Keep Close

I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing. But you, oh Lord, be not far off; oh my Strength, come quickly to help me. I will declare Your Name to my Brothers; in the congregation, I will praise you.
Psalm 22:17-19, 22
     It is a great insult to human dignity to rob a person of everything, even his clothing, leaving him naked and destitute. Jesus would suffer this humiliating experience on the cross. Most of us will never know the shame and suffering of being penniless and virtually naked in a public place, as many of the Jews experienced during the Nazi Holocaust or even the homeless on the streets of our cities today. But most of us would feel equally exposed and naked when some sin, secret or not, would be uncovered. At that time, we will need to cry out with David, "oh my Strength, come quickly to help me." David would praise God in the congregation, because his private deliverance deserved public testimony. God wonderfully delivers us in the quiet moments when we are hurting, and we must be prepared to offer public praise for His Love.
God Bless you,
J.H.

Pray for Unity

 "Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you have sent me and have loved them, even as you have loved me."
John 17:21-23

Jesus' great desire for His disciples was that they would become one. He wanted them unified as a powerful witness to the reality of God's love. Are you helping to unify the body of Christ, the church? You can pray for the Christians, you can avoid gossip, you can build others up, you can work together in humility, you can give your time and your money, you can exalt Christ with your life, and you can refuse to get sidetracked by arguing over divisive matters. When are we going to stop waving church labels in each other's face and just worship the Lord? This is what Jesus prayed for long ago. He is the way, the truth, and the life - He is the answer, the difference; He is everything. Let us follow Him together.
God Bless you,
J.H.

Give Thanks

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:19-20

When you feel down, you may find it difficult to give thanks. Take heart - in all things God works for our good if we love Him and are called according to His purpose. Thank God, not for your problems, but for the strength He is building in you through the difficult experiences of your life. You can be sure that God's perfect love will see you through. There's a lot to be said about talking to yourself, and then there is a great deal more to be said about talking to God. Every day will be a better one if we do both.
God Bless you, J.H.

Thankfulness

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so - those He redeemed from the hand of the foe, those He gathered from the lands, from East and West, from North and South.
Psalm 107:1-3
Thankfulness to God should constantly be on the lips of those whom He has saved. "Let the redeemed of the Lord say . . ." God has done so much for us, and we have so much for which to thank Him. He wants us to tell everyone all that He has done. These verses are not so much a mandate to witness as a declaration that when we live in God's presence, we will not be able to keep His glorious experience to ourselves. Give him thanks today for what even seem to be times of going backward. Tomorrow, you may discover that in His wisdom, these moments were actually advancements. "All things work together for good to them that love the Lord." What has God done for you? Share it with someone today.
God Bless you,
J.H.

Sing a New Song

  Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise His name; proclaim His salvation, day after day. Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all peoples.
Psalm 96:1-3

 The psalmist sings out his praises to God, overwhelmed by all that God has done. If we believe that God is great, we cannot help but tell others about Him. The best witnessing happens when our hearts are full of appreciation for what He has done. God has chosen to use us to "declare his marvelous deeds among all peoples." Praise for our great God overflows from His creation and should overflow from our lips. How well are you doing at telling others about God's greatness? Don't let your religion be a weekend matter for a weekend religion is a weak one. But every day, by work and by life, show forth his salvation. Heavenly Father, I thank you Lord for this day, let us rejoice and be glad in it. Thank you for Your grace and Your mercy. Allow us to recognize everything that You have done for us that we may not boast of ourselves, but reveal to others Your greatness and the necessity of Your presence in our lives. Allow our witness to be strong and clear. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen

How Do You Handle Prosperity?

         

     When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land He has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe His commands, His laws, and His decrees that I'm giving you this day. He lead you through the vast and dreadful desert, the thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end, it might go well with you.
Deuteronomy 8:10-11,15-16

In times of plenty, we often take credit for our prosperity and become proud that our own hard work and cleverness have made us rich. It is easy to get so busy collecting and managing wealth that we push God right out of our lives. But it is God who gives us everything we have, and it is God who asks us to manage it for Him. We must learn to praise God in spite of our circumstances. We must praise God when things are going well and when we are blessed. We must also praise Him when we are down and when things do not go the way we want them to. Winning the desires of your heart is a great thing and a gift from God; but losing, or not achieving that which you thought was yours is also a result of God's timing and sovereignty. At times like this, we must practice patience and wait on the Lord and seek His face. God is not through with you yet.
God Bless you,
J.H

We Shall Overcome

 

"I have told you these things, so that in me. You may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
John 16:33

With these words, Jesus told his disciples to take courage. In spite of the inevitable struggles they would face, they would not be alone. Jesus does not abandon us during our struggles either. If we remember that the ultimate victory has already been won, we can claim the peace of Christ in the most troublesome times. Claim that peace today; the peace that surpasses all understanding. Heavenly Father, I pray Your Peace upon Your people today. I pray that they would be able to sense Your Presence in their lives. I pray that they would be able to see You working in the circumstances of their every day. I pray that you break up the routine that we have become accustomed to; that he would shake us gently out of the doldrums of our daily lives. I pray for the extraordinary. I pray for a miracle for those that need, right now in the name of Jesus! Amen.
God Bless you,
J.H

Your Faithfulness

I don't know what this day will bring
Will it be disappointing, filled with longed for things?
I don't know what tomorrow holds
Still I know I can trust Your faithfulness
I don't know if these clouds mean rain
If they do, will they pour down blessing or pain?
I don't know what the future holds
Still I know I can trust Your faithfulness

Certain as the rivers reach the sea
Certain as the sunrise in the east
I can rest in your faithfulness
Surer than a mother's tender love
Surer than the stars still shine above
I can rest in your faithfulness

I don't know how or when I'll die
Will it be a thief, or will I have a chance to say goodbye?
No, I don't know how much time is left
But in the end, I will know your faithfulness
When darkness overwhelms my soul
When thoughts and storms of doubt
Still I trust You are always faithful, always faithful

Certain as the rivers reach the sea
Certain as the sunrise in the east
I can rest in your faithfulness
Surer than a mother's tender love
Surer than the stars still shine above
I can rest in your faithfulness

I don't know what this day will bring
Will it be disappointing, filled with longed for things?
I don't know what tomorrow holds
Still I know I can trust Your faithfulness