God said, "Those who honor me, I will honor". This is the promise that a life lived for the Glory of the Lord, is the best life to live. In fact, it is the only real life that there is!
We learn from the great mistake of the religious leaders of Samuel's day. God will not be mocked. We can only reap fruit when we sow in in the soil of obedience
Hope found Hannah in a time of despair. God granted her a son. She responded by dedicating him to the Lord. Our only hope in this life and the next, is to be dedicated to the Lord.
1 Samuel is set during the time of the judges, when "There was no king in Israel; The problem was not that there was no king on a throne in a palace. The problem for them, and fir us today, is living life without the King of Kings enthroned on our hearts.
We do not earn God's forgiveness because we forgive others....However, when we are able to forgive it is evidence that we have embraced God forgiveness of us.
Bread is a symbol of the essential needs for survival. The ask the Lord for our daily bread, is to trust Him for tomorrows needs. But even more than that, it is to trust Him to provide for you as you provide for others.
God's Kingdom is here and still to come. God has brought deliverance in Christ, but there is still work to do in bringing His Kingdom to the world around us. It all has to do with us following His will....pointing people to the love and forgiveness that is in Christ.
Jesus concludes the Sermon on the Mount with a call to get our lives firmly planted on the Rock of Christ. Your foundation is either on the Rock or on the sand. The storm will come...will your house stand?
If He is Our Father then "we" are His family. The Lord's Prayer in one that speaks of an inclusive community and asks us to live inclusive lives as His Children.
The Laodicean's were lukewarm in their faith...Jesus calls us to be Hot and Cold. Are we bringing healing and refreshment to the world around us. The Lord asks for nothing less.
The road less traveled is not paved with convenience like the wide road that many choose to take. Jesus promises that the narrow road, although it seems hard in this life, will lead to eternal life.
Jesus warns us that many will take the wide road and the easy way through life. Although it may seem more profitable and pleasurable, in the end it leads to destruction. The Narrow gate and the hard road in life, is the true Blessed life.
God does not want us to worry but to trust that He knows what we need and has already made the way to provide. What we should be focused on is serving those who are in need and leave our needs in His hands.
Fasting for the Christian is how we can demonstrate to God that we are serious in our repentance and need for deliverance. It is not to just go without food, but to feast of the Word of God.
When we pray, we must be aware that we are in God's Presence AND that God is our Father. When we see our prayer as a conversation with our Heavenly Father, Heaven will invade earth!
Jesus assumes that His Disciples will be giving to the needy. However, to be sure that our giving is done for the right reasons, sometimes giving secretly may be the proper thing to do.
Jesus confirms the justice that an eye for an eye brought to society, however, when it comes to the christian as an individual, we are to act with sacrificial mercy.
In a world where the truth has been devalued, Christians are called to reclaim the worth of honesty and integrity in our speech. People should know that the truth is in us and then that Truth will set them free.
Jesus lesson on divorce fulfills the Law by pointing us to Biblical marriage. Jesus takes us back to the original design of marriage; to be the symbol of God's unconditional and unending love for us.
Jesus has called us to be the Salt and the Light of the World. To preserve the world from the decay of sin and shine our light into the darkness. What does this mean for our lives?
When we come together in worship we should be aware that are we in the Presence of God. He has also instructed us what He desires from us as we praise and worship Him.
We will be gathering this evening for Worship together in spite of the inclement weather. Please err on the side of safety. We have worship services tomorrow at 9 am and 11:30. Please join us tomorrow morning, especially if you are unable to make it tonight! Blessings Kevin
The real gift of Christmas is that God came to our Darkness with the light of His love. The coming of the Son is the sign that the war against sin and darkness has been won by the One.
Anna had a tough hand dealt to her. Perhaps she spent some time wrestling with god about her circumstances. But in the end, she decided to go to God for the comfort she needed. God brought her more than she could imagine.