My brothers and sisters in Christ, many of us are modern day children of Israel, we have no faith in God, nor do we trust in His saving power, we have food in our mouths that God provided for us, yet, we cannot seem to stop our cravings, we test God at every turn, our hearts are not steadfast towards Him and we are not faithful to His covenant. How long, how long will we continue this way, how much more will God’s spirit strive with us? He has given us what we asked and we want more, He has healed our backsliding, yet we turn against Him, He has delivered us from storms that should have destroyed us, but we have forgotten, He has done the impossible for us, yet we doubt His abilities because of our lack of faith. Turn, my brothers and sisters in Christ, turn your hearts back to the Lord, for He is merciful but His spirit will not always strive with us. Praise the Lord!

“The hosts of God encamp around the dwellings of the just; deliverance He affords to all who on His succor trust. O make but trial of his love; experience will decide, how blest are they, and only they who in his truth confide. Fear Him all ye saints below, and you will have nothing else to fear; make you His service, your delight; your wants shall be His care. For God preserves the souls of those who on His truth depend; to them and their posterity His blessing shall descend.” Oh praise the Lord, praise the Lord with me. He knew I needed this assurance this morning, and He placed this song of praise on my lips. Thank you, Lord!

“In this the love of God was manifested towards us that God sent His only Son into the world that we might live through Him. In this love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. He who fears has not been made perfect in love. If someone says I love God and hates his brother, he is a liar, for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from God that he who loves Him must love his brother also.” Praise the Lord!

“And let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Dear God, show us how to sow good seeds, help us to never get weary in doing good for this is your will for us. Lord, help us to put to death all things which causes us to walk out of your will, so that we will do only what is right and pleasing to you always. Lord, we can do nothing in our own strength, but we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Thank you, Lord!

“All your works shall praise you, O Lord, and your saints will bless you. They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and talk of your power, to make known to the sons of men His mighty acts. The Lord is righteous in all His ways and gracious in all His works. The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him and He also will hear their cry and save them. The Lord preserves all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord and all flesh shall bless His holy name forever and ever.” Amen! “Let everything that hath breathe this morning, praise the Lord!”

Pray on, pray on, believing one, God’s promises are sure, and they shall overcome by faith, for those who will endure. Pray on, pray on, and weary not, the cross with patience bear, and though its burden weighs us down, the Lord will answer prayer. His eyes foresees our greatest good, while we at best are weak, and thus in wisdom He withholds, the gifts we often seek. And yet, His all sufficient grace, He bids us meekly wait, and in a way we least expect, the Lord will answer prayer. With anxious thoughts for those we love, our hearts are often filled, but soon the clouds are rolled away, and the troubled waves are stilled. Then murmur not, but trust in God, who knows our every care, and better far than we can ask, the Lord will answer prayer. Thank you Lord for this assurance, may it reach the ones who need it most this morning and blessed comfort give.

“Fierce witnesses rise up, they ask me things I do not know, and they reward me evil for good to the sorrow of my soul. But, as for me when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth, I humbled myself with fasting, and my prayer would return to my own heart, I paced about as though he were my friend or brother, I bowed down as one who mourns for his mother, but in my adversity they rejoiced and gathered together, attackers gathered against me and I did not know it, they tore at me and did not cease, they gnashed at me with their teeth. Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue me from their destruction, my precious life from the lions. I will give you thanks in the great assembly, I will praise you among many people.” There is none like you O Lord, who delivers the poor from those who are too strong for him, yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him. Thank you, Lord, for protection and deliverance. Continually watch over us.

Lord, we have all walked in our own willful way, we have been rebellious to your word, we have rejected your free gift of salvation, we call upon your name only in times of trouble, we are ashamed to profess you before others, we backbite and we curse, we put idols before you O God, we are not a thankful generation, yet, for all this your anger is not turned away, but your arm is outstretched still. Lord, you are awesome, you are willing to go to battle for us even when fight against you, you are merciful to us, even though we are undeserving,  we put stumbling blocks in the paths of others, we turn our backs away from you, yet, for all this your anger is not turned away, but your arm is outstretched still. Thank you, Lord!