Dave Chubaka

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
All things have a beginning, all things except God. When we consider that God is the Creator of all things both seen and unseen, in earth and in heaven, we may feel rather small and insignificant by comparison. We should also be amazed at the power, complexity, beauty, and evident design to be seen in the world around us. All of these created things bespeak the glory of their Maker, and even our own bodies and minds and constant evidences of God's creative work. Contemplating the "Book of Nature" and seeing how it speaks in unison with the Bible in revealing to us God's holy character should lead us to praise and worship him all the more.
O God, we know that you are before all things and are the Author of all creation. We feel small enough to ask with the Psalmist (Psalm 8) "What is man that you are mindful of him? " But we also know that your thoughts of us are too numerous to be counted. You have put us in the midst of this created world (of which we are also a part) that we might see your power, wisdom, and love reflected in it and praise you accordingly. Help us, we pray, to do that today and every day.

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
Act 3:19-20

A time of refeshing is coming from the Lord. It was prophesied long ago by God's prophets. It will come upon all the earth when the Kingdom of God appears, first for a thousand years and then on into eternity with a New Heaven and New Earth. The Jews were not wrong to expect an earthly Kingdom, for it had been promised to them, but they forgot about the spiritual nature of the Kingdom. They supposed that entrance into it could be based on being physical sons of Abraham. Instead, repentance is required to enter the Kingdom of God.

Lord Jesus, we wait for the coming of your glorious Kingdom to earth, for the time when all of the kingdoms of this world will become the Kingdom of Christ. Your rule will be perfectly righteous, and you will rule with a rod of iron and dash evil doers to pieces like a potter's vessel (Psalm 2). But even now, rule and reign in our hearts. Help us repent of our sins and turn to you in a true and living faith. Amen.