Day 359

OYB - December 25

Devotional Old Testament New Testament Psalm Proverb

. . . Happy indeed are those whose God is the Lord.

We are, indeed, happy and blessed! On this Christmas Day in which our Lord's birth is traditionally celebrated, we should take time to remember our blessings.

First, we can thank God for His blessings upon our children. How grateful we are that "our sons flourish in their youth like well-nurtured plants. . . . Our daughters [are] like graceful pillars, carved to beautify a palace" (Psalm 144:12). To have well-mannered, God-fearing children is such a great blessing.

Because of the blessing of provision, "our farms [are] filled with crops of every kind," and "the flocks in our fields multiply by the thousands" (v. 13). God's material blessings to His people are bounteous!

Because of our God, we are privileged to live in a land of peace. There are "no breached walls, no forced exile, no cries of distress in our squares" (v.14). We should never take for granted the peace in our families, on our streets, in our churches, and in our government. In spite of all our problems in America, we are still privileged to "live in peace and quietness, in godliness and dignity" (1 Timothy 2:2).

"Yes, happy are those who have it like this! Happy indeed are those whose God is the Lord" (Psalm 144:15). I trust this can be said of you and of me!

Zechariah 8:1-23

The Coming Peace and Prosperity of Zion

1Then the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying, 2“Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I am exceedingly jealous for Zion, yes, with great wrath I am jealous for her.’ 3Thus says the Lord, ‘I will return to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.’ 4Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Old men and old women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each man with his staff in his hand because of age. 5And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets.’ 6Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘If it is too difficult in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, will it also be too difficult in My sight?’ declares the Lord of hosts. 7Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Behold, I am going to save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west; 8and I will bring them back and they will live in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God in truth and righteousness.’

9“Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Let your hands be strong, you who are listening in these days to these words from the mouth of the prophets, those who spoke in the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, to the end that the temple might be built. 10For before those days there was no wage for man or any wage for animal; and for him who went out or came in there was no peace because of his enemies, and I set all men one against another. 11But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ declares the Lord of hosts. 12‘For there will be peace for the seed: the vine will yield its fruit, the land will yield its produce and the heavens will give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things. 13It will come about that just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you that you may become a blessing. Do not fear; let your hands be strong.’

14“For thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Just as I purposed to do harm to you when your fathers provoked Me to wrath,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘and I have not relented, 15so I have again purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not fear! 16These are the things which you should do: speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace in your gates. 17Also let none of you devise evil in your heart against another, and do not love perjury; for all these are what I hate,’ declares the Lord.”

18Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, 19“Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘The fast of the fourth, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth months will become joy, gladness, and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah; so love truth and peace.’

20“Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘It will yet be that peoples will come, even the inhabitants of many cities. 21The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, “Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts; I will also go.” 22So many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the Lord.’ 23Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” ’ ”

Revelation 16:1-21

Six Bowls of Wrath

1Then I heard a loud voice from the temple, saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”

2So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth; and it became a loathsome and malignant sore on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.

3The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man; and every living thing in the sea died.

4Then the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters; and they became blood. 5And I heard the angel of the waters saying, “Righteous are You, who are and who were, O Holy One, because You judged these things; 6for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. They deserve it.” 7And I heard the altar saying, “Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.”

8The fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun, and it was given to it to scorch men with fire. 9Men were scorched with fierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory.

10Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues because of pain, 11and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they did not repent of their deeds.

12The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates; and its water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east.

Armageddon

13And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs; 14for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty. 15(“Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.”) 16And they gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon.

Seventh Bowl of Wrath

17Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, “It is done.” 18And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty. 19The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath. 20And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21And huge hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, *came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague *was extremely severe.

Psalms 144:1-15

PSALM 144

Prayer for Rescue and Prosperity.

A Psalm of David.

1Blessed be the Lord, my rock,

Who trains my hands for war,

And my fingers for battle;

2My lovingkindness and my fortress,

My stronghold and my deliverer,

My shield and He in whom I take refuge,

Who subdues my people under me.

3O Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him?

Or the son of man, that You think of him?

4Man is like a mere breath;

His days are like a passing shadow.

5Bow Your heavens, O Lord, and come down;

Touch the mountains, that they may smoke.

6Flash forth lightning and scatter them;

Send out Your arrows and confuse them.

7Stretch forth Your hand from on high;

Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters,

Out of the hand of aliens

8Whose mouths speak deceit,

And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

9I will sing a new song to You, O God;

Upon a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,

10Who gives salvation to kings,

Who rescues David His servant from the evil sword.

11Rescue me and deliver me out of the hand of aliens,

Whose mouth speaks deceit

And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

12Let our sons in their youth be as grown-up plants,

And our daughters as corner pillars fashioned as for a palace;

13Let our garners be full, furnishing every kind of produce,

And our flocks bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;

14Let our cattle bear

Without mishap and without loss,

Let there be no outcry in our streets!

15How blessed are the people who are so situated;

How blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!

Proverbs 30:29-31

29There are three things which are stately in their march,

Even four which are stately when they walk:

30The lion which is mighty among beasts

And does not retreat before any,

31The strutting rooster, the male goat also,

And a king when his army is with him.