Prayer, the act of talking to our Creator, is something I did not understand for years. I thought prayer was something done in certain places — prayer rooms, church buildings, our living room. I thought it was something done at certain times — prayer time at church, prayer meetings at church, altar services after a church service. I thought it was only done in one way — with a loud voice and the use of repetitive words, much like chanting. But I was wrong. Prayer, the communication of my soul with the almighty God of the universe, cannot be confined to just a few places, just a few times, in a limited way. Prayer is like life-giving water that sometimes beats down on the earth in torrents, washing clean the land and rivers of the pollutants that have covered it. Sometimes, water comes in soft and gentle showers that bathe the earth, enriching the plants and soil so that they may produce for the season. Other times, the water comes in a light, almost imperceptible mist that coats the plants with dew and gives them what they need for that day. All of these kinds of hydration are necessary. All are sent by God.…

Luke 17:32 instructs us to “Remember Lot’s wife.” Lot’s wife is not one of the leading ladies of the Bible; her name isn’t even mentioned. But the drama surrounding her and those three ominous words tell us a lot about her and sound a warning for us all. She was married to a prominent man in Sodom. The Bible tells us that Lot sat at the city’s gates, which means he held a prestigious position. But it also mentions that he was righteous. In a city filled with debauchery and every evil thought and sin, he must have been tormented by the culture around him. We don’t know if Lot’s wife felt the same. Maybe she enjoyed being held in high regard by the most influential people of Sodom. She may have delighted in her possessions and her family’s status. The day came when God, in His mercy, sent deliverance. Abraham had pleaded with God to withhold His judgment for ten righteous in Sodom, but God could not find these few righteous people. Lot still hesitated, and the angels had to take him, his wife, and his daughters by the hands and pull them out saying, “Don’t stop, don’t look…

Galatians 6:2 “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:10 “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” I am privileged and blessed to attend a church where there is love and unity. We have people of many different nationalities, but we are a family. We have great leaders, and the Spirit of the Lord is present in our services. Visitors feel welcome and soon become a part of our congregation. I trust that each of you reading this has a church home. If not, I urge you to find one. Fellowship with other believers is especially important in our walk with the Lord. In this passage in Galatians, Paul is advising the church of their responsibility to their fellow believers. May I make a few suggestions for ways we can be a blessing, “shine our flashlight,” for our brothers and sisters in Christ? The Children – greet them with a smile, perhaps a pat on the head. Simple words can put a smile on their face, such as, “You look pretty, or handsome today.” Compliment them on their behavior or…

“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 So far this week we have been looking at how we can be a “help” in the Kingdom of God by praying and supporting those who are in leadership or volunteering in our church. Today we want to consider another way that we can be a help. In II Corinthians, chapters 8 and 9, Paul is writing to the church in Corinth regarding the offering they are collecting for the needs of people in Jerusalem. He commends them for their faithfulness and encourages them to do their best to meet this need. In verse twelve, he says, “For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. Then in chapter 9, verses 6 and 7, he promises that the Lord will reward those who freely extend generosity to others. “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he…