Thursday, November 12, 2020

Praise Not Fear

We your people, the flock of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever ; from generation to generation we will recount your praise. Psalms 79:13

Good morning church family I pray that you are all blessed and staying safe. With this global pandemic, racial injustice, natural disasters and other disasters happening around the world I know there are days when we feel hopeless ,desolate or feel that God has turned his back on us, we may even feel as if these disasters are a result of our sins. If like myself you have been feeling this way it means we can all relate to the Jews and how they felt after the intrusion of the Bablyonian army which wreaked havoc on their nation.

Even though the Jews were being constantly warned to turn away from their sinful ways and to obey the commandments, they would not listen. They continued to defile themselves and the Lord’s temple and as we all know , “who can’t hear , must feel”. Their disobedience caused God to allow the Babylonians to invade their land, kill them , leave their bodies to be eaten by animals and to destroy the holy temple.

Asaph started to feel overwhelmed with what was happening in his nation and he began to pray and ask God for deliverance, forgiveness and also asked him to turn his anger away from them. He hated the fact that the Babylonians were asking “where is their God? “ and he asked God to silence their nation by being the avenger of blood for his people .

After praying to be rescued, Asaph ended the prayer with thanksgiving and hope that God will look down on their needs and and answer his prayer , he also had faith that better days were ahead . God tells us he is our shepherd and we are the sheep of the pastures, it is for this reason that we can rely on God wholeheartedly because shepherds ensure that their sheep are safe and well taken of. Asaph vowed that he will praise God and continue to praise God in all generations to come and tell the stories of his marvelous works.

So instead of worrying or feeling overwhelmed with all that’s happening around us let us continue praying that God will rescue us and trust that better days are ahead. Until next time stay safe , stay blessed

Toni-Ann Poyser

Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Little Is Much!

Dearly beloved, I greet you well. Today’s watchword is from Proverbs 15:16 and it tells us that, “Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it.” Imagine that…

As a people on a whole we spend so much time trying to get ahead and to become better versions of ourselves. We have this ideal in mind and so we seek to attain and to acheive and sometimes it is in so doing that we lose sight or focus on the things that are really important.

Our relationship with Christ suffers and then automatically we end up not being able to make time for our children, perhaps tend a garden, visit a sick brother or sister or even minister to anyone. Nothing is wrong with setting goals and trying to acheive them however, one must never become so engrossed in his pursuit of happiness that he can no longer commune with God.

Perhaps you feel as if you have been given too little; it appears that whilst you constantly struggle others have it more easier. Friend, commit all your ways to the Lord, keep your heart focused on Him and He will open your eyes to all you have been gifted with.

Mark 8:36 asks, “what good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? These are scriptures that we may know by heart but have we assessed our circumstances lately? What is your current standing? Are you seeking to gain so much that you have lost sight of all that you already possess? Think on these things.

Until next week, I join with B Farrell in praying,
Longing for shelter, many are homeless,
Longing for warmth, many are cold.
Make us your building, sheltering others, walls made of living stone.

Amen.

Kerone Lamoth

Keep on Praying. God hears and will answer.

For months there has been some constant requests during my praying. Some things I keep asking God to grant. As I continued to pray this week it suddenly dawned on me that God is answering my prayers and that of many others. There is a new President Elect of the United States of America, one who has already vowed to repair the damage done to the political, social and emotional relationships over the last four years, both locally and internationally. Yes friends. God hears and answers our prayers. There is hope too in the news of the development of drugs, one at 90% success in the trials, that will aid in the fight against the Corona virus. God answers prayers. A prayer to be used generally, Psalm 86 was written by David. It was especially for use in a difficult period. In today’s watchword David calls upon God to give special attention to his situation. Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant. Psalm 86: 16.

David calls on God to be his keeper, his savior and his protector. There were so many people and forces that had turned against David, but He knew that what he needed was not for them to turn back to him but for God’s face to be turned towards him. He knew he needed God’s favor and not humanity’s embrace. Dear friends we very often want the world to notice us, to like us and to be receptive of us, not realizing that what we truly need is the favor of God in our lives. It is that longing for worldly acceptance that causes us to do the things that will gain the world’s approval rather than doing that which is pleasing to God. This is why Paul warns us in Romans 12: 2, And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. David in wisdom therefore sought God’s face and not humanity’s acceptance. He did not seek people’s likes, but rather depended on God’s love for him. He knew that God could do more for him than any human could, so he kept praying and focusing on God for the help he needed. It should be the same with us. God is able and He wont fail, so trust God and keep praying, He will answer.

David asks God to give him strength. Not to strengthen him, which would be an increase of David’s own strength. Rather he asked that God give him of God’s strength. God can increase our physical strength dear friends. David knew that. He knew of Sampson who had a strength like no other human. He also remembered that he had wrestled with a lion and a bear and had been victorious. Remember also David against Goliath. These feats would have been impossible had it not been for the strength of God given to him in those moments of need. In today’s text David again called on the Lord in his moment of need ‘give your strength to your servant’. We at times are in need of a strength that is more than what we have and at such time all we need to do is call on God and He will provide the resource we need for the moment. In the same way God responded to David, God will also respond to our prayers and like David we will be able to worship and praise, to say ‘In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry entered His ears.’ 2 Sam 22: 7. Friends, are you able to see God’s hands at work in your life? Can you attest to answered prayers on a personal and a general level? As you continue to petition the throne of heaven, remember to give thanks for answered prayers and remember to keep on praying. The answer you seek may not be forthcoming, but in due time God who hears will answer your prayer.