OUR PRAYER AND PRAISE

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, DECEMBER 31, 2014

OUR PRAYER AND PRAISE

  Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.
  Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.
 Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. I CHRONICLES 29:10-13

LORD, IS THIS THE TIME?

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, DECEMBER 30, 2014

LORD, IS THIS THE TIME?

  So when the apostles came together, they asked him, "Lord, is this the time when you're going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
  Jesus told them, "You don't need to know about times or periods that the Father has determined by his own authority.
  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes to you. Then you will be my witnesses to testify about me in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." ACTS 1:6-8

 When the apostles met together with Jesus, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time give the Kingdom back to Israel?"
  Jesus said to them, "The times and occasions are set by my Father's own authority, and it is not for you to know when they will be.
 But when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will be filled with power, and you will be witnesses for me in Jerusalem, in all of Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." ACTS 1:6-8

  When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
  And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. ACTS1:6-8

Now those who had gathered together began to ask Jesus, "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?"
  He answered them, "It is not for you to know what times or periods the Father has fixed by his own authority.
  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." ACTS1:6-8

PRINCE

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, DECEMBER 29, 2014

 PRINCE

  Oh that you were like a brother to me who nursed at my mother's breasts! If I found you outside, I would kiss you, and none would despise me.
 I would lead you and bring you into the house of my mother— she who used to teach me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the juice of my pomegranate.
  His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me!
  I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases.
  Who is that coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved? Under the apple tree I awakened you. There your mother was in labor with you; there she who bore you was in labor.
  Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the LORD.
  Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, he would be utterly despised.
  Others: We have a little sister, and she has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister on the day when she is spoken for?
If she is a wall, we will build on her a battlement of silver, but if she is a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar.
  She: I was a wall, and my breasts were like towers; then I was in his eyes as one who finds peace.
  Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; he let out the vineyard to keepers; each one was to bring for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver.
  My vineyard, my very own, is before me; you, O Solomon, may have the thousand, and the keepers of the fruit two hundred.
 He: O you who dwell in the gardens, with companions listening for your voice; let me hear it.
  She: Make haste, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices. SONG OF SOLOMON 8

THE PRINCESS

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, DECEMBER 29, 2014

THE PRINCESS
  You are a princess, and your feet are graceful in their sandals. Your thighs are works of art, each one a jewel;
  your navel is a wine glass filled to overflowing. Your body is full and slender like a bundle of wheat bound together by lilies.
 Your breasts are like twins of a deer.
Your neck is like ivory, and your eyes sparkle like the pools of Heshbon by the gate of Bath-Rabbim. Your nose is beautiful like Mount Lebanon above the city of Damascus.
 Your head is held high like Mount Carmel; your hair is so lovely it holds a king prisoner.
  You are beautiful, so very desirable!
You are tall and slender like a palm tree, and your breasts are full.
 I will climb that tree and cling to its branches. I will discover that your breasts are clusters of grapes, and that your breath is the aroma of apples.
  Kissing you is more delicious than drinking the finest wine. How wonderful and tasty!
My darling, I am yours, and you desire me.
Let's stroll through the fields and sleep in the villages.
 At dawn let's slip out and see if grapevines and fruit trees are covered with blossoms. When we are there, I will give you my love.
  Perfume from the magic flower fills the air, my darling. Right at our doorstep I have stored up for you all kinds of tasty fruits. SONG OF SOLOMON 7(CEV)

KING OF KINGS, LORD OF LORDS: THE SON OF THE HIGHEST

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, DECEMBER 25, 2014

KING OF KINGS, LORD OF LORDS:  THE SON OF THE HIGHEST

And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.  He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:  And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. LUKE 1:31-33

 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 

 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 

 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 

 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 

 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 

 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. REVELATION 19:11-16

LET THE LORD BE MAGNIFIED

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, DECEMBER 25, 2014

LET THE LORD BE MAGNIFIED

  Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
  And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long. PSALM 35:27-28

I AM BLACK

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

I AM BLACK

 The Song of Songs, which is for Solomon.
 May you kiss me passionately with your lips, for your love is better than wine.
 As fragrance, your perfumes are delightful; your name is poured out perfume; therefore young women love you.
 Draw me after you, let us run! May the king bring me into his chambers! Let us be joyful and let us rejoice in you; let us extol your love more than wine. Rightly do they love you!
 I am black but beautiful, O maidens of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.
 Do not gaze at me because I am black, because the sun has stared at me. The sons of my mother were angry with me; they made me keeper of the vineyards, but my own "vineyard" I did not keep.
 Tell me, you whom my heart loves, where do you pasture your flock, where do your sheep lie down at the noon? For why should I be like one who is veiled beside the flocks of your companions?
 If you do not know, O fairest among women, follow the tracks of the flock, and pasture your little lambs beside the tents of the shepherds.
 To a mare among the chariots of Pharaoh, I compare you, my beloved.
 Your cheeks are beautiful with ornaments, your neck with strings of jewels.
We will make ornaments of gold for you with studs of silver.
While the king was on his couch, my nard gave its fragrance.
 My beloved is to me a pouch of myrrh, he spends the night between my breasts.
 My beloved is to me a cluster of blossoms of henna in the vineyards of En Gedi.
 Look! You are beautiful, my beloved. Look! You are beautiful; your eyes are doves.
  Look! You are beautiful, my beloved, truly pleasant. Truly our couch is verdant;
the beams of our house are cedar; our rafter is cypress. SONG OF SONGS 1