabeth was barren, and^(S) both were advanced in years.
 ⁸Now^(T) while he was serving as priest before God when^(U) his division was on duty, ⁹according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot^(V) to enter^(W) the temple of the Lord and burn incense. ¹⁰And the whole multitude of the people^(X) were praying^(Y) outside at the hour of incense. ¹¹And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of^(Z) the altar of incense. ¹²And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and^(AA) fear fell upon him. ¹³But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for^(AB) your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and^(AC) you shall call his name John. ¹⁴And you will have joy and gladness, and many will^(AD) rejoice at his birth, ¹⁵for he will be^(AE) great before the Lord. And^(AF) he must not drink wine or strong^(AG) drink, and^(AH) he will be^(AI) filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. ¹⁶And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, ¹⁷and^(AJ) he will go before him^(AK) in the spirit and power of Elijah,^(AL) to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and^(AM) the disobedient to the wisdom of the just,^(AN) to make ready for the Lord a people prepared."
 ¹⁸And Zechariah said to the angel,^(AO) "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years." ¹⁹And the angel answered him, "I am^(AP) Gabriel.^(AQ) I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. ²⁰And behold,^(AR) you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time." ²¹And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in^(AS) the temple. ²²And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in^(AT) the temple. And^(AU) he kept making signs to them and remained mute. ²³And^(AV) when his time of^(AW) service was ended, he went to his home.
 ²⁴After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, ²⁵"Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me,^(AX) to take away my reproach among people."

Birth of Jesus Foretold

 ²⁶In the sixth month the angel^(AY) Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named^(AZ) Nazareth, ^27(BA) to a virgin betrothed^[b] to a man whose name was Joseph,^(BB) of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸And he came to her and said, "Greetings,^(BC) O favored one,^(BD) the Lord is with you!"^{[c] 29}But^(BE) she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for^(BF) you have found favor with God. ³¹And behold,^(BG) you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and^(BH) you shall call his name Jesus. ³²He will be great and will be called the Son of^(BI) the Most High. And the Lord God^(BJ) will give to him the throne of^(BK) his father David, ³³and he will reign over the house of Jacob^(BL) forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."
 ³⁴And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?"^[d]
 35And the angel answered her,^(BM) "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of^(BN) the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born^[e] will be called^(BO) holy—^(BP) the Son of God. ³⁶And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her^(BQ) who was called barren. ³⁷For^(BR) nothing will be impossible with God." ³⁸And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant^[f] of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And^(BS) the angel departed from her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

 ³⁹In those days Mary arose and went with haste into^(BT) the hill country, to a town in Judah, ⁴⁰and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth^(BU) was filled with the Holy Spirit, ⁴²and she exclaimed with a loud cry,^(BV) "Blessed are you among women, and^(BW) blessed is^(BX) the fruit of your womb! ⁴³And why is this granted to me that the mother of^(BY) my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵And^(BZ) blessed is she who believed that there would be^[g] a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."

Mary’s Song of Praise: The Magnificat

 ⁴⁶And Mary said,

   ^(CA) "My^(CB) soul^(CC) magnifies the Lord,
 ^47(CD) and my^(CE) spirit rejoices in^(CF) God my Savior,
⁴⁸for^(CG) he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
   For behold, from now on all generations^(CH) will call me blessed;
⁴⁹for^(CI) he who is mighty^(CJ) has done great things for me,
   and^(CK) holy is his name.
⁵⁰And^(CL) his mercy is for those who fear him
   from generation to generation.
^51(CM) He has shown strength with his arm;
   ^(CN) he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
^52(CO) he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
   ^(CP) and exalted those of humble estate;
⁵³he has filled^(CQ) the hungry with good things,
   and the rich^(CR) he has sent away empty.
⁵⁴He has^(CS) helped^(CT) his servant Israel,
   ^(CU) in remembrance of his mercy,
^55(CV) as he spoke to our fathers,
   ^(CW) to Abraham and to his offspring forever."
 ⁵⁶And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.

Amy Grant - Breath Of Heaven (Mary's Song) - Christmas

Matthew 1:18-25 and 2:1-12

Matthew 1-2 (New International Version, ©2010)

Matthew 1

Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son

 ¹⁸ This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about^[d]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet^[e] did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.  ²⁰ But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,^[f] because he will save his people from their sins.”
 ²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³ “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”^[g] (which means “God with us”).
 ²⁴ When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. ²⁵ But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Matthew 2

The Magi Visit the Messiah

 ¹ After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi^[h] from the east came to Jerusalem ² and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”  ³ When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵ “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
 ⁶ “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
   are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
   who will shepherd my people Israel.’^[i]”
 ⁷ Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. ⁸ He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
 ⁹ After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. ¹¹ On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. ¹² And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Proverbs 25 (with text - press on more info.)

Andrea Bocelli - Angels We Have Heard On High

Rejoice Jesus is the CHRIST!

"It's Christmas Eve" Lyrics and music by Joe Romano

AMY GRANT - AGNUS DEI

Bing Crosby - O Holy Night

Bing Crosby - Do You Hear What I Hear?

psalm 16

Psalm 16 (New International Version, ©2010)

Psalm 16

A miktam^[a] of David.  ¹ Keep me safe, my God,
   for in you I take refuge.
 ² I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord;
   apart from you I have no good thing.”
³ I say of the holy people who are in the land,
   “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”
⁴ Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more.
   I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods
   or take up their names on my lips.
 ⁵ LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup;
   you make my lot secure.
⁶ The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
   surely I have a delightful inheritance.
⁷ I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
   even at night my heart instructs me.
⁸ I keep my eyes always on the LORD.
   With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
 ⁹ Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
   my body also will rest secure,
¹⁰ because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
   nor will you let your faithful^[b] one see decay.
¹¹ You make known to me the path of life;
   you will fill me with joy in your presence,
   with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 16:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
2. Psalm 16:10 Or holy

Proverbs 24 (with text - press on more info.)

He Is Jehovah - Kenneth Copeland

Christmas Time

BE STRONG AND TAKE COURAGE 0001 by: Don Moen ( Glenda )

YOU ARE MY HIDING PLACE

How Many Kings - Downhere

Psalm 32

Psalm 32 (Amplified Bible)

Psalm 32

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

 ¹BLESSED (HAPPY, fortunate, to be envied) is he who has forgiveness of his transgression continually exercised upon him, whose sin is covered.     ²Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity and in whose spirit there is no deceit.^{(A)
    3}When I kept silence [before I confessed], my bones wasted away through my groaning all the day long.
    ⁴For day and night Your hand [of displeasure] was heavy upon me; my moisture was turned into the drought of summer. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
    ⁵I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord [continually unfolding the past till all is told]--then You [instantly] forgave me the guilt and iniquity of my sin. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
    ⁶For this [forgiveness] let everyone who is godly pray--pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely when the great waters [of trial] overflow, they shall not reach [the spirit in] him.
    ⁷You are a hiding place for me; You, Lord, preserve me from trouble, You surround me with songs and shouts of deliverance. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
    ⁸I [the Lord] will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
    ⁹Be not like the horse or the mule, which lack understanding, which must have their mouths held firm with bit and bridle, or else they will not come with you.
    ¹⁰Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but he who trusts in, relies on, and confidently leans on the Lord shall be compassed about with mercy and with loving-kindness.
    ¹¹Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you [uncompromisingly] righteous [you who are upright and in right standing with Him]; shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
   

Cross references:

1. Psalm 32:2 : Rom 4:7, 8

Proverb 23

Proverbs 23 (Amplified Bible)

Proverbs 23

 ¹WHEN YOU sit down to eat with a ruler, consider who and what are before you;     ²For you will put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to desire.
    ³Be not desirous of his dainties, for it is deceitful food [offered with questionable motives].
    ⁴Weary not yourself to be rich; cease from your own [human] wisdom.^{(A)
    5}Will you set your eyes upon wealth, when [suddenly] it is gone? For riches certainly make themselves wings, like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.
    ⁶Eat not the bread of him who has a hard, grudging, and envious eye, neither desire his dainty foods;
    ⁷For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. As one who reckons, he says to you, eat and drink, yet his heart is not with you [but is grudging the cost].
    ⁸The morsel which you have eaten you will vomit up, and your complimentary words will be wasted.
    ⁹Speak not in the ears of a [self-confident] fool, for he will despise the [godly] Wisdom of your words.^{(B)
    10}Remove not the ancient landmark and enter not into the fields of the fatherless,^{(C)
    11}For their Redeemer is mighty; He will plead their cause against you.
    ¹²Apply your mind to instruction and correction and your ears to words of knowledge.
    ¹³Withhold not discipline from the child; for if you strike and punish him with the [reedlike] rod, he will not die.
    ¹⁴You shall whip him with the rod and deliver his life from Sheol (Hades, the place of the dead).
    ¹⁵My son, if your heart is wise, my heart will be glad, even mine;
    ¹⁶Yes, my heart will rejoice when your lips speak right things.
    ¹⁷Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord all the day long.
    ¹⁸For surely there is a latter end [a future and a reward], and your hope and expectation shall not be cut off.
    ¹⁹Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your mind in the way [of the Lord].
    ²⁰Do not associate with winebibbers; be not among them nor among gluttonous eaters of meat,^{(D)
    21}For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty, and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
    ²²Hearken to your father, who begot you, and despise not your mother when she is old.
    ²³Buy the truth and sell it not; not only that, but also get discernment and judgment, instruction and understanding.
    ²⁴The father of the [uncompromisingly] righteous (the upright, in right standing with God) shall greatly rejoice, and he who becomes the father of a wise child shall have joy in him.
    ²⁵Let your father and your mother be glad, and let her who bore you rejoice.
    ²⁶My son, give me your heart and let your eyes observe and delight in my ways,
    ²⁷For a harlot is a deep ditch, and a loose woman is a narrow pit.
    ²⁸She also lies in wait as a robber or as one waits for prey, and she increases the treacherous among men.
    ²⁹Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness and dimness of eyes?
    ³⁰Those who tarry long at the wine, those who go to seek and try mixed wine.^{(E)
    31}Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the wineglass, when it goes down smoothly.
    ³²At the last it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder.
    ³³[Under the influence of wine] your eyes will behold strange things [and loose women] and your mind will utter things turned the wrong way [untrue, incorrect, and petulant].
    ³⁴Yes, you will be [as unsteady] as he who lies down in the midst of the sea, and [as open to disaster] as he who lies upon the top of a mast.
    ³⁵You will say, They struck me, but I was not hurt! They beat me [as with a hammer], but I did not feel it! When shall I awake? I will crave and seek more wine again [and escape reality].
   

Cross references:

1. Proverbs 23:4 : Prov 28:20; I Tim 6:9, 10
2. Proverbs 23:9 : Isa 32:6
3. Proverbs 23:10 : Deut 19:14; 27:17; Prov 22:28
4. Proverbs 23:20 : Isa 5:22; Luke 21:34; Rom 13:13; Eph 5:18
5. Proverbs 23:30 : Prov 20:1; Eph 5:18

Psalm 23

psalm 23

Psalm 23 (Amplified Bible)

Psalm 23

A Psalm of David.

 ¹THE LORD is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack.     ²He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters.^{(A)
    3}He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him--not for my earning it, but] for His name's sake.
    ⁴Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me.
    ⁵You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with ^[a]oil; my [brimming] cup runs over.
    ⁶Surely or only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place.
   

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 23:5 It is difficult for those living in a temperate climate to appreciate, but it was customary in hot climates to anoint the body with oil to protect it from excessive perspiration. When mixed with perfume, the oil imparted a delightfully refreshing and invigorating sensation. Athletes anointed their bodies as a matter of course before running a race. As the body, therefore, anointed with oil was refreshed, invigorated, and better fitted for action, so the Lord would anoint His "sheep" with the Holy Spirit, Whom oil symbolizes, to fit them to engage more freely in His service and run in the way He directs--in heavenly fellowship with Him.

Cross references:

1. Psalm 23:2 : Rev 7:17

Proverbs 22 (with text - press on more info.)

Proverbs 22

Proverbs 22 (Amplified Bible)

Proverbs 22

 ¹A GOOD name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.     ²The rich and poor meet together; the Lord is the Maker of them all.^{(A)
    3}A prudent man sees the evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished [with suffering].
    ⁴The reward of humility and the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.
    ⁵Thorns and snares are in the way of the obstinate and willful; he who guards himself will be far from them.
    ⁶Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it.^{(B)
    7}The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
    ⁸He who sows iniquity will reap calamity and futility, and the rod of his wrath [with which he smites others] will fail.
    ⁹He who has a bountiful eye shall be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor.^{(C)
    10}Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go out; yes, strife and abuse will cease.
    ¹¹He who loves purity and the pure in heart and who is gracious in speech--because of the grace of his lips will he have the king for his friend.
    ¹²The eyes of the Lord keep guard over knowledge and him who has it, but He overthrows the words of the treacherous.
    ¹³The sluggard says, There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!
    ¹⁴The mouth of a loose woman is a deep pit [for ensnaring wild animals]; he with whom the Lord is indignant and who is abhorrent to Him will fall into it.
    ¹⁵Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.
    ¹⁶He who oppresses the poor to get gain for himself and he who gives to the rich--both will surely come to want.
    ¹⁷Listen (consent and submit) to the words of the wise, and apply your mind to my knowledge;
    ¹⁸For it will be pleasant if you keep them in your mind [believing them]; your lips will be accustomed to [confessing] them.
    ¹⁹So that your trust (belief, reliance, support, and confidence) may be in the Lord, I have made known these things to you today, even to you.
    ²⁰Have I not written to you [long ago] excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
    ²¹To make you know the certainty of the words of truth, that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?^{(D)
    22}Rob not the poor [being tempted by their helplessness], neither oppress the afflicted at the gate [where the city court is held],^{(E)
    23}For the Lord will plead their cause and deprive of life those who deprive [the poor or afflicted].^{(F)
    24}Make no friendships with a man given to anger, and with a wrathful man do not associate,
    ²⁵Lest you learn his ways and get yourself into a snare.
    ²⁶Be not one of those who strike hands and pledge themselves, or of those who become security for another's debts.
    ²⁷If you have nothing with which to pay, why should he take your bed from under you?
    ²⁸Remove not the ancient landmark which your fathers have set up.
    ²⁹Do you see a man diligent and skillful in his business? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.
   

Cross references:

1. Proverbs 22:2 : Job 31:15; Prov 14:31
2. Proverbs 22:6 : Eph 6:4; II Tim 3:15
3. Proverbs 22:9 : II Cor 9:6-10
4. Proverbs 22:21 : Luke 1:3, 4
5. Proverbs 22:22 : Exod 23:6; Job 31:16, 21
6. Proverbs 22:23 : Zech 7:10; Mal 3:5

When It's Prayer Meeting Time in the Hollow---Ernest Tubb

Flatt and Scruggs - Crying Holy unto the Lord

Preachin', Prayin', Singin'--Flatt and Scruggs

Jeremy Camp - Jesus Saves

Psalm 16

Psalm 16 (Amplified Bible)

Psalm 16

A Poem of David; [probably] intended to record memorable thoughts.

 ¹KEEP and protect me, O God, for in You I have found refuge, and in You do I put my trust and hide myself.     ²I say to the Lord, You are my Lord; I have no good beside or beyond You.
    ³As for the godly (the saints) who are in the land, they are the excellent, the noble, and the glorious, in whom is all my delight.
    ⁴Their sorrows shall be multiplied who choose another god; their drink offerings of blood will I not offer or take their names upon my lips.
    ⁵The Lord is my chosen and assigned portion, my cup; You hold and maintain my lot.
    ⁶The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; yes, I have a good heritage.
    ⁷I will bless the Lord, Who has given me counsel; yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons.
    ⁸I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
    ⁹Therefore my heart is glad and my glory [my inner self] rejoices; my body too shall rest and confidently dwell in safety,
    ¹⁰For You will not abandon me to Sheol (the place of the dead), neither will You suffer Your holy one [Holy One] to see corruption.^{(A)
    11}You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.^(B)
   

Cross references:

1. Psalm 16:10 : Acts 13:35
2. Psalm 16:11 : Acts 2:25-28, 31

Proverbs 21 (with text - press on more info.)

Proverb 21

Proverbs 21 (Amplified Bible)

Proverbs 21

 ¹THE KING'S heart is in the hand of the Lord, as are the watercourses; He turns it whichever way He wills.     ²Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs and tries the hearts.^{(A)
    3}To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.^{(B)
    4}Haughtiness of eyes and a proud heart, even the tillage of the wicked or the lamp [of joy] to them [whatever it may be], are sin [in the eyes of God].
    ⁵The thoughts of the [steadily] diligent tend only to plenteousness, but everyone who is impatient and hasty hastens only to want.
    ⁶Securing treasures by a lying tongue is a vapor driven to and fro; those who seek them seek death.
    ⁷The violence of the wicked shall sweep them away, because they refuse to do justice.
    ⁸The way of the guilty is exceedingly crooked, but as for the pure, his work is right and his conduct is straight.
    ⁹It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop [on the flat oriental roof, exposed to all kinds of weather] than in a house shared with a nagging, quarrelsome, and faultfinding woman.
    ¹⁰The soul or life of the wicked craves and seeks evil; his neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.^{(C)
    11}When the scoffer is punished, the fool gets a lesson in being wise; but men of [godly] Wisdom and good sense learn by being instructed.
    ¹²The [uncompromisingly] righteous man considers well the house of the wicked--how the wicked are cast down to ruin.
    ¹³Whoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor will cry out himself and not be heard.^{(D)
    14}A gift in secret pacifies and turns away anger, and a bribe in the lap, strong wrath.
    ¹⁵When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous (the upright, in right standing with God), but to the evildoers it is dismay, calamity, and ruin.
    ¹⁶A man who wanders out of the way of understanding shall abide in the congregation of the spirits (of the dead).
    ¹⁷He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
    ¹⁸The wicked become a ransom for the [uncompromisingly] righteous, and the treacherous for the upright [because the wicked themselves fall into the traps and pits they have dug for the good].
    ¹⁹It is better to dwell in a desert land than with a contentious woman and with vexation.
    ²⁰There are precious treasures and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a self-confident and foolish man swallows it up and wastes it.
    ²¹He who earnestly seeks after and craves righteousness, mercy, and loving-kindness will find life in addition to righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God) and honor.^{(E)
    22}A wise man scales the city walls of the mighty and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.
    ²³He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from troubles.^{(F)
    24}The proud and haughty man--Scoffer is his name--deals and acts with overbearing pride.
    ²⁵The desire of the slothful kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.
    ²⁶He covets greedily all the day long, but the [uncompromisingly] righteous gives and does not withhold.^{(G)
    27}The sacrifice of the wicked is exceedingly disgusting and abhorrent [to the Lord]--how much more when he brings it with evil intention?
    ²⁸A false witness will perish, but the word of a man who hears attentively will endure and go unchallenged.
    ²⁹A wicked man puts on the bold, unfeeling face [of guilt], but as for the upright, he considers, directs, and establishes his way [with the confidence of integrity].
    ³⁰There is no [human] wisdom or understanding or counsel [that can prevail] against the Lord.
    ³¹The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance and victory are of the Lord.
   

Cross references:

1. Proverbs 21:2 : Prov 24:12; Luke 16:15
2. Proverbs 21:3 : I Sam 15:22; Prov 15:8; Isa 1:11; Hos 6:6; Mic 6:7, 8
3. Proverbs 21:10 : James 2:16
4. Proverbs 21:13 : Matt 18:30-34; James 2:13
5. Proverbs 21:21 : Prov 15:9; Matt 5:6
6. Proverbs 21:23 : Prov 12:13; 13:3; 18:21; James 3:2
7. Proverbs 21:26 : II Cor 9:6-10

Jeremy Camp - This Man

Jeremy Camp - I Still Believe

Wes King - I Believe

Proverbs 20 (with text - press on more info.)

Psalm 128

Psalm 128 (Amplified Bible)

Psalm 128

A Song of Ascents.

 ^1[a]BLESSED (HAPPY, fortunate, to be envied) is everyone who fears, reveres, and worships the Lord, who walks in His ways and lives according to His commandments.^{(A)     2}For you shall eat [the fruit] of the labor of your hands; happy (blessed, fortunate, enviable) shall you be, and it shall be well with you.
    ³Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the innermost parts of your house; your children shall be like olive plants round about your table.
    ⁴Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who reverently and worshipfully fears the Lord.
    ⁵May the Lord bless you out of Zion [His sanctuary], and may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life;
    ⁶Yes, may you see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel!
   

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 128:1 See Psalm 120 title footnote.

Cross references:

1. Psalm 128:1 : Ps 1:1, 2

Good Morning Friends today is Sunday 12.19.2010

My Dear friends,

It is impressed on me this morning that it is so important that we seek God.

He is all around us:

• He is in the new born baby's cry.
  
• He is in the Morning Sun.
  
• He is in the afternoon Rest.
  
• He is even in the child that is lost in the sin of this current world.
  

Oh how he loves us.

He loves us so much.

More love than we can understand.

He is reaching out his hand to you.

All you need to do is say is YES.

Yes, I accept your hand of peace and love.

Please read John 3:16 and then book of Romans. This will make things even clearer.

Hear My Prayer - Maranatha Singers

COME, LET US WORSHIP & BOW DOWN

Morning Worship

Michael W. Smith - Open the eyes of my heart

Praise in Motion - Oh the Deep Love of Jesus

John 3:16 (with lyrics)

Come, Now is the Time to Worship

Show me your face Lord

For God So Loved (John 3:16) - Song Demonstration

John 3

John 3 (Amplified Bible)

John 3

 ¹NOW THERE was a certain man among the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler (a leader, an authority) among the Jews,     ²Who came to Jesus at night and said to Him, Rabbi, we know and are certain that You have come from God [as] a Teacher; for no one can do these signs (these wonderworks, these miracles--and produce the proofs) that You do unless God is with him.
    ³Jesus answered him, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the kingdom of God.
    ⁴Nicodemus said to Him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter his mother's womb again and be born?
    ⁵Jesus answered, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, unless a man is born of water and [^[a]even] the Spirit, he cannot [ever] enter the kingdom of God.^{(A)
    6}What is born of [from] the flesh is flesh [of the physical is physical]; and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.
    ⁷Marvel not [do not be surprised, astonished] at My telling you, You must all be born anew (from above).
    ⁸The wind blows (breathes) where it wills; and though you hear its sound, yet you neither know where it comes from nor where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.
    ⁹Nicodemus answered by asking, How can all this be possible?
    ¹⁰Jesus replied, Are you the teacher of Israel, and yet do not know nor understand these things? [Are they strange to you?]
    ¹¹I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, We speak only of what we know [we know absolutely what we are talking about]; we have actually seen what we are testifying to [we were eyewitnesses of it]. And still you do not receive our testimony [you reject and refuse our evidence--that of Myself and of all those who are born of the Spirit].
    ¹²If I have told you of things that happen right here on the earth and yet none of you believes Me, how can you believe (trust Me, adhere to Me, rely on Me) if I tell you of heavenly things?
    ¹³And yet no one has ever gone up to heaven, but there is One Who has come down from heaven--the Son of Man [Himself], ^[b]Who is (dwells, has His home) in heaven.
    ¹⁴And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert [on a pole], so must [so it is necessary that] the Son of Man be lifted up [on the cross],^{(B)
    15}In order that everyone who believes in Him [who cleaves to Him, trusts Him, and relies on Him] may ^[c]not perish, but have eternal life and [actually] live forever!
    ¹⁶For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (^[d]unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.
    ¹⁷For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him.
    ¹⁸He who believes in Him [who clings to, trusts in, relies on Him] is not judged [he who trusts in Him never comes up for judgment; for him there is no rejection, no condemnation--he incurs no damnation]; but he who does not believe (cleave to, rely on, trust in Him) is judged already [he has already been convicted and has already received his sentence] because he has not believed in and trusted in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [He is condemned for refusing to let his trust rest in Christ's name.]
    ¹⁹The [basis of the] judgment (indictment, the test by which men are judged, the ground for the sentence) lies in this: the Light has come into the world, and people have loved the darkness rather than and more than the Light, for their works (deeds) were evil.^{(C)
    20}For every wrongdoer hates (loathes, detests) the Light, and will not come out into the Light but shrinks from it, lest his works (his deeds, his activities, his conduct) be exposed and reproved.
    ²¹But he who practices truth [who does what is right] comes out into the Light; so that his works may be plainly shown to be what they are--wrought with God [divinely prompted, done with God's help, in dependence upon Him].
    ²²After this, Jesus and His disciples went into the land (the countryside) of Judea, where He remained with them, and baptized.
    ²³But John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, for there was an abundance of water there, and the people kept coming and being baptized.
    ²⁴For John had not yet been thrown into prison.
    ²⁵Therefore there arose a controversy between some of John's disciples and a Jew in regard to purification.
    ²⁶So they came to John and reported to him, Rabbi, the Man Who was with you on the other side of the Jordan [^[e]at the Jordan crossing]--and to Whom you yourself have borne testimony--notice, here He is baptizing too, and everybody is flocking to Him!
    ²⁷John answered, A man can receive nothing [he can claim nothing, he can ^[f]take unto himself nothing] except as it has been granted to him from heaven. [A man must be content to receive the gift which is given him from heaven; there is no other source.]
    ²⁸You yourselves are my witnesses [you personally bear me out] that I stated, I am not the Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah), but I have [only] been sent before Him [in advance of Him, to be His appointed forerunner, His messenger, His announcer].^{(D)
    29}He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the groomsman who stands by and listens to him rejoices greatly and heartily on account of the bridegroom's voice. This then is my pleasure and joy, and it is now complete. [S. of Sol. 5:1.]
    ³⁰He must increase, but I must decrease. [He must grow more prominent; I must grow less so.]^{(E)
    31}He Who comes from above (heaven) is [far] above all [others]; he who comes from the earth belongs to the earth, and talks the language of earth [his words are from an earthly standpoint]. He Who comes from heaven is [far] above all others [far superior to all others in prominence and in excellence].
    ³²It is to what He has [actually] seen and heard that He bears testimony, and yet no one accepts His testimony [no one receives His evidence as true].
    ³³Whoever receives His testimony has set his seal of approval to this: God is true. [That man has definitely certified, acknowledged, declared once and for all, and is himself assured that it is divine truth that God cannot lie].
    ³⁴For since He Whom God has sent speaks the words of God [proclaims God's own message], God does not give Him His Spirit sparingly or by measure, but boundless is the gift God makes of His Spirit!^{(F)
    35}The Father loves the Son and has given (entrusted, committed) everything into His hand.^{(G)
    36}And he who believes in (has faith in, clings to, relies on) the Son has (now possesses) eternal life. But whoever disobeys (is unbelieving toward, refuses to trust in, disregards, is not subject to) the Son will never see (experience) life, but [instead] the wrath of God abides on him. [God's displeasure remains on him; His indignation hangs over him continually.]^(H)
   

Footnotes:

1. John 3:5 The Greek "kai" ("and") may be rendered "even."
2. John 3:13 Some manuscripts add this phrase.
3. John 3:15 Some manuscripts add this phrase.
4. John 3:16 James Moulton and George Milligan, The Vocabulary.
5. John 3:26 George M. Lamsa, The New Testament.
6. John 3:27 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.

Cross references:

1. John 3:5 : Ezek 36:25-27
2. John 3:14 : Num 21:9
3. John 3:19 : Isa 5:20
4. John 3:28 : Mal 3:1
5. John 3:30 : Isa 9:7
6. John 3:34 : Deut 18:18
7. John 3:35 : Dan 7:14
8. John 3:36 : Hab 2:4

Proverbs 18 (with text - press on more info.)

psalms 110

Psalm 110 (Amplified Bible)

Psalm 110

A Psalm of David.

 ¹THE LORD (God) says to my Lord (the Messiah), Sit at My right hand, until I make Your adversaries Your footstool.^{(A)     2}The Lord will send forth from Zion the scepter of Your strength; rule, then, in the midst of Your foes.^{(B)
    3}Your people will offer themselves willingly in the day of Your power, in the beauty of holiness and in holy array out of the womb of the morning; to You [will spring forth] Your young men, who are as the dew.
    ⁴The Lord has sworn and will not revoke or change it: You are a priest forever, after the manner and order of Melchizedek.^{(C)
    5}The Lord at Your right hand will shatter kings in the day of His indignation.
    ⁶He will execute judgment [in overwhelming punishment] upon the nations; He will fill the valleys with the dead bodies, He will crush the [chief] heads over lands many and far extended.^{(D)
    7}He will drink of the brook by the way; therefore will He lift up His head [triumphantly].
   

Cross references:

1. Psalm 110:1 : Matt 26:64; Acts 2:34; I Cor 15:25; Col 3:1; Heb 12:2
2. Psalm 110:2 : Rom 11:26, 27
3. Psalm 110:4 : Heb 5:10; 7:11, 15, 21
4. Psalm 110:6 : Ezek 38:21, 22; 39:11, 12

Bishop Clarence E McClendon - All Hail The Power

He Knows My Name - Tommy Walker

PSALM 110

Father Can You Hear Me - Tyler Perry (With Lyrics)

Jesus Is Born Today Oak Ridge Boys

YOU RAISE ME UP

I posted this for my sister SharonJ

The Power Of Your Love - Maranatha

I Luv U Lord by 4-year old

I Love You Lord - Maranatha

Proverbs 17 (with text - press on more info.)