BEING CONTENT IS A LEARNED BEHAVIOR

Proclamation:

"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:11-13 (NIV)

Explanation:

The Apostle Paul wrote these words under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God to the believers in Philippi.  Paul thanked them for their gifts and then stated that he was not needy.  He had learned to be content "... whatever the circumstances ..." and "... in any and every situation ..."  He stated "... for I have learned to be content ..." and then repeated himself with slightly different words saying "I have learned the secret of being content ..."  His contentment was not based upon his circumstances or his situation, but upon his belief, faith, and trust in The Lord God, who gives him the strength to handle everything that comes his way.

Application:
We need to understand that joy and contentment come from God.  The world can't give it to us, and the world can't take it away from us.  Contentment, like joy, is a gift from God. (Ecclesiastes 2:26)  When we truly believe that all things work together for good for them that love The Lord, (Romans 8:28) then we too can be content in every circumstance and situation.  Unfortunately, most of us have not learned this.  We are not truly needy, we are just greedy.  Regardless of what we have, or how much we have, we still want more.  We do not really appreciate what we have been blessed to have.  To us our glass is always half empty.  We must learn to be thankful for the blessing that we have.  Our circumstances may not be ideal, but they could be a lot worse.  We must learn that God gives us the strength to handle everything that He allows to come our way.  We must learn to believe in Him, have faith in Him, and to trust in Him.

I LOVE YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU

To all of my family and friends, colleagues and co-workers and classmates, associates and acquaintances, preachers and teachers, I just wanted you to know that I love you, each and every one of you, and I pray that The Good Lord will bless you today and continue to bless you.

Today is a special day, and every day is a special day because The Lord God made each one of them.  I will rejoice and be glad in it and I pray that you will also.  While we celebrate and appreciate this glorious Lord’s Day let us say a kind word to someone and encourage them.  Today is a good day for us to do random acts of kindness and demonstrate the love of God.  Let’s not wait until their “Homegoing Celebration” to say something good about someone.  Let the people in your life know that you love them, tell them and show them, while they can appreciate it.

I love you and may God bless you.

Rev Wendell

RIGHTEOUSNESS IS CREDITED TO US NOT EARNED BY US

Proclamation:

"Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.  This is why 'it was credited to him as righteousness.'  The words 'it was credited to him' were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness, for us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.  He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification."  Romans 4:20-25 (NIV)

Explanation:

Under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God the Apostle Paul wrote these words in a letter to the believers in the church at Rome.  Paul used Abraham as an example to prove his point that we are justified by faith alone and not by works.  Abraham, the father of the faithful, was not a sin free man, but righteousness was credited to him because of his belief and his faith in God. (Genesis 15:6)

Application:
It is not our previous sins that get in the way of our being used by God, but it is our disbelief and our lack of faith, or our insufficient faith, that gets in the way.  Our righteousness is not something we earned or worked for, it is credited to us by God because of our belief and faith in Him.  Our faith is weak because we do not exercise it enough or very often.  We need to trust in God and step out on faith more often and let God use us as an example to others of what He can do for those who believe.

GOD HAS A PLAN FOR EACH OF US

Proclamation:

"After Job had prayed for his friends, The Lord made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before ... The Lord blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first." Job 42:10-12 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by Job under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Job, who was a rich and righteous man, (Job 1:1-3) lost everything that he had, (Job 1:13-19) including his health, (Job 2:7) but kept his faith in God. (Job 1:21-22)  Through all of his suffering, Job did not take his wife's advice to curse God and die. (Job 2:9)  He also would not agree with his three friends who said that he was being punished for his sins.  Job remained faithful and he passed his test.  After he prayed for his friends, God healed his body and restored his prosperity, giving him twice as much as he had beforehand.

Application:
Only God knows why we go through the situations that we go through.  There is a purpose for everything, even if we do not understand it while we are enduring it.  Our future holds something much better for us that anything we enjoyed in the past.  So don't be discouraged when you go through the storms of life, they are only tests and temporary situations.  God is sovereign and is in control of all things.  We just need to trust Him and keep the faith.  He will work everything out in our best interest, as only He can.  "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)

MAY YOU LIVE WORTHY AND GROW IN HIS KNOWLEDGE AND POWER

Proclamation:

"For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you.  We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all wisdom and understanding that The Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of The Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to The Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the kingdom of light." Colossians 1:9-12 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Paul to the Christians in Colossae.  Paul was letting them know that he was praying for them.  He told them that he appreciates the good work that they have done and prays that they will continue, and grow in knowledge, and bear good fruit, and be strengthened with His power to endure that which is ahead.

Application:
We need to understand that it is not just the preachers that work for The Lord, but every believer has a job to do for God.  He has to prepare us before He can use us to work for His glory.  That preparation can sometimes be painful and unpleasant, but it is for our benefit.  No matter how much we know, or think that we know, we all need to grow in spiritual knowledge and holiness.  The only way we can do that is by reading and studying The Word of God.  We need to be strengthened with His power to produce good fruit and to withstand the storms of life that are to come.  According to Bible scholar John MacArthur, the good fruit we need to produce includes leading people to Christ (1 Corinthians 16:15), praising God (Hebrews 13:15), giving money (Romans 15:26-28), living a Godly life (Hebrews 12:11), and displaying holy attitudes. (Galatians 5:22-23)  Bible scholar Thomas Nelson states that “endurance and patience are necessary for our perseverance through the storms, problems, trials, and tribulations that are to come, along with forbearance of the faults and offences of others.”  We not only need God’s help to deal with our present situation, we need Him in order to deal with the things which are to come in the future.

WE HAVE A HEDGE OF PROTECTION AROUND US

Proclamation:

"Then The Lord said to Satan, 'Have you considered my servant Job?  There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.'  'Does Job fear God for nothing?' Satan replied.  'Have You not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has?  You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.  But stretch out Your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face.'" Job 1:6-12 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Job himself.  He reports that one day the angels presented themselves to The Lord and Satan was there with them.  God asked Satan, who had roamed the earth seeking whom he may devour, "Have you considered My servant Job?"  Satan's reply was that God had put a hedge of protection around him.  He said that believers only faithful to God as long as they prosper, take away their prosperity and they will reject God.  Then God allow Satan to test Job's faith.  Initially, Satan was only allowed to mess with Job's possessions, later he would affect Job's health.

Application:
Satan could only attack Job because he had God's sovereign permission.  He could not penetrate the “hedge of protection” that God had around Job until God allowed him to do so.  That "hedge" is all God does to protect us, and all Godly people have a "hedge" around them.  Bad things can happen to Godly people, but it is only a test of our faith.  The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of The Lord. (Job 1:21)  Satan's limited power is under God's omnipotent and unlimited power and control.  So, whatever you are going through, keep the faith, it's only a test.

WE ARE SPECIAL PROTECTED AND BLESSED

Proclamation:

"I sought The Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and The Lord heard him; He saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of The Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them. Taste and see that The Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. Fear The Lord, you His saints, for those who fear Him lack nothing." Psalms 34:4-9 (NIV)

Explanation:
These words were written by King David under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God. David was giving thanks to The Lord for saving him from his enemies. He states that those who encounter The Lord are not the same. And as for protection, Christians have a guardian angel with them. David knows that God is good and that He blesses believers and supplies all their needs.

Application:
Once we meet The Lord, we are never the same. After we accept Christ, we are given special status. We are changed instantly and we become new creatures. (2 Corinthians 5:17) We also get access to God who hears and answers the prayers of His saints when we call upon His name. (Proverbs 15:29 and James 5:16) We are protected by a guardian angel and we are blessed. He will supply all of our needs if we only believe.

TEACH ME TO WALK IN YOUR WAY LORD

Proclamation:

"Teach me Your way, Lord, that I may rely on Your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name.  I will praise You, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify Your name forever." Psalms 86:11-12 (NIV)

Explanation:

This psalm is one of six prayers recorded in The Bible Book of Psalms, (Psalms 17, 51, 86, 90, 102, and 142)  This Psalm is one of David's prayers.  It includes a petition, adoration, thanksgiving, but it omits the confession of any specific sin.  It is a personal prayer, not an intercessory prayer for others.  David wants God to help him do that which is right.  He wants God to hear him, protect him, save him, and have mercy on him.  He also wants The Lord to "teach" him to walk in God's way.

Application:

All too often we try to do things on our own.  We don’t pray before we begin an activity and we don’t ask The Lord to help us with whatever it is.  Just because we think that something is the right thing to do does not mean that it is what The Lord would have us to do.  We need to pray and ask God to teach us His way.  We should not assume that we know what He wants us to do or that we know how He wants it done.  We cannot walk with God without His help.  In fact, we should ask The Lord to help us and guide us as we go through all of our daily activities for without Him we could do nothing.

YOU ARE ALSO A LEADER OF GOD'S PEOPLE

Proclamation:

"Be strong and very courageous.  Be careful to obey all the law My servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.  Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.  Then you will be prosperous and successful.  Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:7-9 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words, which were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, are thought to have been written by the Prophet Joshua himself.  Here Joshua conveys what The Lord God said to him.  After the death of Moses,  The Lord said to Joshua, "Moses my servant is dead.  Now then ... As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Joshua 1:1-5)  Joshua was to lead the people into the promise land.  These were the words of encouragement and the directions that The Lord spoke to him.  God chose Joshua to lead His people.

Application:

Pastors and preachers are not the only ones to lead God’s people.  If anyone follows you, listens to your advice, and if what you say or do influences their behavior, then you are also a leader.  If any of the people who follow you are believers then you are also a leader of God’s people.  As such you have the responsibility to say and do the right thing, so as not to lead them astray.  The best way to do that is to be sure that you follow The Word of God.  Read, study, meditate, think about, recite, talk about, and live God's Word, and you will be prosperous, successful, and a good leader of God’s people because God will be with you wherever you go.

WE SHOULD TEACH OUR CHILDREN ABOUT GOD

Proclamation:

"Love The Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  Impress them on your children.  Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:5-9 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the Prophet Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After presenting them with the Ten Commandments, Moses told the people that they were to love The Lord completely.  They were to teach The Word of God and the commandments to their children.  They were to live them, talk of them all the time, and display them in their homes and on their persons.

Application:

As parents we are to teach The Word of God to our children.  If the children and the grand children don't know it, then it is our fault, the fault of the parents and the grandparents. (Deuteronomy 6:1-2)  If the parents don't know it, then it is our fault for not teaching them.  If we tell them but they refuse to listen, or refuse to believe, then we have done our part.  The Word of God should be so ingrained within us that it should show in our daily lives, in our conversations, in our behavior, in our homes, and in our attire.  We should make sure that each day we tell someone about The Lord.  We should make sure that no child sees or hears us, behaving or speaking, in a non Christ-like manner.  We do not want to cause a child to stumble into sin or be led astray. (Matthew 18:6, Mark 9:42, and Luke 17:2)  We do not have to be Bible scholars in order to teach our children The Word of God.  That which we know we should share.  It would also be helpful if they saw us reading The Bible.  Children learn what they hear and what they see.  Let’s make sure that we are Christ-like role models for our children and grandchildren.  Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)

YIELD NOT TO TEMPTATION

Proclamation:

"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.  When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me."  For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.  Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." James 1:12-15 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by James, the half-brother of Jesus, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  James offers statements on wise living and on practical examples of Godly behavior.  Christians are blessed when they exercise Godly behavior when they are confronted with temptation.  They are blessed when they persevere under trials and withstand the tests.  James makes it clear that God is not testing them by tempting them.  Temptation comes from their own sinful nature and desires when in their mind they want to do that which is sinful or which leads to sin.

Application:

We need to understand that the temptation is not a sin, the yielding to the temptation is the sin.  The temptation to sin is a trial, a test that we endure.  God is not tempting us, but through His permissive will, He is allowing the temptation to occur.  The devil does not make us sin, although he is frequently blamed for it.  Our sinful nature causes us to desire to commit sin.  Once we think a sinful thought, we try to rationalize it or justify it before we give in to it.  However, we have a choice and we can choose not to act on our sinful thoughts.  We are blessed when we do not give in to the temptation to sin.  We need to pray regularly and frequently for God's help to withstand temptation and for us not to yield to the temptation to sin.  I truly believe that the more time that we spend reading God’s Holy Word the less time we will spend contemplating and committing sinful behavior.

GOOD HEALTH A LONG LIFE AND HAPPINESS

Proclamation:

"So be careful to do what The Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left.  Walk in all the way that The Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess." Deuteronomy 5:32-33 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the Prophet Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After Moses had given the Ten Commandments to the people, he told them to be careful and to do as The Lord had commanded them.  Walking in the way of The Lord was likened to following a straight path which they were not to deviate from.  Following God would bring them a long life and prosperity.

Application:

The same thing applies to us as believers today as it did to the believers in the days of Moses.  We need to understand that keeping the Ten Commandments will not save anyone who does not believe in Jesus, The Christ, The Son of God.  However, if we believe and if we endeavor to keep The Commandments and behave in a Christ-like way, we will be blessed with a long life and prosperity.  How we live our lives will determine how long we will live.

WE CANNOT SERVE TWO MASTERS

Proclamation:

"No one can serve two masters.  Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and Money." Matthew 6:24 (NIV)

Explanation:
These are the words of Jesus, The Christ, which He spoke as part of the Sermon on the Mount which began in Matthew 5:1 and goes on until 7:29.  As recorded by the Apostle Matthew under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Here Jesus taught that loyalty cannot be divided.  One cannot be totally loyal to God and focus on earthly treasures, possessions, or wealth.  According to Bible scholar Thomas Nelson, "Jesus was not condemning money or possessions in and of themselves, but the improper attitude of enslavement towards wealth."

Application:
We can only be a slave to one master at a time.  Attempting to serve two masters will result in one of them being slighted and receiving less than our best effort.  We are either a slave to God or we are a slave to something or someone else.  We cannot walk with The Lord and hold hands with the devil at the same time.  We should be very careful choosing whom we will serve, for there are eternal consequences to the selection.  There is nothing wrong with having money, it is the love of money that gets us in trouble. (1 Timothy 6:10)

GOD IS ABLE

Proclamation:

"Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.  If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, The God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king.  But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." Daniel 3:16-18 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the prophet Daniel himself.  The first six chapters of this Bible Book are historical in nature and the remainder is prophetic.  Here, after King Nebuchadnezzar had a ninety foot gold statue of himself made (Daniel 3:1) and the decreed that at the sound of the horns, flutes, or whatever music, everyone was to fall down and worship the image.  These three Hebrew boys refused to do so and were brought before the king for punishment.  They told the king that God is able to save them, and even if He does not, He can.  They were thrown into the fiery furnace and God did save them.

Application

Most of us only have a little faith in God.  Most of us would not be willing to die to put our faith to the test.  God can save us from whatever situation we are in.  God is able to do it.  God is omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all knowing), and omnipresent (everywhere at the same time), God is able.  He can and He will do whatever He wants to do.  Saving us from our little problem situations would be easy for Him if He chose to do so.  He can, but even if He doesn't, God is able.  We praise Him, even if He doesn’t do another thing for us, we know that God is able.

IN THIS WORLD BUT NOT OF THIS WORLD

Proclamation:

"You are all children of The Light and children of the day.  We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.  So then, let us not be like others ... But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.  For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.  He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him.  Therefore encourage one another and build each other up ..." 1 Thessalonians 5:5-11 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the Apostle Paul under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Addressing the believers in Thessalonica, Paul began this chapter talking about "the day of The Lord", judgement day, and reminded them that as children of God they would be raptured beforehand.  Here he reminds them that they are not of this world and that as children of God they should act differently from the worldly people.  He also reminded them that they need protection against worldly temptations.  As believers, they would be spared the wrath of God and that they should be that fact.

Application:
Jesus said, "I am The Light of the world." (John 8:12 & 9:5)  We are sons of The Light.  He also said that He was that He was from heaven above and that He was not of this world. (John 8:23)  Because of the Christ that is within us, we are in this world but not of this world and we should not act like worldly people.  We need to exercise self-control.  We should put on the whole armor of God as we do battle with the world and its temptations.  It is not God's plan for us to suffer His wrath, but to be saved.  Therefore let us encourage each other, better days are coming.  Let us build each other up and not tear each other down.  Let us help, and not hurt; let us give, and not take; let us love, and not hate.

TRUE LOYALTY AND COMMITMENT

Proclamation:

" 'Look,' said Naomi, 'your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods.  Go back with her.'  But Ruth replied, 'Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you.  Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.  Your people will be my people and your God my God.  Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried.  May The Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.' " Ruth 1:14-17 (NIV)

Explanation:

The human author of The Bible Book of Ruth is generally agreed upon to be Samuel, although there are a number of Bible scholars who attribute authorship to a number of others.  Ruth, the Moabitess, is the principal character in The Book but she is not the author.  She provides an example of Christian character and behavior, and loyalty and commitment.  Ruth is one of the few women to be mentioned by name in the genealogy of Jesus, The Christ. (Matthew 1:5)  Orpah and Ruth had married Naomi's sons.  After the death of her husband and her two sons, Naomi urged her daughter-in-laws to return to their people and remarry.  Orpah did but Ruth refused to leave Naomi and went with her from Moab to Bethlehem.

Application:

Ruth was a virtuous woman whose loyalty and commitment to her mother-in-law are now legendary.  Her hallmark expression is often repeated in wedding vows even today. (Ruth 1:16)  This level of loyalty and commitment is rare these days but this is how Christians should feel towards Jesus Christ.  Once we come to Christ we should never leave Him, or turn our back on Him, or even look back longingly at our previous life. (Luke 9:62)  No one should ever be able to talk us into forsaking Him.  He will never leave us or forsake us and nothing should separate us from Him or come between us. (Romans 8:39)  We should go wherever He leads us and His people should be our family. (John 1:12 and Galatians 4:6)  If we truly feel that way about Jesus, then we can say that we love The Lord.  However, if we express our loyalty to The Lord, then we should expect that the devil will test our commitment.  Those of us who pass that will be blessed. (James 1:12)

BLESSED ACCORDING TO OUR FAITH

Proclamation:

"As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, calling out, 'Have mercy on us, Son of David!'  When He had gone indoors, the blind men came to Him, and He asked them, 'Do you believe that I am able to do this?'  'Yes, Lord,' they replied.  Then He touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you'; and their sight was restored." Matthew 9:27-30 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were spoken by Jesus, The Christ, as recorded by the Apostle Matthew.  After His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus came down from the mountain side and healed many people.  Before He blessed the two blind men by giving them their sight, Jesus asked them if they believed that He could cure their blindness.  After they said that they believed He blessed them according to their faith in Him.

Application:

Sometimes we are blessed without our having to ask.  There are other blessings we receive only if certain conditions are met first.  Most blessings are such that we either received them or we miss out on them.  However, the blessings mentioned here are given out based upon a sliding scale, the more faith we have in Jesus, the more blessings we receive from Him.  No faith, no blessings.  If we have a little faith, then we receive a little bit of the blessing.  The issue here is not if He can, but the issue is do we really believe that He can.  Our doubt, our lack of faith, or our limited little faith can interfere with our blessings and we do not receive all that is available for us. On five occasions Jesus talked about His disciples (and indirectly about us) having “little faith". (Matthew 6:30, 8:26, 14:31, 16:8, and 17:20)  We need to pray like the man with the son who was possessed by an impure spirit, “Lord, I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief.” (Mark 9:24)  Our “intelligence” gets in the way of our believing the whole Bible.  We need His help with our unbelief and our “little faith” so that we may receive the full and complete blessing of The Lord.  We have to believe in Him and step out on faith in order to be blessed.  Believers walk by faith and not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)  Without faith in Him, it is impossible to please Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

WE HAVE GUARDIAN ANGELS

Proclamation:

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones.  For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of My Father in heaven.” Matthew 18:10 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of The Lord Jesus, The Christ, which were recorded by the Apostle Matthew as Jesus was speaking to His disciples.  "These little ones" refers to believers.  Here Jesus makes it clear that each believer has a guardian angel, although it is not clear if an angel has more than one charge or if we have more than one guardian angel.  Because we have our own free will, we like sheep occasionally wander off and stray from The Word of God.  It is not the desire of God that any should be lost.  Jesus was sent to earth to save the lost sheep. (Matthew 18:12-14)  Each of us is important to Him, and there is rejoicing when a "lost sheep" is found. 

Application:

We should be encouraged to know that each of us has a guardian angel.  God loves us and has made provisions for our care and protection.  The birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus was for our salvation from the penalty of our sins.  It does not matter what it is that we have done, we can be forgiven and welcomed back into the sheepfold.  Just because we are lost in sin, we do not have to stay that way. We all fall down, but we do not have to stay down.  If we want to get up then we have to accept His help in order to get up and out of sin.  Not everyone who is living in sin wants to stop.  There are those who are living in the darkness of sin that actually love what they are doing. (John 3:19-20)  But for the believer who has stumbled and fallen back into sin and is now lost in darkness, there is an angel waiting to show them the way.  There is joy in heaven when one of us, like the "lost sheep" is "found" and returns to the sheepfold and follows of The Word of God.  However, our guardian angels can only help us if we want to be helped because we have the free will to choose darkness or The Light. (Joshua 24:15)

INFLUENCE FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS

Proclamation:

"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish.  And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14 (NIV)

Explanation:

There is some debate among Bible scholars as to the human author of this Book of The Bible, but the influence of The Holy Spirit of God is present revealing how God can use ordinary people to accomplish His purpose.  Through a series of unlikely events, Esther, a beautiful Jewish girl who had been raised by her cousin Mordecai, had married King Xerxes, King of Persia and Media, and become Queen.  Mordecai found out about the plot to kill the king and told Queen Esther, who in turn reported it to the king.  Somehow the king honored Haman for this, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles.  All of the people were to kneel down and pay honor to Haman, for the king had commanded it.  But Mordecai would not kneel down.  Haman learned that Mordecai was Jewish and wanted to kill all Jews because of his disrespect. (Ester 3:5-6)  Mordecai sent word to Esther to beg the king for mercy and plead with him for her people.  Going before the king without being summoned by him could cost Esther her life.  Esther did as Mordecai had requested and the Jews were spared, and Haman was eventually hanged in the gallows which he had ordered built to hang Mordecai. (Esther 7:10)

Application:

Sometimes we are placed in positions of influence and need to speak up for what we believe.  There is a cost associated with taking a stand and speaking up, but there is also a cost for keeping silent when we should speak up and for not helping others when we could.  In our circles of family, friends, and co-workers, we all exercise some influence through our advice and opinions.  Let each of us speak up for Christ and make sure that our advice and opinions are solidly Bible based as we attempt to help others.  It is very possible that the events of our lives, the lessons learned, and the blessings received have prepared us to be in position that we are in "... for such a time as this" in order that we might be a blessing to others.  Let us pray to God that we use our influence wisely.

THE BLESSINGS OF GOD

Proclamation:

“When Abram was ninety-nine years old, The Lord appeared to him … Then God said, ‘Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac.  I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.’” Genesis 17:1-19 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Moses.  He documents that The Lord God can bless believers in ways far beyond their wildest dreams.  Abram was faithful and obedient, and God blessed him and his family.  He was blessed with a long life and he was fruitful even in his old age.  God changed Abram’s name to Abraham and his wife Sarai’s name to Sarah. (Genesis 17:5 and 17:15)  Abraham’s wife Sarah was blessed to bear him a son when she was ninety years old.  Nothing is impossible for God. (Jeremiah 32:27)

Application:

The Lord can change our name, our direction, and our life. (2 Corinthians 5:17)  He can bless us in more ways than we can imagine.  No matter what situation we find ourselves in, if we are faithful and obedient to God's word, He can bless us and use us in ways that are beyond that which we thought was not humanly possible.  God is in control of everything and with Him all blessings are possible. (Matthew 19:26 and Mark 10:27)

PRAISE THE LORD

PRAISE THE LORD

Proclamation:

"I will give thanks to You, O Lord, with all my heart;
I will tell of all Your wonderful deeds.
I will be glad and rejoice in You;
I will sing the praises of Your name, O Most High." Psalms 9:1-2 (NIV)

Explanation:

The human author of this psalm was King David, who wrote it under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  David was essentially praising God for protecting the people of Israel from their enemies and for being God.  His praise was sincere and whole-hearted.  His joy was because of who God is rather than what He had done.

Application:

As believers we should praise The Lord during the times when things are good in our lives and when things are not so good.  No matter what happens to us we should give God praise.  God knows what has happened, why it happened, and what the results will be because it happened.  Everything will work for our benefit. (Romans 8:28)  We cannot see the big picture or the future and God knows everything.  He has blessed us in more ways than we can count.  He is worthy of all praise, honor, and glory.  We should dedicate ourselves to the sincere worship and praise of God.  He has done great things throughout history and in each of our lives.  He gives us what we need, let's give Him what He wants and that is our praise.

FEAR NOT

Proclamation:

"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalms 27:1-2 (KJV)

Explanation:

This psalm was written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by King David.  Because he had already been told by The Lord that he would be victorious over his enemies David had no reason to fear anyone or be afraid of anything.  The Lord was going to protect him and fight his battles.

Application:

It does not matter what circumstances we are in, believers have no reason to fear or be afraid of anything because The Lord God is with us. (Psalm 23:4)  God did not give us the spirit of fear. (Romans 8:15)  When we follow The Lord, we have no need to fear anything.  He lights our paths and gives us direction.  He strengthens us when we are weak. He is our protection and He fights our battles.  Given that He is all knowing, all powerful, and everywhere at the same time, what do we have to be afraid of?  God loves us and His love for us is perfect.  The Bible teaches us that “… perfect love casts out fear…” (1 John 4:18)  If we truly believe then The Spirit of God is within us and therefore the spirit of fear cannot be in us.  If we are afraid then we are letting the devil control us.  If so, then we need to pray and submit our lives to The Lord in order to resist the devil. (James 4:7)  Believers need not be afraid for The Lord is with us (Psalm 118:6) and He will protect us. (Proverbs 3:24)  Pray, and give whatever it is to The Lord, and then don’t worry about it.

JESUS IS COMING BACK

Proclamation:

“Do not let your hearts be troubled.  You believe in God; believe also in Me … I am going … to prepare a place for you … and … I will come back and take you to be with Me …” John 14:1-3 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of Jesus, The Christ, as recorded by the Apostle John.  Here Jesus was comforting His disciples after He had told them that He would be leaving them and that they could not follow Him at that moment but they would follow Him later. (John 13:36)  He had to go first in order to prepare a place for them.  After He had completed that He would return for them and take them with Him.

Application:

These are truly words of encouragement.  Jesus is coming back for His followers, believers then and now, and He does not want us to worry in the meantime.  He has a place for us so that we can be with Him throughout eternity.  Earth is not our final destination, we are just passing through and heaven is where we are headed.  When He comes back for us, we shall be rewarded for following Him and doing His work.  "For The Son of Man shall come ... and then He shall reward every man according to his works." (Matthew 16:27)  Our works do not save us, our salvation is a gift from God. (Ephesians 2:8-9)  Our works just determine our rewards in heaven.  Everybody in heaven will not be equal.  No works down here on earth, no rewards up there in heaven.  Since we do not know the day or the hour when He will return, (Matthew 24:36, Mark 13:32, and Luke 12:40) we should live each day as if it were our last day on earth.

JESUS IS GOD

Proclamation:

"In the beginning was The Word, and The Word was with God, and The Word was God." John 1:1

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle John, the youngest of the twelve disciples and the one who refers to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved. (John 13:23)  The Book of The Bible entitled “John”, or “The Gospel According to John”, was written to believers so that they would know that Jesus is God. (John 20:31)  Here John states that in the beginning of everything was The Word.  The Word was there at the beginning with God, and in fact he states that The Word was God.  To make sure that the people understood that he was referring to Jesus, he later said that The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:14)  This verse refers to The Son of God and His human birth via the virgin Mary.  Some Bible scholars believe that The Son of God is called “The Word” because we use our words explain our minds to others and He was sent to us to reveal the mind of God, The Father, to the world.

Application:

God is.  He exists, He is real, and He is alive.  God was, God is, and God always will be.  He existed before time began and He will exist after time ends.  He created time. (Genesis 1:14)  Everything that was made He created by speaking it into existence. (Genesis 1:3 and John 1:3)  Jesus was there with God at the very beginning.  “The Word” refers to Jesus, The Christ, The Son of God.  Jesus is God.  "For there are three that bear witness in heaven, The Father, The Word, and The Holy Ghost; and these three are one." (1 John 5:7)  Jesus said, “I and My Father are one.” (Matthew 10:30)  There exists God, The Father, The Word of God, and The Spirit of God, three attributes of one God.  As human beings we have only a limited capacity for understanding and some things about God we just don’t understand.  However, we are blessed for believing without seeing for ourselves. (John 20:29)  Jesus is God.  The Bible says it, I believe it, and that settles it!

CONTINUING IN THE WORD

Proclamation:

“To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, ‘if you hold on to My teaching, you are really My disciples.’” John 8:31 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of Jesus, The Christ, as recorded by the Apostle John, the disciple whom Jesus loved.  On the day after His Sermon on the Mount Jesus went into the temple courtyard and spoke to the crowd which included Jews and Pharisees.  Jesus said, "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed." (John 8:31 KJV)

Application:

It is easy for a Christian to “get into” The Word of God.  We can even occasionally behave, speak, and think in a Christ-like manner.  Our problem is not in doing it, but in continuing to do it.  Continuing in The Word implies being in it day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute, second by second, and moment by moment.  If we “continue” to be in His Word, then we would always be in it and we would never be out of it.  That sounds like we would have to be the perfect Christian, a goal which humans can’t reach but one that is well worth striving for.  Realistically, for us it means that we need to be firmly rooted in The Word of God and not be fickle, going outside of it frequently and regularly.  We need to spend time with The Word of God daily.  In a 24 hour day, one tenth of our time should be spent reading, studying, or meditating on The Word of God.  As a believer we owe, one tenth of our time, talent, and treasure to The Lord. (Genesis 14:20 and Malachi 3:8)  That means we should spend about two and a half hours in His Holy Word and then spend the remainder of the day living it.  Most of us don’t do that.  However, we can all spend more time daily “in The Word of God” by reading it and living it, with a goal of being continuously in His Word.

BLESSED ARE THE MEEK

Proclamation:

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of our Lord and savior Jesus, The Christ, which He spoke to His disciples and to the surrounding crowd during His Sermon on the Mount as recorded by the Apostle Matthew.  The meek are the ones who quietly submit to The Lord.  They are silent or return a soft word when they are insulted or attacked.  The meek are happy in this life and in the life to come because they exercised self-control, the fruit of The Holy Spirit of God, and did not return evil for evil.

Application:

A lot of people mistake “meekness” for “weakness”.  The meek have the power to rise up and defeat others, but they choose not to use their power or strength.  Imagine a professional boxer who was hit by an average guy and the boxer just looked at him and walked away.  The boxer could have fought back and won but chose not to do so.  The meek are blessed of God.  They have an unseen source of power and strength.  The believer who is meek has not only his own physical strength, but he also has the power of God within him.  Their power is much greater than their physical strength.  That power is available to us as believers but if we exhibit the fruit of The Holy Spirit we will not have to use the power of God.   

BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS

Proclamation:

"Watch out for false prophets.  They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves." Matthew 7:15 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of Jesus, The Christ, which He spoke to His disciples and to the surrounding crowd during His Sermon on The Mount as recorded by the Apostle Matthew.  Jesus was warning them to beware of false teachers.  These false teachers are known by their false doctrine and by their evil living.

Application:

Everything that sounds good is not the truth.  Just because someone says that something is in The Bible does not mean that it is actually there.  Some of time people will take things out of context in order to make a point that is Biblically incorrect.  Be careful of who you follow and who you listen to.  Everyone who claims to be a man of God, or a child of God, is not telling the truth.  "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21)  “Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you.  Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:23)  We all need to read and study The Bible for ourselves. "Study to show thyself approved unto God ... rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)  Be careful, there are false prophets out there.

DELIGHT IN THE WORD OF GOD

Proclamation:

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of The Lord, and who meditates on His law day and night.  That person … whatever they do prospers.” Psalm 1:1-3

Explanation:

This psalm was written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God and the human author is generally agreed upon to be King David.  It begins in the same manner which Jesus, The Christ, began His Sermon on the Mount.  “Blessed is the man …” has been rendered happy and blessed is this man in things temporal and spiritual, in this world, and in the world to come.  This man does not hang out with ungodly sinners.  He finds joy in The Word of God and he meditates on that both day and night.  Whatever he does in faith and in love to the glory of God will prosper.

Application:

What do we really delight in doing?  I am sure that we delight in a number of things.  The question is, 'Do we delight in reading and hearing The Word of God?'  Most Christians would say that they do, but our actions speak louder than our words.  We should enjoy, take pleasure in, and receive great satisfaction from reading the Bible.  This verse suggests that the 'blessed man' reads and meditates, reflects on or ponders, God's Word at least twice each day, "... day and night."  Do we think about and study the Bible twice each day?  We say that we love The Lord, but some of us only want to talk about Him or hear about Him once a week.  It has been said that some of us only open our Bibles on Sunday mornings, and maybe again on Wednesday night for Bible study. That's only twice a week and not twice a day.  Let us commit to praying and reading our Bible twice each day, the first thing in the morning and the last thing at night.  I am sure that would please God, and pleasing God is a good thing to do.  Who knows, we might be like the “blessed man” and whatever we do will also prosper.  We should pray that The Good Lord will restore to us the joy of salvation and grant us joy, wisdom, and understanding as we read and study His Holy Word.