For unto us a child is born (3/4)

For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens. Your faithfulness… Psalm 57:10

For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Psalm 57:10	For your kindness extends to the heavens; your faithfulness, to the skies. love reliability
The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born. Psalm 33:6	The heavens were made by the word of the Lord, and all their host by the breath of his mouth. creation speaking heaven

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin.” John 8:34	Jesus replied, “Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who sins is a slave of sin.” addiction sin slavery
What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Romans 8:31	What then can we say in response to all this? If God is for us, who can be against us? God encouragement protection
Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things. Ecclesiastes 11:5	Just as you do not know the path of the wind or how the body is formed in a woman’s womb, so you do not know the work of God, the Creator of all. God understanding
The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil. 1 Peter 3:12	For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer. However, the face of the Lord is set against those who do evil. righteousness prayer listening
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 2 Peter 1:3	His divine power has bestowed on us everything that is necessary for life and for devotion through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and virtue. strength life receiving
“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” Mark 9:23	Jesus answered, “If it is possible! All things are possible for one who has faith.” faith miracles healing
But in your great mercy, you did not destroy them completely or abandon them forever. What a gracious and merciful God you are! Nehemiah 9:31	Yet even so, because of your great compassion, you did not completely destroy them, nor did you forsake them, for you are a gracious and merciful God. grace mercy nearness
“Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. Joel 2:13	Rend your hearts and not your garments, and turn back to the Lord, your God. For he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and always prepared to relent from punishing. heart grace love
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10	For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for a life of good works that God had prepared for us to do. creation Jesus following
Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies. Proverbs 31:10	Who can find a worthy wife? She is far more precious than pearls. valuable marriage relationships
And the Lord our God commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear him so he can continue to bless us and preserve our lives, as he has done to this day. Deuteronomy 6:24	The Lord commanded us to observe all of these statutes and to fear the Lord, our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, even as we are today. obedience blessing law
For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. Romans 10:10	For one believes in the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. faith speaking salvation
Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:7-8	Indeed, it is seldom that anyone will die for a just person, although perhaps for a good person someone might be willing to die. Thus, God proved his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. sin salvation death
But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) Ephesians 2:4-5	But God is rich in his mercy, and because he had such great love for us, he brought us to life with Christ when we were already dead through sin—it is by grace that you have been saved. mercy love Jesus
Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.” Isaiah 6:8	I then heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me!” prophecy evangelism speaking
But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises. Hebrews 8:6	But Jesus has now received a ministry that is far superior, for he is the mediator of a far better covenant that has been established on better promises. Jesus covenant mediator
And may the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful! Psalm 90:17	May the favor of the Lord, our God, rest upon us. And may the work of our hands prosper— indeed, may the work of our hands prosper. grace encouragement work
We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 1 John 4:16	We have come to know and to believe in the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him. trust love God
May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us or abandon us. 1 Kings 8:57	May the Lord, our God, be with us, just as he was with our fathers; may he not leave us or abandon us. nearness reliability family
Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey’s colt. Zechariah 9:9	Rejoice with all your heart, O daughter Zion. Shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem. See, your king is coming to you, triumphant and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. prophecy easter humility
Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone. Psalm 33:22	O Lord, let your kindness rest upon us, for we have placed our hope in you. trust reliability hope
And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. 1 John 4:13	This is how we can be certain that we abide in him and that he abides in us: he has given us a share in his Spirit. God Spirit nearness
But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. 1 Corinthians 2:10	However, God has revealed these things to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit explores everything, even the depths of God. God Spirit planning

Until at last the Spirit is poured out on us from heaven. Then the wilderness will become a fertile field, and the fertile field will yield bountiful crops.

Until a spirit from on high is poured out upon us, and the wilderness becomes an orchard and the fruitful field becomes a forest.