Psalms of Prayer

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”  Ps. 139

O how precious the Living Word of God is to our soul! In His Word we find solace, we find encouragement, we find help. It is often said in Christian circles, that the answer to all of life’s problems are found in the Word of God.  The problem is: we must read and meditate upon His Word to locate those answers. Today we explore the Prayers that have been prayed in the Psalms. Most of these Prayers are from the heart of David, a man after God’s own heart the Scripture reveals. There are probably several things that caused David to be a man after God’s own heart, but for sure he was a man of Prayer. An individual who knew the weakness of his flesh and constantly cried out to God to keep him from corruption of the day and the wickedness of humanity. He had his moments of failure but he Prayer was, God to make me. “Make me to understand Thy precepts:” – “Make me to go in the path of Thy Commandments; for therein do I delight. Incline my heart unto Thy Testimonies, and to covetousness. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken Thou me in Thy way!” And a most important supplication unto the Lord, “Stablish Thy Word unto Thy servant, who is devoted to Thy fear.”  Perhaps there is a famine of the ‘fear of God’ in our world today. When the Evangelical vote is for an individual who has very little concept of God – we know this by what comes out of their mouth. Where is the ‘fear of God’ in our society today? Consider 2 Sam. 23:3 “The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.”  There was a righteous fear of God in David that cause him to know when ever he stepped out of line with the God of his Salvation.  Today we have the Holy Ghost that lives within us and if we let Him, He will convict us and keep us in the path that God has prepared for us. Thoughts to meditate upon. Loving you, Pastor

Give And It Shall Be Given

“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

  

Give and it shall be given unto you. How much do we believe this Message that Jesus Preached? To think that whatever we give, the same measure will come back to us. Perhaps God intended for us to think before we give out harsh thoughts, or unkind actions. It is exceedingly interesting to note in Lev. 23:38 that as God speaks to the Children of Israel He includes in their Giving the Sabbaths. There it seems He is saying Give your Sabbaths, your gifts, your vows, and freewill offerings. Let’s meditate upon our Giving. What do we give daily to the Lord? For His Precious Blood covers us daily as we implore [cry out in Prayer] Him. Perhaps our thoughts are usually concerned with financial giving, such as offerings, tithes, etc. But here in the Bible – Leviticus. Our vows to Him are mentioned. What are our Vows to God, to Jesus, to the Holy Ghost? Being a New Testament believer our Sundays/Sabbaths are mentioned. Faithfulness to the House of the Lord is part of our Giving! Now if Gifts are mentioned ... hummm what is our Gifts?  In the New Testament under the Better Covenant, Jesus our Savour – the Gifts could be that which the Holy Ghost has given to the Church through Jesus shed Blood. For Jesus did not only redeem us, but He sent the Holy Ghost to be our Comforter in His Bodily absence. So then the question arises are we manifesting His Gifts within the Body of Christ? So many questions arise as I study for my message each week. I realize how frail the human nature is, and how subject we are to fleshly ways. It’s revelatory to just stop and give some personal time to meditation upon the Word of God.  If we could remember our ways, and know that however we are it will be returned to us, perhaps we would think before we speak or act.  If we will give unto the Lord sincerely in love and humility, perhaps we could not measure the returned result!     Loving you, Pastor

For This Cause

In this moment and time, there are many ‘causes’ that we see. The meaning of the word ‘cause’ is quite interesting. It means: a reason for an action; to effect by command – authority – force; a person that is the occasion of an action; an agent that brings something about; ... As we enter into the Holy Lenten Season it is evident that Jesus is the person that ‘caused’ a powerful action that redeemed our Life. He is our agent/mediator and O what He has brought about in our world! It is time to examine our ‘cause’ in life, and our ‘cause’ for the Kingdom of God. As we read the Word of God, we find spiritual ‘causes’ mentioned from the Old Testament throughout the New Testament. Jesus gives an Expository Message in John 18 as he talks about the Kingdom of God. It is important to remember we belong to the Kingdom of God. Jesus persecuted, beaten, and now questioned as He stands before Pilate. Pilate asks Jesus, “Art Thou the King of the Jews?”  Jesus answered him, “Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the Truth. Everyone that is of Truth hearth My voice.” Jesus had a ‘cause,’ a purpose to glorify His Father in heaven, “for this ‘cause’ He was born.”  Note the suffering that came with the ‘cause’ of Christ. The Lenten Season is Jesus’ most personal moments–His preparation, His temptation, His Ministry, His Teachings, and the giving of His life, a ransom for us! Let us offer a Lenten Discipline unto our Saviour, a physical discipline and a Spiritual Discipline. As born again believers what is our Christian ‘Cause;? In this Holy Season let us examine our hearts. Loving you, Pastor

Let Us Kneel Before Our Maker

As we enter into this year of politics, I have noticed the subject of humility in somewhat missing. The hour is upon us to come into a greater dimension of Prayer & Worship. There is a call from the heart of God – “O Come Let us Worship and Bow Down!”   This has been the message of our Church for many years.  There is “spiritual strength” in kneeling before the Lord, – answers to our Prayers – and healing as we take this position in Prayer. I think of Solomon the great wise King who humbled himself in midst of his people and kneeled to Pray. Think of this, Solomon built a huge platform of brass and he placed it before the people, then he kneeled down before all the congregation of Israel and spread his hands toward heaven and Prayed.  What an example before the people. God was gracious unto Solomon in many ways and granted him great wisdom. I think of Zacharias the priest coming before the Altar and there appeared the Angel of the Lord and gave him the Message of the birth of his son John the Baptist.  What a manifestation at the Altar of the Lord.  God had heard his prayer for a son!  Another example is Hannah, as she wept and cried before the Lord, he gave her a miracle of a son. There are many explanations of Worship, but let us consider kneeling in the altar of the Lord as a Worship that touches His heart and miracles are born when we humble ourselves and Pray.  Daniel knelt at an open window and Prayed; it gave him the strength to stay all night in a den of lions. Jesus knelt in Prayer as He faced a great human decision and it gave Him the strength to make the journey to Calvary and to die for our sins.  I like to think that as we draw near unto the Lord upon our knees, His ear is drawn to our cry in a most unique way.  I believe God is calling us as He did in the days of Joel to weep in the Altar and cry out to God to “Spare our Nation.”  – Ephesians Ch. 3 is a wonderful Passage of Scripture - Please read it in your devotions this week.  Paul declares, “For this cause I bow my knees:” – we have bold access to Jesus at the Altar of the Lord; Let us take time to bow before the Lord and Worship Him. Loving you, Pastor