**Most Powerful and Meaningful Prayers in the KJV Bible** I wanted to share some of the KJV’s most powerful and meaningful prayers—and why, even after thousands of years, they still speak to us like they were written yesterday. 1. The Lord’s Prayer — Matthew 6:9–13** **“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”** **Why it still matters** This is the prayer that pulls your soul back into alignment when life feels like a junk drawer. It reminds us that God is God, we are not, and daily bread is enough—no need to ask for tomorrow’s bread, next week’s bread, or a Costco‑sized pallet of bread. It’s the perfect reset button for a cluttered heart. 2. David’s Prayer of Repentance — Psalm 51:1–12** **“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness… Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity… Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.”** **Why it still matters** David basically says, “Lord, I messed up—big time.” And God meets him with mercy, not a lightning bolt. This prayer is for anyone who’s ever wished for a spiritual pressure‑wash and a fresh start. It’s honest, raw, and proof that God can handle the truth—even when it’s ugly. 3. Jabez’s Prayer — 1 Chronicles 4:10** **“Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!”** **Why it still matters** Jabez prays like someone who knows God isn’t stingy. He asks boldly, confidently, and without apologizing for wanting a bigger life. It’s the spiritual equivalent of saying, “Lord, expand my horizons—and please keep me from stepping in anything I shouldn’t.” 4. Hannah’s Prayer of Deep Anguish — 1 Samuel 1:10–11** **“And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. And she vowed a vow… O LORD of hosts… remember me, and not forget thine handmaid…”** Her praise after God answered (1 Samuel 2:1–2): **“My heart rejoiceth in the LORD… There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee.”** **Why it still matters** Hannah shows us that God hears the prayers prayed with mascara running down your face. Her story reminds us that tears are not a sign of weak faith—they’re often the beginning of answered prayer. And when God comes through? Oh, the praise just pours out. 5. Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom — 1 Kings 3:7–9** **“I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in… Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad.”** **Why it still matters** Solomon could’ve asked for riches, revenge, or a palace upgrade. Instead, he asked for wisdom—something we all need in a world where everyone has opinions but not everyone has sense. This prayer is perfect for those “Lord, I have no idea what I’m doing” moments. 6. Jesus’ Prayer in Gethsemane — Luke 22:42** **“Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”** **Why it still matters** This is the prayer for the nights when life feels too heavy and the future too uncertain. Jesus shows us that surrender isn’t weakness—it’s trust. It’s saying, “Lord, I don’t like this, but I know You’re leading me somewhere good.” 7. Daniel’s Prayer for His Nation — Daniel 9:4–19** **“We have sinned, and have committed iniquity… O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake…”** **Why it still matters** Daniel prays like a man who loves his country but knows it needs help. He doesn’t point fingers—he includes himself. It’s a prayer for divided times, reminding us that healing starts with humility, not shouting matches. 8. Mary’s Magnificat — Luke 1:46–50** **“My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour… For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.”** **Why it still matters** Mary celebrates God with the joy of someone who knows she’s been seen, chosen, and loved. Her prayer reminds us that God delights in lifting up the humble and doing extraordinary things through ordinary people. 9. The Tax Collector’s Prayer — Luke 18:13** **“God be merciful to me a sinner.”** **Why it still matters** This is the spiritual equivalent of dropping all the fancy words and saying, “Lord, it’s me. I need help.” No theatrics. No pretending. Just truth—and Jesus says this is the prayer God honors most. 10. Paul’s Prayer for Spiritual Strength — Ephesians 3:14–19** **“That he would grant you… to be strengthened with might by his Spirit… That ye… may be able to comprehend… the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge…”** **Why it still matters** Paul prays that we would understand just how loved we are—because if we ever truly grasped it, fear wouldn’t stand a chance. This prayer is a warm blanket for the soul, reminding us that God’s love is bigger than anything life throws at us. **What ties all these prayers together** Across all these voices—Jesus, David, Hannah, Daniel, Paul—you see the same heartbeat: - **Honesty** when pretending would be easier - **Dependence** when self‑reliance runs out - **Surrender** when control slips through our fingers - **Hope** when circumstances look bleak - **Transformation** when shame whispers lies - **Love** when division tries to win These prayers endure because the human soul hasn’t changed. We still cry, hope, fail, rejoice, fear, and long for God. And these ancient words still meet us right where we are. They remind us that humanity has always reached for its Creator—and God has always reached back.

Welcome! 🖐️ Text: Luke 1:46–56 (ARC) There are songs that are born on a stage. And there are songs that are born from the ground. There are songs that exist to showcase the one who sings. And there are songs that exist to magnify the One who saves. Mary’s song—known for centuries as the Magnificat—was not born from a special night with lights, instruments, and applause. It was born from a simple encounter, in an ordinary home, between two ordinary women… visited by an extraordinary God. Mary arrives at Elizabeth’s house. And Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, confirms the impossible: the child in Mary’s womb is not merely a private miracle; it is the fulfillment of a public promise—an ancient promise—a covenant promise. God is acting in history. God is visiting His people. And when Mary grasps the greatness of this, she does not begin by talking about herself. She sings. Luke 1:46–56 (ARC) is the passage that gives us this song. And the question it sets before us is simple and profound: what happens to a heart when it understands that God is at work? My purpose today is to walk with you through Mary’s song in four movements, just as the text itself presents it. And in the end, to ask the Lord to do in us what He did in her: to give us a faith that worships, a humility that trusts, and a hope that is not empty—because it is anchored in the faithfulness of God. 1. When God acts, worship begins with God at the center (vv. 46–49) Mary opens her mouth, and the first thing that comes out is not a report. It is worship: “Then Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour; For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: For, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.” Notice how she begins. She does not begin by saying, “Look what is happening to me.” She begins by saying, “My soul doth magnify the Lord.” This matters: true worship is not, first and foremost, an external event. It is an internal reality. She speaks of “soul” and “spirit.” The praise God receives does not depend on the echo of the environment. It depends on the center of the heart. And at the same time, this is not vague mysticism. It is not emotion without content. Mary says why she rejoices: “in God my Saviour.” She is not intoxicated with feelings; she is filled with meaning. And here a phrase already appears that can confront us: “God my Saviour.” Mary does not sing as one who thinks she does not need saving. She sings as one who knows she does. She does not see herself as spiritually above others. On the contrary: she calls herself a “handmaiden” and acknowledges her “low estate.” This helps us understand the tone of the text: the Magnificat is not Mary placing herself at the center. It is Mary removing herself from the center and placing God at the center. She continues: “For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.” The word “regarded” is beautiful: it is to look with intention, to notice with care, to consider with mercy. In other words, Mary is saying, “God saw me.” How many people live as if God does not see? As if their pain goes unnoticed? As if their quiet faithfulness is irrelevant? As if their daily struggle is invisible? Mary sings: “He hath regarded.” And then she says: “from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.” This phrase is sometimes misunderstood. Mary is not exalting herself. She is saying something like, “What God is doing is so great that history will not forget it.” Not because Mary was great. But because God is great. That is why she concludes: “For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.” God’s holiness here is not a decorative word. It is the pillar of her praise. “Holy is his name” means: He is not like us. He does not make promises only to forget them. He does not begin works only to abandon them. He does not act on a whim. He is God. He is pure. He is steadfast. He is faithful. He is holy. So in the first section, Mary teaches us something fundamental: when God acts, true worship displaces the ego and recenters God. And this asks us a practical, unavoidable question: What has your soul been magnifying? When you sing, pray, give thanks, live… is the center God—or you? There is a kind of religiosity that uses God as a mirror: “Lord, see how well I’m doing; see what I’m doing; see how hard I’m trying.” Mary does not do that. Mary uses faith as a window: she looks at God and says, “He is great.” If we want worship that is biblical and healthy, this is the first step: not beginning with ourselves. Beginning with Him. 2. When God acts, mercy turns the world upside down (vv. 50–53) Now the song widens. Mary moves from “God has done in me” to “God does in the world.” She begins to describe the way God acts in history. “And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.” If the first section is worship, this second is interpretation. Mary is reading history with eyes of faith. And she sees a repeated mark in God’s hand: mercy… and reversal. “And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.” God’s mercy is not a sudden burst of generosity. It is not a phase. It is a pattern. It is “from generation to generation.” God does not become merciful when we are behaving. God is merciful because that is His character. And He pours it out “on them that fear him”—that is, on those who acknowledge Him as God, on those who bow, on those who do not treat the Lord as an object, but as Lord. Then Mary uses a strong image: “He hath shewed strength with his arm.” In the Old Testament, “the arm of the LORD” is a picture of saving power. It is God stepping into history to deliver, sustain, judge, fulfill. And what does that arm do? First: “He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.” Notice: it is not only outward pride. It is the “imagination” of the heart. Because pride is often silent—an inner self-sufficiency that says, “I can handle it. I control it. I know. I deserve. I don’t need.” God scatters that. God disperses that. God dismantles that. Second: “He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.” Here the theme of the Kingdom appears: God reverses human expectations. The world assumes history belongs to those with thrones. God shows history belongs to Him. And He takes holy pleasure in bringing down arrogance and lifting up humility. Third: “He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.” This requires care. Mary is not saying that material poverty, in itself, is virtue. Nor that material wealth, in itself, is sin. Scripture is broader than that. What she is describing is a spiritual and moral pattern: God fills those who know they need; God empties those who think they already have. There are rich people who are humble. And poor people who are proud. The axis here is not a bank account; it is the heart. The “hungry” are those who recognize their need—for righteousness, for grace, for help, for God. The “rich” here are the self-sufficient—those who are full of themselves and therefore have no room for the Lord. God “sends empty away” not because He loves punishment for its own sake, but because pride blocks the reception of grace. God does not pour mercy into closed hands. The proud come to God with clenched fists. The humble come with open hands. And here we need to pause and let the text examine us. Because the Magnificat is not merely a beautiful song. It is a diagnosis of the world—and of our hearts. A simple question: where is pride hiding in us? Sometimes pride shows up as control: “I need everything under my command.” Sometimes as comparison: “I’m better than they are.” Sometimes as resentment: “God owes me.” Sometimes as religiosity: “I do, I perform, I deserve.” Sometimes in a modern, polished form: “I build myself. I save myself. I don’t depend.” Mary says: God scatters that. And that is good news. Because God is not destroying pride to humiliate us for pleasure. He is tearing down the lie that kills us. Pride promises security and delivers emptiness. Pride promises a throne and delivers a fall. Pride promises fullness and delivers hunger. But God’s mercy works the opposite way: He lifts the humble, fills the hungry, welcomes those who fear Him. So if you feel small, tired, without prestige, without a throne—there is hope. The Kingdom of God does not grow on thrones. It grows in broken hearts. And if you feel “full”—full of certainty, full of self-sufficiency, full of confidence in yourself—this text is a loving warning: you may be near to being “sent empty away.” The issue is not having things. The issue is being possessed by them. The issue is being so full of the self that there is no room left for God. The Magnificat calls us to a posture: to fear the Lord. To recognize God as God. And to recognize ourselves as dependent. 3. When God acts, He does not improvise—He fulfills promises (vv. 54–55) After speaking of what God does with the proud and the humble, Mary reveals what stands behind it all: God is being faithful to the covenant. “He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; (As he spake to our fathers) to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.” This part is gold. Because here Mary teaches us to read history as Bible. She is saying, “What is happening now is not an accident; it is fulfillment.” “He hath holpen his servant Israel”—that is, God has come to help His people, to support, to sustain. “In remembrance of his mercy.” When Scripture says God “remembers,” it does not suggest that God forgot and then recalled it as we do. “To remember” here is to act according to the commitment. It is to bring the covenant into the present. It is to make good on what He promised. And Mary anchors this in a specific promise: “As he spake… to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.” That is, Mary understands that her child is tied to a promise made centuries earlier. She is connecting her womb to Genesis. She is linking her personal story to the story of redemption. And here is a great lesson for us: mature faith is faith that learns to see itself inside God’s story, rather than God inside its own story. We tend to view life like this: “Here I am, with my plans, my pain, my dreams; and God comes in to help.” Mary is saying the opposite: “Here is God, with His promise, His plan, His mercy; and I have been reached by it.” That changes everything. Because when you understand that God keeps His promises, you do not need to live enslaved to despair. You can face the present with solid hope—not because you can predict tomorrow, but because you know the character of the One who rules tomorrow. In other words: what sustains Mary is not the predictability of life. It is the faithfulness of God. And here another practical question fits: Are you reading your life as “improvisation,” or as “providence”? Do you look at crises and think, “God has lost control”? Or can you say—even trembling—“He remembers mercy”? God is not a God of improvisation. He is a God of promises. And promises are not poetry; they are commitment. God has bound His name to His words. He is faithful. And that is why the coming of Christ is so decisive. Because in Him God is saying to humanity: “I have not forgotten. I have not abandoned. I have come.” The Magnificat is a song, yes. But it is also a theological declaration: God is fulfilling the covenant. 4. When God acts, worship becomes life (v. 56) And then Luke closes with a simple sentence: “And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.” It sounds like a detail… but it is a detail that preaches. Mary sings an exalted song, full of Scripture, full of history, full of theology… and then she stays three months serving, living, walking. She does not move from ecstasy to distraction. She moves from praise to everyday faithfulness. That is a mark of healthy spirituality: it does not end in a chill; it continues in obedience. Mary stays with Elizabeth—likely helping during an advanced pregnancy, in an ordinary home, with routine, fatigue, tasks. Then she returns home—to face the social implications of that pregnancy, to walk with Joseph, to obey in the ordinary, to keep believing. In other words: true worship does not remove us from reality; it equips us to live reality with God. There are people who think a good service is one that makes you forget life. Mary’s song is the opposite: it reminds you who God is, so you can return to life sustained by that. What does Luke 1:46–56 require of us today? If I had to summarize the message of the passage in one sentence, it would be this: When God begins His great salvation, He moves the humble heart to worship Him, because His mercy brings down the proud, lifts up the lowly, and faithfully fulfills His promises. Now, how does that touch our life? 1) A call to true humility Biblical humility is not self-hatred. It is not belittling yourself as a sport. It is recognizing two things at the same time: God is great. I depend on Him. Mary is an example: she does not pretend nothing happened to her. She says, “all generations shall call me blessed.” But she knows why: “For he that is mighty hath done to me great things.” Humility is this: recognizing what God does, without stealing His glory. So if today you are stuck in self-pity, the text lifts you up: God sees, God regards, God helps, God fills. And if today you are stuck in self-sufficiency, the text brings you low: God scatters the proud, brings down thrones, sends the self-satisfied away empty. 2) A call to fear the Lord “And his mercy is… on them that fear him.” To fear the Lord is not to live in panic. It is to live in reverence. It is to take God seriously. It is to stop treating the Lord like a charm and to treat Him as King. The fear of the Lord reorders priorities. It keeps us from playing with sin. It keeps us from living as though God were a footnote. It keeps us from singing with our mouths and denying Him with our lives. 3) A call to trust God’s faithfulness “In remembrance of his mercy… as he spake…” If God kept the promise made to Abraham by bringing the Savior into the world, He will not fail you. That does not mean life will be easy. Mary herself would not have an easy life. It means the Lord does not abandon His word. Christian hope is not “everything will work out my way.” It is “God will fulfill everything He promised His way—and His way is holy, wise, and good.” 4) A call to worship with substance Mary sings like someone who knows the Scriptures. The Magnificat is full of echoes from the Old Testament. She is overflowing with Bible. This confronts us kindly: does our worship have substance? Or is it only emotional refrain? God deserves to be magnified with truth. The church needs to sing, pray, and live from what God has said—not only from what we feel. Conclusion: the song that reveals who is on the throne The Magnificat is a mirror. It shows who is on the throne. In the proud heart, the “self” is on the throne—and God, at best, is a consultant. In the humble heart, God is on the throne—and the “self” is a servant. Mary sings because God is on the throne. And because God is keeping His promise. And because God is showing, once again, that His Kingdom is not built by the strength of the human arm, but by the merciful arm of the Lord. Perhaps today you need to pray a simple prayer, the size of the text: “Lord, remove me from the center. Fill me with reverence. Break my pride. Sustain my faith. And help me live with hope, because You remember mercy.” And then, like Mary, you go home. Back to the week. Back to the ordinary. But you return different—not because life changed all at once, but because you saw who God is. When God acts, the humble sing. And the proud tremble. For holy is His name. Amen. ✍️ Pastor Jorge R. Lisboa ©2025

The Truth About Mary: What the Bible Actually Teaches. Mary, the mother of Jesus, occupies a place of respect in Scripture. She was chosen by God for a unique purpose — to give birth to the Messiah. The Bible calls her “blessed among women,” and rightly so. Yet in the centuries following the early church, various traditions elevated her far beyond what the Bible actually teaches. Some have come to view her as a sinless intercessor or even a co-redeemer alongside Christ. But when we look closely at Scripture, a very different picture emerges — one that honors Mary’s faith and obedience without attributing to her divine roles that belong only to God. The Apostle Paul stated plainly in 1 Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” This verse leaves no room for another mediator. Christ alone bridges the gap between sinful humanity and a holy God because He alone died for our sins and rose again to offer eternal life. Nowhere in Scripture do we find any instruction to pray to Mary or to seek her intercession. Those practices arose much later in church history, long after the apostles had passed, and they blur the clear biblical teaching that salvation and prayer access come only through Christ (John 14:6; Hebrews 7:25). Likewise, the use of statues or images of Mary for prayer or veneration has no foundation in Scripture. God explicitly warned His people against making carved images for religious purposes (Exodus 20:4–5; Deuteronomy 4:16–19). While religious art can serve as a reminder of biblical truth, it should never become an object of prayer or devotion. Jesus taught that true worship is directed to God alone, “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). Another claim often made about Mary is that she remained a perpetual virgin. Yet the Bible directly refutes this. The Gospels plainly record that Jesus had brothers and sisters (Matthew 12:46; Luke 8:19; Mark 3:31; Matthew 13:56). Four brothers are even listed by name — James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas (Matthew 13:55) — and His sisters, though unnamed, are mentioned as well. Some traditions attempt to argue that these siblings were Joseph’s children from a prior marriage, but that idea has no basis in the Bible or in any early Christian writings from the first few centuries. In fact, this view introduces major theological problems. If Joseph had older sons, Jesus would not have been the legal firstborn, and therefore would not have inherited the right to David’s throne, violating Jewish law and custom (Deuteronomy 21:17). Scripture presents Jesus as both Mary’s firstborn son and the rightful heir to David’s line, meaning Mary bore other children after Jesus. Throughout His ministry, Jesus also corrected attempts to exalt His mother beyond her proper place. In Luke 11:27–28, when a woman in the crowd praised Mary, saying, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you,” Jesus immediately redirected the praise: “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” His point was not to dishonor Mary but to emphasize that spiritual blessedness comes through obedience to God, not through physical relationship or lineage. Jesus made it clear that devotion should always be directed toward God and His Word, not toward His earthly mother. Mary herself understood her need for a Savior. In her praise, known as the Magnificat, she declared, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (Luke 1:46–47). If Mary were sinless, she would have had no need for a Savior. Her words reflect humility and faith — she knew she was a recipient of God’s grace, not a source of it. Scripture repeatedly affirms that only Jesus lived a sinless life: “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us” (2 Corinthians 5:21), and “In Him is no sin” (1 John 3:5). The teaching that Mary was free from sin — known as the “Immaculate Conception” — did not arise until the 19th century and has no foundation in the Bible. The Gospels also reveal that Mary did not fully understand Jesus’s divine mission at first. When Jesus was twelve years old, His parents lost track of Him during their journey home from Jerusalem. After three days, they found Him in the temple, discussing Scripture with the teachers. When Mary asked why He had caused them such distress, Jesus answered, “Did you not know that I must be in My Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49). Mary did not yet grasp His unique relationship with God the Father. Later, at the wedding in Cana, Mary told Jesus that the hosts had run out of wine, and He replied, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come” (John 2:4). Though this may sound curt in English, it was a respectful correction in that culture. Jesus was reminding her that His ministry operated according to His Father’s divine timetable, not human plans. These moments show that Mary, though favored by God, was still human and limited in her understanding. Taken together, these biblical truths reveal that while Mary was greatly blessed, she was not divine, sinless, or an intercessor between God and man. She was a faithful servant who submitted to God’s will and trusted in her Savior. The honor we give her should reflect the honor that Scripture gives her — nothing more, nothing less. The exaltation of Mary beyond the biblical record did not occur in the days of the apostles, but centuries later as church traditions evolved. The early Christians honored Mary as the mother of Jesus, but they did not worship or pray to her. The idea that Mary remained perpetually a virgin began appearing in some Christian writings in the late 4th century, long after the New Testament was written. The belief that she was conceived without sin, known as the “Immaculate Conception,” was not officially declared by the Roman Catholic Church until 1854, and the doctrine that she was assumed bodily into heaven did not become dogma until 1950. None of these teachings have any basis in Scripture. They reflect a gradual elevation of Mary from a humble servant of God to a quasi-divine figure — a development foreign to the apostles’ teaching. Mary’s life points us not to herself, but to the One she called “my Savior.” Her example teaches humility, obedience, and faith in God’s promises — but she would never want the worship, statues, or prayers that belong only to her Son. The Bible leaves no doubt that Jesus Christ alone is the way to the Father, the only mediator, and the sole Redeemer of mankind. “Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.” — Hebrews 7:25

A Prayer for Labor Day (from the September edition of the monthly devotional “Magnificat”) As the sun rises to bring in the new day: We remember those who descend into the earth; their work begins in darkness, pulling from the earth the resources we steward. We remember those who work inside a building away from the light and brightness of the day. We remember those who work outside in the harsh elements of our world, the bitter cold and sweltering heat of extremes. We remember those who do not have a job to go to, who are struggling to meet the needs of their daily living expenses, for whom the day becomes long and arduous. As the sun sets to bring in the evening of rest: We remember those who work in the night. We remember those who are trying to recover from their labor and toils of the day. We remember those who participate in unsafe and dangerous work. We pray for a renewed sense of dignity in their lives and in their work. God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the worker. Make a place in our hearts for compassion to the men and women who labor tirelessly for basic necessities. Ensure a place for the men and women who are struggling to find work. Grant us your wisdom to greet and care for those who are unable to work due to illness or circumstances that prevent their participation. Be with the children who are not able to run and play, but instead must put in a hard day’s work to help their family afford to eat, to live. Be with us all, Christ Jesus, as we go about the busyness of our work. Hold us accountable not only for our actions, but most importantly to each of our neighbors. May we continue to work together to bring about your reign! We ask this in your holy name, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Luke 1:46-55 Comparing KJV Promise Keepers, KJV LDS, KJV Revelation Seminars, ESV Lutheran SB, NLT Abundant Life, NAB Fireside School Church, NKJV Old Time Gospel Hour Pre-pub, KJV Bridge Builders' 10 Golden Keys Special Ed Rod Parsley The Magnificat: Mary's Song of Praise Luke 1:46-55 NLT Abundant Life Mary responded, "Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me. He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him. His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands. He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful. For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever." The Canticle of Mary Luke 1:46-55 NAB Fireside School Church And Mary said; "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy, according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever." The Song of Mary Luke 1:46-55 NKJV Old Time Gospel Hour pre-pub And Mary said; "My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed, For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things. And the rich He has sent away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy, As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever." "My soul doth magnify the Lord" Saint Luke 1:46-55 KJV Bridge Builders' 10 Golden Keys special Ed Rod Parsley And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden; for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath showed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He has filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

Luke 1:46-55 Comparing KJV Promise Keepers, KJV LDS, KJV Revelation Seminars, ESV Lutheran SB, NLT Abundant Life, NAB Fireside School Church, NKJV Old Time Gospel Hour Pre-pub, KJV Bridge Builders' 10 Golden Keys Special Ed Rod Parsley The Song of Mary Luke 1:46-55 KJV Promise Keepers And Mary said, "My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my savior. For he hath regarded the low estate of his maiden; for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. St Luke 1:46-55 KJV LDS And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden; for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen his servant Isaiah, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. Saint Luke 1:46-55 KJV Revelation Seminars And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden; for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen his servant Isaiah, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. Mary's Song of Praise: The Magnificat Luke 1:46-55 ESV Lutheran SB And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call be blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever."