đWednesdayđMidweek! Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His gloryđđžđ
But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: âfear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. when you pass through the waters, I will bewith you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.â¨When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Saviour; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place. Since you were precious in My sight, you have been honored, and I have loved you; therefore I will give men for you, and people for your life. Fear not, for I am with you;â¨I will bring your descendants from the east, and gather you from the west; I will say to the north, âgive them up!â and to the south, âDo not keep them back!â bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earthâeveryone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.â Bring out the blind people who have eyes, and the deaf who have ears. Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled. Who among them can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring out their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear and say, âIt is truth.â âYou are My witnesses,â says the Lord, âand My servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the Lord, and besides Me there is no saviour. I have declared and saved,â¨I have proclaimed, and there was no foreign god among you; therefore you are My witnesses,â Says the Lord, âthat I am God. Indeed before the day was, I am He; and there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?â Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,â¨The Holy One of Israel; âfor your sake I will send to Babylon, and bring them all down as fugitivesâThe Chaldeans, who rejoice in their ships. I am the Lord, your Holy One, The Creator of Israel, your King.â Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea and a path through the mighty waters, Who brings forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power (They shall lie down together, they shall not rise; they are extinguished, they are quenched like a wick): do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it?â¨I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The beast of the field will honor Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen. This people I have formed for Myself; they shall declare My praise.