Psalm 65:1-2

God alone hears prayers. He alone is He to Whom we should prays: oh You who hears prayer, to you all flesh shall come! We go to God like animals go to the last pond in Africa. In times of severe drought even the lions (though they drink first!) allow other animals to drink as well. Likewise, we must all drink from the o ly source of water in town. EVERYONE must come to God; even if they spit in His face while they do it.

Oh, let us be them who thankfully and joyously love Him who gives is the Water of Life!

Praise You Father for water!
Praise You Son for blood!
Praise You Spirit for Prayer!

Praying with you,
Pastor Greg

Zechariah 4:6

Why do I continue to seek to do things on my own strength? A fool never forgets his folly! Forgive me Lord and give me the grace to hear and obey!

Blessings,
Pastor Greg

Haggai 1:5

Haggai 1:5

 

If you and I don't consider our ways we will slip both unconsciously and terminally into sin.  Our atmosphere is sin, our hearts are deceitful, we don't have a chance of avoiding habitual sin if we do not consciously work to avoid that sin.  Consider your ways oh Church!  Consider your ways!

• How do I relate to my God?
• How do I relate to the family I live with?
• How do I relate to my coworkers?
• How do I use my discretionary time?

Not easy questions: but we must ask them.  Then we must have the courage to actually pay attention to our own answers.  Do you have the courage?  Ask your Heavenly Father to give you that courage. 

 

Psalm 32:5 NIV

     Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.

      I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"-- and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah

 

Your Father will forgive your sin:

1 John 1:9 NIV

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

 

Then He will continue to work in you for His glory.

Philippians 1:6NIV

 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

 

Praise You Father for forgiveness.

Praise You Son for saving my soul.

Praise You Spirit for grace upon grace.

 

Forgive us Father as we sin,

Pastor Greg

Zephaniah 3:17

Zephaniah 3:17
This is one of the first verses I found that really communicated the love of God to me. I seek to rest in the fact that He loves me enough to 'sing' over me! Praise Jesus!

Praise You Father for rejoicing over me!
Praise You Son for making that possible!
Praise You Spirit for telling me!

Blessings,
Pastor Greg

Psalm 46:10-11

Psalm 46:10-11 ^ESV

"Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" ¹¹ The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

 

You have nothing to worry about.  The Lord of the Armies of God is with you.  The God who made Jacob into a nation of nations is protecting you.  Therefore, relax.  Trust God.  He will make His name exalted among all the peoples of the world; He will be exalted wherever the cosmos remains.

 

Praise You Father that You are glorious.

Praise You Son that You are glorious.

Praise You Spirit that You are glorious.

 

Praising Jesus with you,

Pastor Greg

 

Micah 7:18-19

Micah 7:18-19(ESV)
*Who is a God like you, *pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression *for the remnant of his inheritance?
*He does not retain his anger forever,
because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

Amen! The Jews knew the grace of God's forgiveness, and they knew it was by grace. Let us with Micah celebrate His goodness to us!

Praise You Father for giving us forgiveness!
Praise You Son for rising again!
Praise You Spirit for speaking grace to our hearts!

Rejoicing in His forgiveness with you,
Pastor Greg

Jonah 2:8

Jonah 2:8 ESV

Those who pay regard to vain idols

forsake the hope of steadfast love.

 

Jonah 2:8 NIV

Those who cling to worthless idols,

forsake the grace that could be theirs

 

I'm reading the ESV right now (25 more pages and I will have finished reading it through).  But I memorized the verse several years ago in the NIV.

 

An interesting question in regards to this verse is, "To whom is Jonah referring here, himself or the Ninevites?  I am inclined to believe he is talking about himself. And I think the idol he is referring to is the bitterness he nurtured in his own heart so that he was unwilling to love the Ninevites enough to share God's love.  The grace or steadfast love He forsook was that of joy and peace.

 

Of course, an argument can be made for him referring to Nineveh because he obviously hadn't learned the lesson by the time the events of chapter 4 came about (I happen to believe he wrote Jonah and that ultimately he did repent!).

 

The point is that if you are clinging/paying regard to idols then you will not experience God's grace.  Therefore, whatever you hold to higher value than God or obedience to God you must reject it at the poisonous vomit that it is.  Cling to your God and you will have the steadfast love (correct translation) you need.

 

Praise You Father for steadfast love.

Praise You Son for forgiving us so we could experience steadfast love.

Praise You Spirit for moving in and through us so we can share that steadfast love.

 

Hoping in steadfast love with you,

Pastor Greg