Old Testament Scripture Reading: Psalms 67:1 – 7 (KJV)
Psa 67:1 God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah.
Psa 67:2 That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.
Psa 67:3 Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.
Psa 67:4 O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.
Psa 67:5 Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.
Psa 67:6 Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us.
Psa 67:7 God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.
New Testament Scripture Reading: 1Jn 4:14 – 19 (KJV)
1Jn 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
1Jn 4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
1Jn 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
1Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
1Jn 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
1Jn 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.
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Transforming Power Statements:
1) Psalms 67 is a good representation of the idea that there is a universal nature of the covenant promises of God is clearly seen throughout the entire Old Testament; i.e. God having always had the desire to save all the people of His creation, yet He has always given “all people” the choice to either choose Him or refuse Him.
2) It is through the preaching and study of the Bible, God’s Holy and inerrant Word, that we acquire faith and learn how to think and see things from God’s perspective rather than from a mere human level of understanding, which elevates our knowledge of the great love God our Father has for us and becomes a safeguard against the never ending barrage of fearful things of the fallen world and all the attacks of the enemies of God.
3) All who believe that Jesus the Messiah is the Son of God, have been born from above by God our Father and have been indwelt by His Holy Spirit, Who is the producer of leading us in the learning the properties of real unconditional love, and not only begins the process, but has also promised to perfect it in us, which casts out FEAR!