Bread & Milk

Our Message today comes from Isaiah the 55^th Chapter. It would be great if you would read it this week in your devotions. Isa. Begins: “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and Milk without money and without price.”  Of course God is speaking through Isaiah to bring forth a Spiritual Message. For in VS2 The Word says; “eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself ...” When we come to Christ, we eat of His Word, we drink of His Spirit and the ‘price’ – the Sacrifice of Christ’s Life. VS3 is the center of thought that God desires to reveal to us: “Incline your ear, and come unto Me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an Everlasting Covenant with you, even the sure Mercies of David.”  So many voices in the earth today, so many challenges, and seemingly so little time.  I can hear the voice of my Mother when I was a child; as my brother would leave the house, she would call out, don’t forget the Bread and Milk!  Such a voice is heard in Scripture today, for it appears that the Bread may be forgotten and we have remained in the Milk of the Word.  God is calling His people to ‘grow’ – to “mature” in Him, for the battle rages against Him. We know that we are more than “conquerors” but only as we are filled with His Bread and have moved through the Milk into the Meat of His Word. It is the power of His Word, the Glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ that will sustain us, and nourish us as we face the powers of darkness that attempts to rein in our world. It is not business as usual, huge changes have come, Jesus’ steps closer to the edge of heaven, trumpets are being prepared ... as the war rages, He will come!  The Bread of Heaven is our strength, and we must live in Him. Loving you, Pastor

Mystery of the Ages

“The Mystery which hath been hid from Ages and from Generations, but now is made manifest to His saints:”  ~Colossians 1:26

What an awesome generation we live in today!  While there seems to be unrest in our country, there is Peace in the Lord Jesus Christ whom we love and serve.  Mystery is mentioned quite a few times in Scripture especially in the New Testament. When I see the word “Mystery” I always have a depth of wonder what the Mystery of God is teaching us.  The Bible Teaches that there was a “Mystery” hidden in God before the world began. This Mystery was Ordained of God and had powerful purpose for His people.  It was an Eternal Purpose that God desired to make known unto the Church, it is seen as the “Manifold Wisdom of Himself. Truly God was a Mystery waiting to be revealed unto humanity through Jesus the Sacrificial Lamb of the Ages.  Scripture reveals in Rev 10:7 that the Mystery is finished.  “But in the days of the voice of the Seventh Angel, when he shall begin to sound, the Mystery of God should be finished, as He hath declared to His servants the Prophets.”  What a thought, there is yet “Mysteries” to be revealed!  Imagine – Scriptural Knowledge tells us: “In other Ages such knowledge was not known  unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto His Holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit; In this Mystery of the Ages, God has planned for the Gentiles to be fellow heirs, and partakers of a glorious Promise!” [see Eph 3:2] His Gospel came first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles; O thank you Jesus for including us in the Mystery of the Ages! We are knowledgeable of this Passage of Scripture, but perhaps it takes on deeper meaning as we discuss the Mystery of the Ages. Eph. 2:4-7 “God, who is rich in Mercy, for His great Love wherewith He Loved us,  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by Grace ye are Saved; And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:  That in the Ages to come He might shew the Exceeding Riches of His Grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” Hallelujah!   Loving you, Pastor

Continual Trust in God

“I will bless the Lord at all times: His Praise shall continually be in my mouth.” ~ Psalm 34:“Continual Implies enduring existence often through constant renewal – reoccurring thoughts without fear…” Let’s meditate on this as we think about “Continual application of God’s Word, the constant Love of Christ, and the strengthening Power of the Holy Ghost.  Last week the Message was about “Enduring or temptations.”  A good way to do this, when we truly Love the Lord with all our heart, is to enter into Continued Praise of our Lord and Saviour! To walk in Continued Trust no matter the circumstance.  The Holy Spirit prompted David in the Psalms/songs to speak of “Continual Praise, Truth, and the Goodness of God.  Off times when a crisis occurs we are weakened by the circumstance and perhaps tempted to question God, or to let discouragement set in upon us. It is quite thought provoking to think about God’s Continual Truth, and His awesome Continual goodness to us in the land of the Living.  David comforted himself in Praise, Song, and Trusted in God in the midst of his circumstance. Jesus had not yet come; avid did not know Salvation as we know it today, yet He Trusted! His was a Continual Trust in God, an enduring existence in the Commands of God and constant renewing of himself in his commitment to a Holy God. How did he handle his difficult times? Psalm 27 is a song of great distress, a time of discouragement that David was going through, he recalls;  “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the Goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.”  We have all had times of waiting, and here, we are encouraged to wait, to remember the Goodness of the Lord.  It would be a great period of waiting if we could do it with “Continual Praise” in the midst of our waiting. “Enduring through constant renewal!” Renewing ourselves in our Faith, our commitment to Christ, and Continually giving thanks for His Mercy endures forever.  Our God is a “Continual” God. God never gives up on us! He is a Faithful God. The Psalmist wrote in the 52^nd Ps., “…the Goodness of God endureth Continually!” We serve a God that said: “Nevertheless I Am Continually with Thee:”  O let the Church enter into Continual Praise and Worship for in Christ we have the Peace that passes all understanding!   “I will Hope Continually, and will Praise Thee more and more…!” Ps. 71:14