Psalm  66

Shout joyfully to God, all the earth

Sing the glory of His name;

Make His praise glorious.

Say to God, "How awesome are Thy works"

Father God, You are worthy of all our praises!  You have given us life.  You have blessed us by Your own loving-kindness.  You hear our prayers.  You provide for our needs.  You are kind to us even when we don't deserve it.
"Come and hear, all who fear God, And I will tell of what He has done for my soul." (v16)
The Lord made me, forming in my mother's womb, fearfully and wonderfully.
The Lord gave me a Christian heritage and a mother who made sure all her children went to church and heard the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ.
The Lord gave me teachers and other examples to show me what life in Christ looked like in real time.
The Lord led me and helped me through all my life.
The Lord brought me back to Himself when I had gone my own way.
The Lord blessed me with a beautiful family... a true gift of Grace.
The Lord "tried" me.  He "refined (me) as silver is refined".  He "didst bring (me) out into a place of abundance". (v10,12)
The Lord is merciful and patient.  He is worthy of all my praise and thanksgiving.  I will bless His Name.  I will sing of His glory.

"If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear;" ( v18)   Be assured, there are no secret sins that the Lord does not know.  Anger, bitterness, lies, anything that gets into our hearts, will open the door wide enough for Satan to stick his foot into.  We must confess our sins and receive the loving forgiveness of our Father.  Then we can know that "But certainly God has heard; He has given heed to the voice of my prayer."

"Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer, Nor His lovingkindness from me." (v20)
Amen!!!!!

Matthew 1
The genealogy of Jesus Christ - is not just a list of weird names!  It is a testimony to the Grace of God!
Judah's son, Perez, was from a relationship that would raise eyebrows even now in our culture.  Tamar was Judah's widowed daughter-in-law who dressed like a prostitute and slept with Judah.
Hmmm.
Rahab was a prostitute in the city of Jericho who was saved from destruction by helping the Israelite spies.
Ruth was a  Moabite. The Israelites were not even supposed to have any relationships with them, but she becomes David's great-grandmother.
Manasseh was known to be an evil king, one of the worst!
But, all this God knew and used them anyway.  Through this line came Joseph, the husband of Mary.
This made Jesus legally heir to the throne of Israel.
But as He told Pilate, His Kingdom is not of this world.   Joseph was only a mortal man, a step-father.
The True Father of Jesus is Jehovah God.  It is through His Father's side that Jesus reigns, not only over Israel, but over all creation.
Immanuel - God with us!  is Jesus, "He who will save His people from their sins."
Fully God and fully man.  Wonderful, mysterious, merciful and true.
Sing the glory of His Name!  Make His praise glorious!