PRAISE AND POWER                               OF THE LORD                               July 12, 2019
There are some wonderful records found in the Old Testament which offer people who are born from above great learning about God and the things of God. For example the phrase “of the Lord” is used six times in Psalm 19:7 – 9 which is followed by a result.
Psalm 19:7a says: “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul….” The law that comes from God is perfect with...

PRAISE AND POWER                      OBEDIENCE OF NAAMAN                     June 30, 2019
As we go through life we are constantly faced with decisions to make concerning our walk with God. As believers we know we have the privilege of going to God for guidance and direction, but do we always take advantage of that? Or do we get prideful and think we can figure things out by ourselves. II Kings 5:1-14 gives an account of a man who almost rejected his own healing because...

PRAISE AND POWER                      MOVED WITH COMPASSION                     June 25, 2019
In Psalm 86:14 and 15, David called upon God for help and he declared that God is full of compassion. “O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them.  But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.” (Psalm 86:14-15)
In this record what...

PRAISE AND POWER                           THINK THEN SPEAK                             June 20, 2019
In our relationships with others sometimes we just let words flow out of our mouth and don't consider what we are saying until it's too late. How many times, after we think about some comment we've made, do we say to ourselves, "I wish I hadn't said that. It really doesn't bless anyone?"
God wants us to think about what we speak. "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my...

PRAISE AND POWER                               MAKE A DIFFERENCE                              June 9, 2019
"For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;…" (Colossians 1:9, 10)
When we get up to start a day...

PRAISE AND POWER                           HOW TO UN-COMPLICATE LIFE                     May 29, 2019
Life gets really complicated sometimes. Sometimes we have a dozen things to do, and places to go to, and we don't know which way to turn. When we can't seem to handle it all, doubts and concerns about our spiritual welfare and service to God may arise. At times like these it is more important than ever that we renew our mind to God's Word. We need to...

PRAISE AND POWER                       Great and Mighty is Our Lord                     May 22, 2019
Psalm 22:3: “But thou art holy, O thou who inhabitest the praises of Israel.” God lived in praises of Israel to Him. Is it any wonder the Psalmist said in Psalm 34:1, “I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” God dwells in praise to Him.  We bless the Lord with our...

PRAISE AND POWER                  GRASSHOPPERS OR CONQUERORS                 May 15, 2019
God had made a contract with Abraham, promising a country they would come to know as Canaan. When they escaped from Pharaoh and the Egyptians, they soon approached this land. God directed Moses to send a leader from each of the twelve tribes of Israel to “spy” out the land. After an appropriate amount of time the...

PRAISE AND POWER                                 WHAT TO SOW                                         May 8, 2019
Most every believer is aware of the parable of the sower. In that parable the sower went out to sow. Some of the seed which he sowed fell by the wayside, some in stony places, some among thorns and some on good ground. Later in this record from the Scriptures we learn that the sower sowed God’s Word. There is another illustration in Galatians 6 which deals with...

PRAISE AND POWER            BE STRONG AND OF A GOOD COURAGE        April 30, 2019
Each of us is going to face some kind of challenging crisis in our lifetime. Perhaps it's serious illness in our own lives, or the death of a loved one. We've seen many calamities in the past year from floods to earthquakes that have ravaged people's lives and their possessions. If we were to come to a similar situation, would we face such things with fear or...

PRAISE AND POWER                                  Are You Hungry?                                April 25, 2019
When our stomach “growls,” and we hunger for physical food, we do what it takes to satisfy that hunger. It may involve shopping and cooking, or going to our favorite restaurant, but we do our best to satisfy that hunger for physical food. What about our spiritual hunger? Do we make the same effort to satisfy that hunger? How hungry are we to know more about God and His Word?...

PRAISE AND POWER                     PRAYER FROM THE HEART                 April 20, 2019
Some memorize "prayers." Some read a prepared "prayer." Should prayer be a religious ritual or a way of life which involves practicing the presence of God? Matthew 6 sets out some boundaries for our prayer life. "Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.”...

PRAISE AND POWER                      HIS BROKEN BODY AND SHED BLOOD                    April 12, 2019
At what is called the last supper (before his crucifixion) which Jesus had with his twelve apostles, he instituted a remembrance which represents what he did for those who want to believe. “And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave...

PRAISE AND POWER                               FREEDOM TO SERVE                              March 30, 2019
Romans 6:16 – 23 declares the contrast between sin and righteousness. Let’s start at the end and then consider the other verses. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) Someone once said if that is the best that sin can pay, I don’t want to work there. Wages are earned by work while a gift...

PRAISE AND POWER                                     ACCESS TO GOD                                     March 25, 2019
One of the great truths found in the Epistle written to the Ephesians is: “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; …” (Ephesians 2:19)
What great news that is for those who were previously Gentiles. The born again Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners; but they are fellow-citizens with the saints and part of God’s household...