“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” Luke 6:38 At our Seniors’ Fellowship a few months ago, the subject of using cash arose. Most people said they did not carry cash. They rely on credit cards or online banking to pay bills and buy supplies. I asked them what they did when the Holy Spirit prompted them to give money to someone. One replied that they would go…
“When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. Psalm 27:8 I like how the NLT phrases Psalm 27:8 – “My heart has heard you say, ‘Come and talk with Me’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’” David loved the Lord and desired to please Him. But like you and me, he was human and made mistakes. Daily prayer was important in His life. Ways That David Approached the Lord in Prayer Adoration – Psalm 145:1-3 “I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.” Confession – Psalm 51:1-3 “ Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before ” Thanksgiving – Psalm 30:1-2 “A Psalm and Song at the dedication of the house of David. I will…
“According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.” II Peter 1:3 It is interesting to know that before God created man, He first created everything that man would need to survive. As we read the first chapter of Genesis, we see how God had a plan, and thoroughly He brought it to completion. Light was separated from darkness. Dry land and waters were divided. Grass, flowers, and trees appeared on the earth. The sun, moon, and stars appeared in the sky, dividing time into seasons. Fish filled the seas, and birds flew in the air. All types of animals appeared. Each of these creations would provide for all the needs of the man that God then formed out of the dust of the earth. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve had everything they needed to sustain life. God met with them each day and communed with them. Yet they disobeyed and partook of fruit from the one tree that the Lord had told them they were not to eat. So, sin entered the world, and God…
“At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents. And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not.” Numbers 9:18-19 During the forty years that the children of Israel sojourned in the wilderness, their tents were all pitched to face the Tabernacle, where the presence of the Lord dwelt. Each morning as they rose to face the day, they would…
On the day I am writing this, a weather alert has been issued for our area. We have already had hail. Freezing rain is predicted for the next few hours, accompanied by high winds. Schools have been closed for the day, and people have been asked to stay off the highways unless it is necessary. Hydro crews are prepared to deal with power outages, and all emergency crews are on high alert. But here in my apartment, I feel secure. I have battery-operated lights if the power does go out. Extra clothing and blankets are available if the heat fails. In my cupboards, I have food that can be prepared without the use of electricity. I have everything that I need. Storms are raging throughout our world today. The Bible has prepared us to expect turmoil prior to our Lord’s return to earth. There will be earthquakes, upheavals in nature, and strife among nations. Every time we listen to the news reports, we realize that these prophecies are being fulfilled. But Jesus told His disciples: Luke 21:28 “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” We…
“And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obededom, and all his household.” 2 Samuel 6:11. Why do you think Obededom’s home was blessed? It is because it was housing the ark of the covenant, the very presence and mercy of God in the Old Testament. However, the ark of the covenant was never designed to be in one man’s home; this was a unique accident that worked out in Obededom’s favor. The purpose of the ark was to bless an entire Nation; Israel. Through this story, we learn that every time we allow the presence of God to enter our homes and our families, we will be blessed. However, just as the presence of God was not meant for one man, Obededom and his family, but for an entire Nation, the presence of God is not only for our households, but for our city, our Nation, and our world. We don’t only go “to church,” we are “the church.” We gather the church body together in a building on Sundays, but when we leave, we bring the presence of God with us wherever we go. 1…