PRAISE AND POWER                             EDIFY ONE ANOTHER                           November 7, 2019
We have all been in situations when someone has been critical of us, or disappointed us, or things have not gone our way. Our response might be to turn on that person and say something hurtful, or we might forget to go to God in prayer to help us with the situation. God is so kind and loving. He gave us very clear instructions in His Word for what...

PRAISE AND POWER       PRAYER IS CONVERSATION WITH GOD           October 31, 2019
Prayer is more than asking for things. It is more than making self-centered requests. It is more than asking God to intervene in our behalf, or in behalf of another. It is not a ritual, or a rite or reading "prayers" written out by someone else. It is not an effort to get God to change His mind. Prayer is not reminding God about what He's "got to do." Prayer...

PRAISE AND POWER                                POWER IN PRAYER                            October 27, 2019
We often simply mouth our prayer without heartfelt believing.  We sometimes do this because we really are not convinced that God can or will answer our prayer.  We may pray in a certain way because those are the words we have been taught to say for certain things or because we think that is the way we are supposed to do it.  Then we wonder why our prayers are not answered.
God’s...

PRAISE AND POWER                       PRAYER AND COMPASSION                       October 20, 2019
Ephesians 2:8 -10 declares that at the time of the new birth, God created spirit in us, unto good works.            
II Timothy 3:16 -17 then goes on to say that He gave us His Word so that we might be fully equipped unto all good works. Among the works we can do is pray. We can pray with the understanding and with the spirit.
Yet there is...

PRAISE AND POWER                                PRAYER A PART OF LIFE                               October 15, 2019
Prayer should not be a religious ritual but a way of life which involves practicing the presence of God. Some people memorize "prayers." Some read a prepared "prayer." 
Matthew 6 sets out some boundaries for our prayer life. "Take heed that ye do not alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew.6:1) It's not to be done...

PRAISE AND POWER                               GREATER LOVE                        September 28, 2019
A lawyer once tempted Jesus Christ by asking “which is the great commandment in the law?” Matthew 22 gives his answer: “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang...

PRAISE AND POWER                               THE GOLDEN RULE                        September 21, 2019
“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 7:12) Simply stated this is the so called “golden rule”: do unto others as you would have them do unto you. This takes effort and forethought. It also gives a tangible measure for interactions with others. A person knows how he or she would...

PRAISE AND POWER                               THE LOVE OF GOD                             September 14, 2019
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he [Jesus Christ] shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as...

PRAISE AND POWER                           GRACE AND WORKS                           September 6, 2019
Every Bible student knows that Christians are saved by grace. “Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened [made alive] us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) …. For by grace are ye saved through faith [believing]; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: … .” (Ephesians 2:5, 8) When a person does Romans 10:9: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the...

PRAISE AND POWER                            STRONG IN THE GRACE                              August 31, 2019
“Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” (II Timothy 2:1) This exhortation is to be strong in the grace. Not in the law. Not in one’s own works. But strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus! It is often easy to consider grace for oneself but not for others. Grace applies to every born again believer. “For by grace are...

PRAISE AND POWER                   A STANDARD FOR SERVICE                     August 28, 2019
I Thessalonians 2:1 – 12, shows Paul and those with him setting an example and a standard for service in the Church. Verses 1 and 2b say: “For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain: ,,,,  we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.” Even though they faced much contention, Paul and those who...

PRAISE AND POWER                   HOW TO LEARN FROM GOD’S WORD                August 17, 2019
“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy [the prophecy of the Scripture] came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost [God].” (II Peter 1:20, 21) God’s Word did not come by the will of man. God told holy men what to say and...

PRAISE AND POWER                   CAN WE TRUST GOD?                   August 10, 2019
As sure as gravity works and the sun rises tomorrow, we know we can trust God. God’s Word tells us to trust Him. “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him [God], and he [God] shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5, 6) We can trust God because He is trustworthy. “God is not a man, that he should...

PRAISE AND POWER              OUR REFUGE IN TIME OF NEED             July 31, 2019
In Old Testament times, God set up certain cities of refuge -- places where someone who had committed a crime could find protection until he or she would stand trial and be judged. Numbers 35:11-12: "Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares. And they shall be unto you cities for...