PUT GOD FIRST AND HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR

Proclamation:

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”  Matthew 6:33 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words which were spoken by Jesus, The Christ, to His disciples and to the surrounding crowd during His Sermon on The Mount, as recorded under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Matthew.  While teaching them not to worry about the things that they need, Jesus said that their Heavenly Father knows what they need. (Matthew 6:31-32)  He said, if they put God first, then God would supply all of their needs.

Application:

All too often we focus on, and get caught up worrying about, the unimportant worldly things.  We take our focus off of The Lord God and then we wonder why things go wrong.  Remember, the Apostle Peter walked on water towards Jesus and did not start to sink until he took his eyes off Jesus and focused on the storm. (Matthew 14:28-31)  As we begin this New Year, let us put The Lord God first.  Let us pray before we speak or take action that we may please Him.  May The Good Lord grant all of us a blessed, healthy, happy, and prosperous New Year.

GET A NEW YOU IN THE NEW YEAR

Proclamation:

“… I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares The Sovereign Lord.  Repent!  Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall.  Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit.  For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares The Sovereign Lord.  Repent and live!”  Ezekiel 18:30-32 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the prophet Ezekiel.  The Lord God spoke to Ezekiel and told him to tell the people of Israel that because He is who He is, He will clean them up, forgive their sins, give them a new heart and a new spirit if they repent and turn from their sinful ways.  God will judge each of them and only those who repent will live.

Application:

When judgement day comes, each of us will have to give an account for all of our thoughts, words, and actions.  All of us will be judged and the judgement will start with the believers.  Those of us who have been faithful servants of The Lord will be rewarded. (Matthew 25:21)  Those who have not accepted Jesus, The Christ, as their personal savior will not have their names recorded in The Lamb’s book of life and they will be cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)  The key to eternal life involves repentance from sin, belief in Christ, and a new heart and new spirit which come from God.  We can change, but we have to ask God for His help, for only God can change our heart and give us a new spirit.  Don't let your lack of belief and your sins lead you to permanent ruin.  If you confess that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised Him from the dead, then you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)  As we approach the beginning of the New Year, let us be mindful of the fact that all of our thoughts, words, and actions will be judged.  We need for God to create within us a clean heart and mind. (Psalm 51:10)  May we all be blessed to enjoy a closer walk with The Lord in the New Year, and in all of the years to come. (Psalm 89:15)

SUBMIT AND BE TRANSFORMED AND WALK IN THE LIGHT

Proclamation:

“But if we walk in the light, as He is The Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.”  1 John 1:7 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle John, the youngest of the twelve disciples who often referred to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved. (John 13:23)  John wanted the people of God to know that the only way they could have true fellowship with The Lord God and with each other was if they walked in The Light and behaved in a Christ-like manner.  However, only those who believe and submit to Him will be purified from sin.

Application:

As most people come to the end of the calendar year, they complain about how bad the year was for them and they hope that things will be better in the New Year.  We cannot change the events of life, all we can do is change how we respond to them.  Some of our problems are due to our bad habits and our bad choices, so for a better year we need to change.  We can develop a new habit by deciding to do something differently and then doing it daily for seven days.  However, the only way to become a truly new and better person in the New Year is if God changes us.  Only if we have The Spirit of God within us will we have the desire to do His will.  And, only if we submit ourselves to Him, will we be able to resist the devil and his temptations, and cause him to flee from us, which will allow us to have and enjoy a much better life. (James 4:7)  The LORD God appeared to King Solomon, after he had built the temple, and said "If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14)  The only way that we can be sure of a better life in the upcoming year is if we submit to Christ.  Therefore, I urge you, do not conform to the sinful pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able enjoy God's will. (Romans 12:2)  If we want a different outcome next year, then we must behave differently.  Submit to The Lord God, be transformed, and walk in The Light in the New Year.

IF IT IS THE LORD'S WILL WE WILL

Proclamation:

"Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.'  Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.  What is your life?  You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is The Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.'  As it is, you boast and brag.  All such boasting is evil.  Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."  James 4:13-17 (NIV)

Explanation:

James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote these Holy Spirit inspired words to all believers to help them correct their speech and their behavior.  Here, he urges them to be careful regarding how they speak about what they will do in the future.  He encouraged them to say, "If it be The Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."

Application:
At the end of each calendar year, a lot of people seem to get caught up in saying what we will do in the upcoming year.  We seem to forget that we really do not have control over the future, or if we will live to see it.  We need to remember that only "if it is in The Good Lord's will ..." would be a better way to begin any statement regarding our future plans.  Additionally, we are about to celebrate the beginning of the “New Year”, a worldly celebration for which I could not find a Biblical reference.  The Bible says that every day is a day for continually giving thanks to God. (Ephesians 5:20, Colossians 3:17, and Hebrews 13:15)  We should praise Him and thank Him for every day, and every week, and every month, and for every year that we are blessed to be alive.  Only God can make a day, (Genesis 1:1-5 and Psalms 118:24), and only God can sustain us through a day. (Psalms 55:22)  Let us not get so caught up in the worldly celebrations, and our future plans, that we forget that only that which is in the will of The Lord God will occur, and we should praise and thank Him for what He has done, is doing, and will do for us.

PUT OFF THE OLD AND BE MADE NEW IN THE NEW YEAR

Proclamation:

“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”  Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV)

Explanation:

In his letter to the believers in Ephesus, the Apostle Paul issued a call for them to be holy.  Paul wrote these words under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  This letter basically contained instructions for Christian living. (Ephesians 4:25-32) 

Application:

As the year 2016 draws to a close and the dawn of the New Year, 2017, approaches, many people will make “New Year’s resolutions.”  Most of these resolutions will be forgotten before the first week of January is completed.  Let us make a promise to ourselves to begin each day with prayer and renew our commitment to The Lord as we begin each new day.  Let us renew our commitment to Christ and renew our mind by reading and studying His word each day.  Thereby we will grow a little each day in the knowledge of God and His Holy Word.  Let us tell the truth and quit trying to make ourselves look better to the world by lying.  If and when we fall back into sin, let us not stay down and give up.  Let us ask The Lord to forgive us, to help us up, to clean us off, and to put us back on the right path.  Let us be slow to anger and quick to forgive.  Let's not hold grudges against those who have wronged us.  Holding on to anger can make us bitter, not better.  Let it go and let God take care of them.  Let us pray daily that we won’t give the devil the opportunity to use us to cause someone else to sin.  Let’s pray that God will use us to help someone each day.  With God’s help we can put off our old self and put on a new self, and He will make us new in the New Year.

NEW HEART AND SPIRIT IN THE NEW YEAR

Proclamation:

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you …”  Ezekiel 36:26 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words came to the prophet Ezekiel as a prophecy from The Lord and were recorded by him under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The people of God had sinned, been conquered, and scattered.  Ezekiel was told to tell the people that God said He would bring them back together and cleanse them from their impurities. (Ezekiel 36:24-25)  God was going to replace their hard hearts and give them new ones.

Application:

If we want things to be better for us in 2017 than they were in 2016, then we need to do things differently in the New Year than we did in this year.  We cannot expect to get different results if we keep doing the same things that we did in the past.  Yet we still insist upon doing things our way.  Just like the children of Israel, we have not kept all of His statutes and commandments.   We are not supposed to act like the worldly people which are around us.  We are in this world but not of it. (John 8:23 and 18:36)  We are different, we have been set apart and we should act like it. (Leviticus 20:26)  When we accepted Christ as our personal savior, we became new creatures. (2 Corinthians 5:17)  We need to ask God to forgive us, cleanse us and to put a new heart and a new spirit in us, or to renew His Spirit within us, so that we may be more Christ-like in the New Year.  The more obedient we are to His Holy Word in the future, the more we will be blessed (Deuteronomy 28:1-14) and the better things will be for us in 2017.

PRAISE THE LORD

Proclamation:

"Shout for joy to The Lord, all the earth.  Worship The Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs ... Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise;  For The Lord is good and His love endures forever;  His faithfulness continues through all generations."  Psalms 100:1-5 (NIV)

Explanation:

This psalm was penned by an unknown human author but it was clearly written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The author encourages all of the people of the earth to shout praises unto The Lord.  They are exhorted to sing songs of praise and to worship The Lord with joy.  They should enter into His presence with a spirit of thanksgiving and praise.  The author’s point was that The Lord God deserves all glory, honor, praise, and worship.

Application:

The Bible repeatedly encourages believers to praise The Lord.  "Young men and maidens, old men and children.  Let them praise the name of The Lord, for His name alone is exalted; His splendor is above the earth and the heavens." (Psalms 148:12-13)  Praising The Lord is a good thing to do. (Psalm 147:1)  There are many ways that we can praise Him but here we are encouraged to shout and make a joyful noise unto The Lord. (Psalm 100:1)  We are also encouraged to sing songs of praise.  Your singing may be off key, like mine is, but as long as we are making a “joyful noise unto The Lord” we are okay.  So, "Let the saints rejoice in this honor and sing for joy..." (Psalms 149:5)  I don’t know about you but I will praise The Lord for the rest of my life, for as long as I live. (Psalm 146:1-2)  We all should be truly thankful for all of the things that The Lord has brought us through.  We should praise Him for all that He has done, is doing, and will do.  "Let everything that has breath praise The Lord.  Praise The Lord." (Psalms 150:6)  The angels in heaven praise Him by shouting “Hallelujah”, which is the highest form of praise. (Rev 19:1)  We should praise Him now while we are able.  Let’s not wait until we get to heaven to praise Him.  Praise His holy and righteous name.  Hallelujah!!!  Praise The Lord.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

May The Good Lord bless you and your family with His joy and His peace on this “holy day.” 

Let us remember that we are celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus, The Christ.

May He put it in your heart to be a blessing with those who are less fortunate than we are.  Remember, caring involves sharing.  Let us share the love of God with all of the people that we meet and greet.  Let us keep Christ in “Christmas” this year, and in all of the future years.

A very Merry CHRISTmas to you.

COMMEMORATE AND CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF CHRIST

Proclamation:

"So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.  While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son.  She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn ... Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ, The Lord … Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests." Luke 2:4-14 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were recorded under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Luke, the physician and frequent traveling companion of the Apostle Paul.  Luke’s account of the birth of Christ had been passed down to him by those who were the eyewitnesses to the events. (Luke 1:1-4) 

Application:

For a more complete account of the events surrounding the birth of Christ, one must read Matthew 1:18 to 2:21 and Luke 1:26 to 2:40.  AWAY IN A MANGER, The Christ Child was placed there after His birth on that SILENT NIGHT.  However, it was not a silent night for long for HARK, THE HERALD ANGELS SING songs of praise to The Lord.  Their message was JOY TO THE WORLD THE LORD IS COME.  They probably praised The Lord by singing HALLELUJAH, and if they didn't, we still should.  O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL, let us give thanks for THE FIRST NOEL, and let us all sing and shout HALLELUJAH as we celebrate and commemorate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus, The Christ.  A joyous and very MERRY CHRISTMAS to all of you.  May The Good Lord bless each of you with good health and much happiness for the remainder of this year, and throughout all of next year, and for all of the future years to come.

THE BIRTH OF JESUS THE CHRIST FORETOLD

Proclamation:

“… God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David.  The virgin’s name was Mary.  The angel went to her and said, ‘Greetings, you who are highly favored!  The Lord is with you … You will conceive and give birth to a Son, and you are to call Him Jesus.  He will be great and will be called The Son of The Most High’ ... ‘How will this be, Mary asked the angel, ‘since I am a virgin?’  The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of The Most High will overshadow you.  So The Holy One to be born will be called The Son of God.’”  Luke 1:26-38 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were recorded under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Luke, the physician and frequent traveling companion of the Apostle Paul.  Luke’s account of the birth of Christ had been passed down to him by those who were the eyewitnesses to the events. (Luke 1:1-4)

Application:

This is what came to pass before and with the birth of Christ. (Luke 2:11)  This is what we are commemorating as we celebrate Christmas.  For a more complete account of the events surrounding the birth of Christ, one must read Matthew 1:18 to 2:21 and Luke 1:26 to 2:40.  The holiday which we call Christmas is a holy day and it means so much more to us than what most of the world celebrates.  Let us, as believers, celebrate the real reason for Christmas and let's share the real story behind the celebration.  For God was, and is, and will always be with us.  All hail Immanuel!!!

THE COMING OF JESUS THE CHRIST WAS PREDICTED

Proclamation:

"A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from His roots a Branch will bear fruit.  The Spirit of The LORD will rest on him; The Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, The Spirit of counsel and of power, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of The LORD; and He will delight in the fear of The LORD … but with righteousness He will judge …"  Isaiah 11:1-4 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the prophet Isaiah under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Isaiah predicted the coming of Jesus, The Christ, more than 600 to 700 years before the birth of Christ.  Isaiah said that Jesus was to be born in the line of Jesse, King David's father.  He would possess The Spirit of The LORD and that He would be a righteous judge.  Isaiah had said earlier that Christ would be born (Isaiah 9:6-7) and that He would be the rightful heir to the throne of David.  He would rule and His rule would have no end.  He would be called by many names including “Mighty God” and the “Prince of Peace.”

Application:

The Bible contains numerous predictions of the coming of Christ.  This particular Old Testament prediction reveals the blood-line of Jesus, The Christ, and describes some of the attributes of God that He would possess.  He would have The Spirit of wisdom, knowledge, understanding, counsel and might.  He would be all knowing and all powerful.  This coming holiday which we celebrate, is actually a “Holy Day” commemorating the birth of Christ, and it has much more significance than we give it today.  His conception by The Holy Spirit and His birth through a virgin were ordained by God so that He could save us from our sins. (Matthew 1:18-23)  Jesus was born to be the sacrificial Lamb who would pay the price for our sins and the sins of the world. (John 1:29)  However, only those of us who believe that He is The Son of God will be saved. (John 3:16)

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU PUT BEFORE YOUR EYES

Proclamation:

"The eye is the lamp of the body.  If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.  But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness."  Matthew 6:22-23 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were spoken by Jesus, The Christ, as He spoke to His disciples and to the surrounding crowd during His Sermon on The Mount, as recorded under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Matthew.  Jesus said that the eyes are the lamp and light to the body.  If a person’s eyes are good and they look at that which is good, then the whole body is filled with light.  However, if the eyes are bad or if they look at that which is bad, then the whole body is full of darkness.

Application:

Physically, our eyes allow light to enter the body, if they are functioning properly and if there is light around.  If they do not function properly or if there is no light available, then we live in darkness.  Spiritually, that which we look at and see enters our mind through our eyes.  If what we look at and see is good, then good thoughts are produced.  However, if what we look at and see is bad, evil, or sinful, then our thoughts are bad, evil, or sinful.  Philosophically, our eyes are the windows to our soul.  We are what we think.  “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…” (Proverbs 23:7 KJV)  We may not be all that we think that we are, but what we think, we are.  Some of us think that we are the best thing to happen to the world since sliced bread, and we are not.  But if all we think about is superficial, worldly, sinful things, then that is what we are.  If we spend our time looking at sinful things, then we will think sinful thoughts.  Thinking sinful thoughts is committing a sin. (Matthew 5:27-28)  So, be very careful regarding what you put before your eyes.  Look at good things, read The Good Book, The Bible, think good thoughts, and do good things. 

WE MUST FORGIVE TO BE FORGIVEN

Proclamation:

"Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors ... For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matthew 6:12-15 (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.  First, He taught them that when they pray they should ask to be forgiven as they forgive others.  Then He told them that if they forgive others, then God would forgive them.  But if they did not forgive others, then God would not forgive them.  Jesus explained to them that they must first forgive those who have sinned against them in order to be forgiven of their own sins.

Application:

We all have sinned. (Romans 3:23)  None of us is righteous on our own. (Romans 3:10)  If we are righteous, whatever righteousness we have was credited to us by God just as it was credited to Abraham, the father of the faithful. (Romans 4:20-24)  We have done wrong to our fellow man but the sins which we committed were sins against God. (Psalm 51:4)  Only God can forgive us of our sins.  If we admit that we have sinned and ask Him to forgive us of our sins, He will. (1 John 1:9)  However, we have to ask God for His forgiveness.  In the model prayer which Jesus taught His disciples, He said that we should ask our heavenly Father to "forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors."  When we ask for forgiveness, we will only be forgiven as we are willing to forgive others.  Jesus made it clear that if we do not forgive others of their sins against us, then our heavenly Father will not forgive us of our sins. (Mark 11:25)  Simply put, we must forgive in order to be forgiven.

WE ARE NOT THE PERSON WE USED TO BE

Proclamation:

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come.  The old has gone, the new is here.”  2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Paul to the believers in Corinth.  Paul wanted the people of God to know that once a person accepts Christ as their personal savior they become a new creature, or a new creation.  They are no longer the person that they used to be.  The corrupt old nature is still present but the person is different because of the implantation of new principals of grace and holiness.  This gives them a new spirit and a new heart which results in new desires, new affections, new delights and joys.  They now see things differently and they behave differently.

Application:

All of us have done some things in the past that are an embarrassment to us now.  It does not matter how many skeletons there are in our closets, God can still use us.  All of the great men of the Bible were sinners, except Jesus, The Christ, and God used them.  We should not let our past sins get in the way and stop us from serving God now.  We have changed, we are new creatures.  Thanks to The Holy Spirit we are not who we used to be.  The fact that we have stopped doing some of the things that we did in the past may help us reach someone who is lost in sin where we used to be.  However, we are not perfect.  We still struggle with some of our sinful ways.  That is why we pray daily to ask God to forgive us of our sins and to help us as we walk this Christian walk.  God has a plan for each of us, and I am sure that part of that plan involves helping someone else and sharing with others what we know about Christ.

CURSED IS HE WHO VOWS ONE THING BUT DOES ANOTHER

Proclamation:

“‘Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to The Lord.  For I am a great king,’ says The Lord Almighty, ‘and My name is to be feared among the nations.’”  Malachi 1:14 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the prophet Malachi.  In the days when sacrificial offerings were made to The Lord God, the animal which was to be sacrificed was to be the best of the flock, a perfect one without spot or blemish.  Malachi told the people that God will curse those who claim to give Him their best animal but knowingly offer Him less than their best.

Application:

This passage of scripture clearly refers to sacrificial animals.  However, it is my opinion that the principal involved here can be generalized to include promising God one thing, but then giving Him something else which is of lesser value.  Our promise could include giving God of our time, talent, or treasure and then not keeping our promise and giving Him less of whatever.  God is not pleased with us when we do not keep our word.  We should take heed of this and live up to our promises.  We need to give God our best and our best effort.  When we vow to do something for The Lord and then don't do it, especially when we easily could have done it, we may also incur the wrath of God and be cursed instead of blessed.

BLESSED FROM THIS DAY FORWARD

Proclamation:

"Now give careful thought to this from this day on, consider how things were before ... ‘From this day on I will bless you.’"  Haggai 2:15 and 19 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the prophet Haggai.  The people of God had sinned so much that God considered them and all that they did to be defiled. (Haggai 2:13-14)  Haggai told the people several times to "consider your ways." (Haggai 1:5, 1:7, and 2:15)  Their selfish indulgence led them to beautify their own homes while leaving God’s house in ruins (Haggai 1:9) and God punished them for that.  The people heard Haggai and responded with repentance and obedience.  Because of their obedience The Lord said to them from that day forward He would bless them.

Application:

As we live from one day, or year, to the next, it is a good idea for us to consider carefully where we were and where we stand.  As believers we all have from time to time taken God’s blessings for granted.  We spend our time enriching and enjoying ourselves instead of focusing on glorifying God.  If we repent and become obedient, and put Him first, He will bless us from this day forward.  We need not worry about our past sins as He has forgiven us. (1 John 1:9)  Just like every lost sinner who believes, repents and comes to The Lord, we can do nothing to erase our past sins and mistakes.  Forgiveness from sin, like salvation, is a gift from God. (Ephesians 2:8-9)  We should just thank Him for His goodness, His mercy, His grace, and for His willingness to bless us from this day forward.  Then we need to proceed with our Christian walk knowing that our past sins are forgiven and that blessings are forthcoming.

THE PURSUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS COMES WITH REWARDS

Proclamation:

"He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor." Proverbs 21:21 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by King Solomon, the wisest man to ever live. (2 Chronicles 1:11-12)  In this proverb Solomon said that the pursuit of righteousness and love will lead not only to righteousness and love, but will also result in eternal life, prosperity and honor.

Application:

The pursuit of righteousness is to seek after it, desire it, and to hunger and thirst after it. (Matthew 5:6)  It will result in much more than what we are seeking.  The reward for seeking righteousness will be much greater than we expect.  By seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, all of the other things that we want will be given to us. (Matthew 6:33)  Putting God first will result in being blessed with God’s grace and mercy. (Hebrews 4:16)  These are gifts from God to those of us who honestly and sincerely seek to follow Him.  Not only will we receive a crown of life and righteousness in the hereafter, but we will be blessed with the goodness of God and prosperity here and now.  If we seek Him, we will find Him because He loves those who seek after Him. (Deuteronomy 4:29, Proverbs 8:17, and Jeremiah 29:13)

GOD SEARCHES OUR HEART AND EXAMINES OUR MIND

Proclamation:

"The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.  Who can understand it?  'I, The Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.' " Jeremiah 17:9-10 (NIV)

Explanation:

The Prophet Jeremiah wrote these words under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Jeremiah was primarily concerned with the judgement of Judah.  He told the people that God would judge each of them by examining their hearts and thoughts to determine their motives.  They would then be rewarded or punished by God based upon what they deserved according to their thoughts, words, and deeds.

Application:

This same truth applies to us today.  Man can only evaluate the words, actions and outward appearance of a person.  The Lord God can search the heart and mind of a person and judge their true inner nature.  God sees each of us like no one else can see us, twenty-four hours of each day for seven days of each week.  He sees all of our actions, hears all of our spoken words, and He knows all of our thoughts.  When we say 'God knows my heart,' He really does.  We tend to use those words as an excuse when our behavior and our words are inconsistent, as if to say that we should be judged by our intentions which only God knows.  What we do not realize is that our heart is much more deceitful than we want to admit.  Our thoughts, motives, and intentions are not always honorable or Christ-like.  We should remember this when we pray and ask our Heavenly Father to forgive us of our sins.  We should also ask Him to create within us a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us. (Psalm 51:10)

GOD HAS BLESSED EACH OF US WITH A GIFT

Proclamation:

"We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.  If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.  If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."  Romans 12:6-8 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Paul to the believers in Rome.  After warning the people of God not to think too highly of themselves, (Romans 12:3) Paul told them that each one of them is a member of the body of Christ and each of them has a purpose and function to fulfill. (Romans 12:4-5)  Then he shared with them that they all have been given gifts, thanks to the grace of God, and they have not been given the same gifts.  Then Paul admonished them to use the gift which they had been blessed with to the best of their ability.

Application:

God has also blessed each one of us today with a gift.  Some have more than one gift.  All of us have been given gifts but we do not all have the same gifts.  God has a purpose for each one of us to fulfill which compliments the purposes that He has for other believers to fulfill.  However, it is up to us to determine how we will use our gift.  God does not interfere with our free will or our freedom of choice.  It is up to us to choose whether or not we use our gift, and if so, then how we will use it.  We should use our gifts to the best of our abilities, and do so in a way that gives God glory.

THE BLOOD OF CHRIST STILL WORKS

Proclamation:

"In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.  It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.  For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; He entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence.  Nor did He enter heaven to offer Himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.  Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world.  But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.  Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him."  Hebrews 9:22-28 (NIV)

Explanation:

The unknown human author of The Bible Book of Hebrews wrote these words under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness of sin. (Hebrews 9:22)  The author wanted the people of God to know that The Old Testament ritual of annual animal sacrifices by the High Priest for the atonement of human sin was no longer necessary. (Leviticus 14:19)  The blood shed by Jesus, The Christ, on that cross at Calvary as He sacrificed Himself, as The Lamb of God once and for all, was all that was needed to take away the sins of the world. (John 1:29)

Application:

The blood that Christ shed, as He sacrificed Himself in our place, cleansed us from all of our sins.  God, The Father, sees us only through the blood of Jesus.  His blood covers all of our sins.  Our salvation is only possible because Christ paid the price for us with His blood. (Ephesians 1:7)  Jesus, who was without sin, shed His blood for us and for the remission of our sins.  He did for us something that we could not do for ourselves and we should be eternally grateful.

PRAY THAT GOD IS PLEASED WITH YOU

Proclamation:

“God is just; He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled … He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus … With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of His calling, and that by His power He may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.  We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and The Lord Jesus Christ."  2 Thessalonians 1:6-12 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Paul to the believers in Thessaloniki.  Paul prayed for them because they were growing in faith. (2 Thessalonians 1:3)  He prayed that God would be pleased with them, and that through them The Lord Jesus Christ would be glorified.

Application:
This is also an appropriate prayer for present day believers, that our every act would be prompted by our faith and that our actions would give God glory.  We should pray that God would be pleased with us and that He would use us for His good purpose.  We should include these words in our prayers for ourselves and for other believers.  We should pray that our faith in God would continue to grow and that our love for one another would continue to increase.  We know that God has said that vengeance belongs to Him and He will repay those who cause us trouble. (Romans 12:19 and Hebrews 10:30)  As believers, we are to love one another, (John 13:34-35) and share The Word of God with others. (Matthew 28:19-20)  We are to tell them about salvation through belief in Jesus, The Christ.  It is the job of The Holy Spirit to convict, convince, and convert them as He sees fit.  If we are obedient to The Word of God and share it with others, God will be pleased with us.

FULL OF GOD'S GRACE AND POWER

Proclamation:

"Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people." Acts 6:8 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Luke, the physician and frequent traveling companion of the Apostle Paul.  Luke records that as the number of believers grew they had difficulty serving all of the people. (Acts 6:1)  Stephen was chosen by the people and the disciples to serve as one of the first deacons.  Because he was "a man full of God's grace and power," he could serve the people, preach and teach.  He was also able to confound the Jewish religious leaders regarding The Word of God.  He was not a preacher but he was able to perform great wonders and miracles. (Acts 6:8-10)

Application:

A person does not have to be a preacher in order to teach The Word of God or to be used by God to accomplish His purposes.  Even today, God can use ordinary people, who believe, to do extra-ordinary things.  Stephen was an ordinary man, a believer who was "known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom," and God used him.  If we read, studied, delighted in, and followed The Word of God, maybe God would allow us to become full of The Spirit and empower us to do great things that would give Him glory.  If we pray and let The Spirit of God guide and direct us, maybe God would use us to do great wonders which would glorify our Him. The question that we have to ask ourselves is: “Are we really ready to be full of The Spirit and are we ready for God to use us in His kingdom building plan?

GOD IS WAS AND WILL BE

Proclamation:

“… For God is present in the company of the righteous.”  Psalm 14:5 (NIV)

Explanation:

This psalm was written by King David under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  David begins this psalm by stating that the fool says in his heart that there is no God. (Psalm 14:1)  He then states that God sees from heaven that all men are corrupt. (Psalm 14:2-3)  The evildoers are mistreating, corrupting, and killing God’s people (Psalm 14:4) and they live in fear because God is with the righteous and He is their refuge. (Psalm 14:5-6)  In the end, God will restore His people. (Psalm 14:7)   

Application:

The Lord God is alive and present now, He always was present even at the beginning of everything, and He will always be present, even after this world has passed away.  The words “God is …” appears in The Bible 156 times.  It states that God is always with us, and He is a witness, a provider, a protector, a consuming fire, a refuge, a rock, a righteous judge, a shield, a spirit, great, gracious, compassionate, merciful, mighty, exalted, good, holy, sovereign, righteous, truthful, wise, faithful, able, light, present, in our hearts, our strength, our help, our salvation, Lord, the King of all the earth, and God is love.  The Bible also says what God is not.  Even so, we really so not know all that God is.  Our limited human capacity cannot comprehend all that God is.  We just know that He is.  He existed before there was time or anything else.  In the beginning, whenever that was, God was there. (Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1-3)  God is omnipotent, all powerful, (Revelation 19:6), omniscient, all knowing, (Matthew 6:8) and omnipresent, everywhere all at the same time, (Matthew 28:20).  This earth will pass away but God will remain for all eternity. (Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33; and Revelation 21:1)  God is, God was, and God forever will be.  Believers can sing the song, “God Is …”  The song says, "God is my protection ... God is my guide and direction ... God is the joy and the strength of my life ... He moves all pain misery and strife … I want to go with Him when He comes back … I’ve come too far and I’ll never turn back … God is … God is my all and all."

TEACHERS WILL BE JUDGED MORE STRICTLY

Proclamation:

"Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly."  James 3:1 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by James, the half-brother of Jesus.  James warned the people of God that teaching and preaching should be taken very seriously and not entered into lightly.  He told them that they will be held to and judged by a higher standard.  False teachers and those who intentionally lead others astray will be judged more strictly.

Application:
While this passage of scripture clearly applies to pastors and preachers, it also applies to teachers in general, especially religious teachers.  If you are in a position to provide instruction to others, be very careful regarding what you say.  This is especially true if you teach, lead, guide, or direct children.  This would also include parents and those who raise children.  Leading the youth and young adults astray has very serious consequences. (Matthew 18:6-7; Mark 9:42; and Luke 17:1-2)  Remember that children learn what they see and what they hear, so we should be careful regarding what we do and say in front of children.  We can “teach” without saying a word to them.  We would not want a child to stumble into sin by following our example.  In fact, as believers, we do not want to put stumbling blocks in the way of anyone that would cause them to fall into sin. (Romans 14:13 and 1 Corinthians 8:9)  “Teachers” themselves, and not just the material that they teach, can be examples to those who observe them.  We should make sure that those that we “teach” can see Christ in us.  When judgement day comes, teachers will be held to a higher standard and will be judged more strictly.  So, be careful regarding what you teach.

BLESSINGS FOR BEING OBEDIENT

Proclamation:

"If you fully obey The Lord your God and carefully follow all His commands ... The Lord your God will set you high ... All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey The Lord your God: You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.  The fruit of your womb will be blessed ... You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.  The Lord will send a blessing on ... everything you put your hand to.  The LORD your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.  Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of The Lord, and they will fear you.  The Lord will grant you abundant prosperity ... The Lord will make you the head, not the tail ... you will always be at the top, never at the bottom." Deuteronomy 28:1-14 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Moses again told the people of God about the promise of God's blessings if they keep the covenant with God.  He follows these promises of blessings with a warning of the curses that would come to them with their disobedience. (Deuteronomy 28:15-68)  There are six blessings presented for being obedient followed by twelve curses for being disobedient.

Application:

The Bible clearly states what we are to do and not do, as well as what we are to say and not say, as Christians.  But even as believers we frequently choose to do what we want to do.  We choose to read only portions of The Bible and although we know what it says, we choose not to follow The Word of God.  Even though it spells out the consequences of being disobedient, we still choose to disobey.  Then we wonder why so many things go so wrong in our lives.  Thankfully, The Lord God allows us to receive some blessings in spite of our sinful nature.  However, there are many more blessings "with our name on them" that are conditional blessings which we could receive if we would follow God's Holy Word.  Let us become both readers and doers of The Word of God.  Let's change one or more of our sinful ways each day and begin to enjoy more of the blessings of obedience.

BLESSINGS COME TO THOSE WHO BLESS OTHERS

Proclamation:

"I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."  Genesis 12:3 (NIV)

Explanation:

Abraham, the father of the faithful, was initially called Abram but The Lord God changed his name. (Genesis 17:5)  Abraham walked in the ways of The Lord and was obedient when God told him to leave his homeland without telling where he was going. (Genesis 12:1)  God said that He would bless him and make a great nation out of him and make his name great. (Genesis 12:2)  The nation refers to Israel.  The three great religions of the world, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, all hold Abraham in great respect.  God also said that He would bless the people who blessed Abraham, and that all of the people on earth would be blessed through him.  The earthly genealogy of Jesus, The Christ, can be linked to Abraham. (Matthew 1:1-16)  That is how all of the people on earth were blessed through Abraham.

Application:

When God said, "I will bless those who bless you ..." He was clearly talking directly to Abraham.  It can also be said, however, that He was talking to us today.  That would be consistent with the statement in Proverbs 11:25, "... and he that watereth shall be watered also himself" (KJV) or as stated another way, "... he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." (NIV)  He that blesses others shall himself be blessed.  Because we are believers, God will bless those who are a blessing to us, and He will bless us for being a blessing to others.

BE THANKFUL AND GRATEFUL FOR THOSE WHO HELPED YOU

Proclamation:

"I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers ... I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.  Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints."  Philemon 1:4-7 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Paul to his friend Philemon with a special request on behalf of Onesimus. (Philemon 1:10)  Before Paul tells him of his special request, he tells him that he is thankful for him and that he prays for him.  Paul also tells him that he has been a source of joy and encouragement to him.

Application:

None of us has made to our present place in life without the help of others.  We ought to be thankful for the people that God has placed in our lives who have been helpful to us.  We should thank God for them and we should also let them know that we are grateful for what they have done for us.  We should let people know that the things that they have said or done have brought joy into our lives.  We should let them know that they have helped us and that they have been a source of encouragement to us.  People do not have to be kind or nice to us.  When they show us that they love us by helping us, we should be thankful and grateful.  We ought to tell them how we feel while we have the opportunity.  Life is short, and tomorrow is not promised to us.  Don’t put off for tomorrow what you should say today.

IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS GOD WILL FORGIVE US

Proclamation:

"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."  1 John 1:8-9 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by John, the youngest of the twelve disciples of Jesus.  He wrote this letter in his old age as the last of the twelve.  This general epistle is not addressed to any particular church or group and is therefore considered to be applicable to all believers.  Here believers are told that if they confess their sins to God in prayer, that He would forgive them of all of their sins and cleanse them from all of their unrighteousness.

Application:

The Bible teaches us that all of us have sinned, believers included. (Romans 3:23)  The issue is not "if we have sinned," the issue is "are we willing to confess all of our sins."  When we pray and confess our sins, it would be better for us if we identify each sin that we want to be forgiven for committing.  Stating each of our sinful acts, thoughts, and spoken words may result in some very long prayers.  However, if we want to be forgiven for each sin, then we ought to confess each sin.  It can be a humbling experience trying to list all of the sins that we have committed in a day.  Such an activity might help us to realize that we are not as good as we would like to think that we are, and it might help to become more Christ-like by causing us to commit fewer sins.  The Lord God is faithful to His word.  If we ask to be forgiven, He will forgive us.