Psalm 120 to 134 are known as the Psalms or songs of Ascent. They were chanted as pilgrims traveled to Jerusalem for worship, as worshipers climbed Mt Zion, or climbed the steps of the temple. Today’s watchword comes from one of these Psalms. Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice! Psalm 130: 1 – 2. Imagine with me, the worshipers going up, looking up to Jerusalem and chanting ‘out of the depth I cry to you O Lord. Lord hear my voice’. They were confident that God would hear their cries.
Their cry came from physical depths and was for God to strengthen them to make it to the place of worship. Their cry was for safety on the journey and for God to provide all they needed for a successful and meaningful trip. When we need sustenance and strength for life’s journeys, we should not be afraid to call unto God who hears and will give us what we need. The act of ascension also served to keep the worshipers humble as they had to go up to meet God where he was. It was a constant reminder that humanity must meet God in humility for God hears the prayers of the humble, encourages and listens to them. Psalm 10: 17.
Not only was the worshippers cry coming from a physical depth, but also from an emotional depth. They cried from the depth of brokenness. Broken homes, broken relationships, broken hearts, deep health issues, from the depth of poverty and need. Joseph Scriven penned the words ‘What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry, everything to God in prayer’. Dear friend it does not matter what our experience is, we serve a God who hears our cries. In faith let us bring our emotional needs to the one who can truly make a difference. Be assured that your prayer has the ability to reach the height of heaven from the humility of our personal situations. Remember Jeremiah prayed from the pit and was rescued miraculously. Remember Daniel prayed from within a den of hungry lions and God shut the mouth of the lions. Remember Jonah prayed from the belly of the great fish and God preserved him and caused the fish to vomit Jonah out on dry land. Remember Paul and Silas in prison and as they prayed an earthquake opened the prison doors and the heart of their jailor. I want someone to know today that it does not matter what your circumstance is, God is able, and God is hearing your cry. When we cry out to God from the depth, from the pit of our human experiences and existence, God hears and responds to our prayer. Our crying unto God lifts us up from the sinking sand of this sinful world. Be relentless in your praying dear friend for in God’s timing you will receive what is needed.
Finally friends, as the worshipers journeyed up to worship, they cried from a spiritual depth. Aware of their sinfulness, aware of their own shortcomings, they approached their only source of salvation. As God heard their cries, they received through worship and through sacrifice, the assurance of their sins forgiven their debt pardoned and their being reconciled to God. God does the same for us when we call out to Him in prayer. When we cry out, God hears. We need to remember that God is willing to intervene in our physical and emotional challenges, but God’s goal is to save us from spiritual death and eternal damnation. It was for this reason that God sent his Son into the world. Psalm 40: 1 – 2 is the victory shout of one whose prayer was answered. ‘I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.’ Friends, may this be your testimony as well, as you cry out to God and God responds. Keep praying brother, keep praying sister, your breakthrough is coming. Amen.

Bevon White

 You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
Isaiah 26:3

Perfect, permanent peace! What a promise in today’s Watchword! God promises that we can have perfect peace, and even be kept in a place of perfect peace. In Hebrew, the term perfect peace is actually ‘shalom shalom’. Such repetition communicates intensity. It isn’t just shalom; it is shalom shalom, perfect peace. I agree with Meyer who says that it is our privilege to live inside the double doors of God’s loving care. God says to us, ‘Peace, peace.’ If one assurance is not enough, he will follow it with a second and a third.

Such perfect and permanent peace is offered to all God’s children. Yet, for some of us, we have peace, but it is fleeting; it is not permanent. Still for some, they have a false permanent peace. Such peace is not perfect; it is the peace of the wicked, the peace of spiritual sleep and ultimate destruction. But, there is a perfect peace that comes from the Lord, who alone can keep us in it.

The text is clear in declaring that this perfect, permanent peace is for those whose minds are stayed on God. This is the place of perfect peace, and the source of it. When we keep our minds settled upon, established upon, the Lord, then we can be kept in this perfect peace. This is a matter of the mind. Scripture is replete with references to the importance of our minds. Indeed, we are to love the Lord our God with all of our mind (Matthew 22:37). We are transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2). We can have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). We are not to set our mind on earthly things (Philippians 3:19), but to set our mind on things above (Colossians 3:2). The Christian life is not an unthinking life. Where we set our mind is essential to our walk with the Lord. Many persons desire to worship God only with their emotions and so they want a worship service that appeals only to their emotions. Their minds are on vacations at church. Yet, all throughout God’s word, we are required to think and reason so as to make godly decisions.

The text also speaks to trust. Almost always, we keep our minds stayed on whatever or whoever we trust. When we trust the Lord, we keep our mind stayed on Him. The battle for trust in our lives begins in our minds. If we trust the Lord, it will show in our actions. Perfect permanent peace is possible, but only when our minds are stayed on God and our complete trust is in him.

Jermaine Gibson

Faith in the face of Persecution

You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 1:6 NIV

Good morning friends!
Grace and peace to you from God our Father. I trust this day finds you well. If you are not well I hope the word for today will lift your spirits.

Background:
Paul was writing to the Thessalonians giving thanks for thier faith in times of persecution and affliction. As is customary, he greeted them with Grace and peace!
Note also that the word “imitator” is translated “follower”

Application:
Today’s society is full of animosity. Believers are not excepted from all the negativity that is at play in world today. However , we are called to follow Christ, continue in the gospel of salvation, and be joyful in the Holy spirit in spite of persecution.

The Thessalonians stood their ground and became followers of Christ even though they where well aware of the great persecution and affliction Paul and the other believers have been facing. Paul encourage them by giving thanks for thier faith. In the same way, we are encouraged to continue in faith amidst persecution

Inspiration:
To suffer with Christ is to reign with him in paradise The affiliations we face today will be of no importance tomorrow, for God is able to bring us to a place of Joy and peace in the Holy Spirit.
Do not be downcast by those who persecute you and say all manner of evil against you
Continue to receive and embrace the he gospel of Christ, keep the faith in the face of affliction and persecution.

Until next week, Grace be with you!
Blessings!

Shaneka Raymore-Euphfa

The Lord did not hesitate to bring the disaster on us, for the Lord our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him. Daniel 9:14

Today’s Watchword is located in the context of Daniel’s prayer to God. He begins his prayer where we all should – ‘O Lord, great and awesome God’. He recognized the greatness and goodness of God. Sometimes we approach God as if he were a stingy person who must be persuaded to give us anything. For Daniel, God is all-sufficient and keeps his covenant and mercy with those who love him. We can sense the earnestness in Daniel’s prayer from the get go, yet it is also agonizing. It was Spurgeon who said “Oh! That our prayers could get beyond praying, till they got to agonizing.”

This was a deep prayer of confession as Daniel declared that, ‘We have sinned and committed iniquity’. Notice that he used the personal pronoun ‘we’ and not ‘they’. He included himself as if to demonstrate the personal yet collective sins of the people. When we think about it long enough, we will realize that ‘they’ prayers never really reach God, but genuine ‘we’ prayers see ourselves correctly and see our fellow saints with compassion. Daniel was clear in declaring that

Israel’s sin was not God’s fault; God was utterly righteous and blameless. Any shame of face belonged to Israel, not to God.

When we consider the poor attitude of the Israelites, it would be easy for Daniel to complain to God about Israel’s problems. However, Daniel didn’t think for a moment that God was too hard on Israel; he knew God was completely righteous and any failure was on Israel’s side. So instead of complaining, Daniel confessed. During times of great revival among God’s people, the Holy Spirit always brings a deep conviction and awareness of sin. When that is responded to rightly, confession is appropriately made. When such confession is genuine, it is sincere, specific, and thorough.

We have the tendency to make excuses for our wrongdoings. We learn a lesson from Daniel in this text that there can be no valid excuse for our sins. We can’t blame anyone else and we certainly cannot blame God. Daniel highlighted that even in his judgment against Israel, God was totally faithful to his word. Indeed, he is righteous in everything he does.

Till next week, hear the words of today’s New Testament text in James 1:17: ‘Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.’

Jermaine Gibson

 The Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you indeed love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul. Deuteronomy 13:3

 Hear the context of today’s Watchword: “If prophets or those who divine by dreams appear among you and promise you omens or portents, and the omens or the portents declared by them take place, and they say, “Let us follow other gods” (whom you have not known) “and let us serve them,” you must not heed the words of those prophets or those who divine by dreams; for the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you indeed love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul.”(vs 1-3)

The text outlines that dreams can be from God, or they can be false prophesies. We should allow God to bring confirmation to any dream we believe brings a message from him. Interestingly, this text is not focused on a prophet who speaks a word and it does not come to pass. Rather, it is about a prophet who speaks a word and it comes to pass, but then say that they should follow other gods and serve them. For Moses, such prophets and dreamers should be ignored.

What is critically required here is discernment. In this age where popularity and falsehood are the order of the day in Christendom, Christians cannot neglect the importance of discernment. The reality of signs and wonders can never be the only evidence of truth or the revelation by God. Indeed, those who are immediately convinced at the sight of supernatural power or reality are in danger of great deception. Godly discernment will always carefully examine the message of a prophet or dreamer, instead of the spiritual experiences which he or she perform. No prophecy can be true if it speaks against what God has already revealed in his word.

We are reminded of John’s admonition, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (I John 4:1). No matter how impressive or accurate a prophet’s miracles or prophecies, his credibility hangs on whether he leads people toward or away from God. For Richard Ritenbaugh, the following questions must be answered before we judge a person as a true or false prophet:

2. Do his prophecies come to pass?
3. Does he teach the truth based on God’s Word?

Yet, Moses points out that all this is a test for God’s people to determine the sincerity of their allegiance to God. God allows deceivers to exist among his people so as to allow the hearts of his people to be tested and proven, to see if they really love the God of truth or are merely seeking a spiritual sign or experience. This forces us to ask some serious questions – Why do we really serve God? What is our motive for following God? What benefits are we seeking? Are we seeking wonders and signs, prosperity and blessings? May we be reminded that God will ultimately separate those who are true from those who are not, and each of us will receive our just reward.

He saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
2 Timothy 1:9 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/2ti.1.9.KJV

Greetings, peace from God the Father, I hope you are in good health and prospering in the GRACE of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ.

I share with you the commentary on the word for today. Matthew Henry puts it this way:

“The origin of salvation is the free grace and eternal purpose of God in Christ Jesus. If we had merited it, it would have been hard to suffer for it; but our salvation by it is of free grace, and not according to our works.”

In my own words, it is not of good that we have done, but we are called to serve ONLY because God has given to us the free gift of Salvation. It is through him that we are POWERED BY GRACE

As I reflected on the text , I began to wonder whether we truly appreciate and understand the mission to which we are called. I wonder if we recall the reason for which we are called. I wonder if we are cognitive of the fact that we are called by God. I also wonder why we “work” so hard thinking that our works will carry us into eternity!

Paul in his letter to Timothy, belabored 3 very important points:

1. It is God who saved us:
2. We are called to a Holy calling:
3. It is ONLY by GRACE that we receive the FREE gift of salvation:
I want us to pay keen attend to these three pronouncements. None of the above requires human input. For this reason I urge you to keep your hearts and minds stayed on Jesus. It is easy to get caught up in the WORK of the church, it is easy to become self righteous and to act has though we are POWERED by our own doing rather that by GOD’S GRACE.

Brothers and Sisters, my beloved friends, do not be ignorant of the gospel. Instead , let the word of God sit with you day and night, that you may understand why you are here and what you are meant to do. Do not be ashamed of the admit that you are not powered by your own skills and competencies, but be bold in declaring that you are POWERED BY GRACE!

Paul is by far the most resolute apostle in history. He warns against self gratification and self righteous. He embraces the free gift of salvation. He speaks of the GRACE of God in ALL his teachings. If you won’t take it from me , take it from him.

Untill next week, remember it is not works that saves, keeps and satisfy Instead, it is the GRACE OF GOD.

Shaneka Raymore-Euphfa

Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.

Matthew 13:31-32

As I reflected some more and did further readings on this New Testament text used for reflection on Monday, many thoughts began to consume me. I felt led to share some more thoughts on this text. Jesus indicates that the mustard seed grows into the greatest of shrubs and unnaturally becomes a tree. Indeed, it is the simplicity of the gospel that produces exponential growth. The spread of the gospel began like a humble, lowly plant, yet with a powerful, pervasive, penetrating and pungent effect. The church has grown like a great shrub and tree.

Yet, I believe that there is a word of caution here. There are aspects of the church that have grown into a huge, ungainly, abnormal tree, concerned with power, pride and domination, wanting to be served instead of to serve. Too many churches have become more concerned with putting up great, imposing church buildings as a sign of our prestige and status in the community. We want to create an image that sells like secular businesses, and we become consumed with advertising and publicizing ourselves to keep ourselves before the eyes of the world. We crave for power and pursue setting up empires, instead of building the Kingdom. I think that sometimes the way the gospel is proclaimed we forget that the church doesn’t save anybody; the Lord does. The church doesn’t help anyone; it is the Lord who helps through us. We sometimes forget the Lord and talk more about our church. Look again at the early Christians, they never mentioned the church until after a person joined the family of God. They talked about Jesus.

Jesus also states that ‘…the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” What does this mean? Ray Stedman points out for us that right in this series of parables, Jesus tells us what the birds mean. In the first parable he said that when the seed of the word falls upon a hardened human heart, the birds come and snatch it away. The birds represent the evil one, the enemy, whose evil powers and forces are at work upon people’s lives. For Stedman, “… vultures and buzzards, birds of prey, apt symbols of evil persons and evil ideas make their home right in God’s church.” One of the ways that this is demonstrated is where preachers and spokespersons for the church propagate a flood of stupid, ridiculous, mixed-up ideas. These are evil concepts which have blasted, blighted and even ruined the hearts and minds of people. We must wake up, discern right from wrong, and ban anything that is not truth from our pulpits and worship services.  Too many Christians have fallen asleep while seeds of falsehood are being sown and producing evil plants and fruits. IT’S TIME TO WAKE UP!!!

Till next week, may a fresh anointing fall on us as we build God’s Kingdom.

Jermaine Gibson