Strengthen and Encourage the Brethren 01/22/12

This week’s scripture is from Exodus:

“The LORD is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him…”     (Exodus 15:2)

The world makes us weary; our bodies grow tired; the enemy of our soul wears us down. Yet we must keep standing; we must stand. So where does our strength come from? It comes from the Lord, yes, the Lord God Almighty, King of heaven and Earth and all the universe. For we are weak, but He is strong; He is our salvation and our shield. He never grows weary; He never tires; He has defeated Satan. He is our God and we should praise Him; He is our loving Father and we should exalt Him. Sing praises to the Lord, for He inhabits the praises of His people; draw near to Him and He will strength you.

May the Lord bless you with His strength this very day as you exalt Him with praise.

Strengthen and Encourage the Brethren 01/15/12

This week’s scripture is from Psalms:

“For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.

The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.

“By the word of the LORD were the heavens made,  their starry host by the breath of his mouth.”    (Psalm 33:4-6)

Let us rededicate ourselves to reading the Word of God, for the Word is righteous, the Word is truth, the Word is a fount of life, a gift from God for guidance — for wisdom, for comfort, for joy, for peace, for praise, for protection, for inspiration, for healing; a blessing for the heart, for the mind, for the soul. The Word is the breath of God, the power of creation, the witness of salvation, the tongue of the Spirit, the revelation of eternal life, the everlasting love of the LORD. Thank God. Let us pray, “Open my heart and my mind to this your Word, O LORD, place it on my tongue, make it part of my very being, and let me speak love into the people and situations I encounter each day.”

May the Lord inspire you to open His word and walk in its blessings each and every day.

Strengthen and Encourage the Brethren 01/08/12

This week’s scripture is from Matthew:

Jesus Tempted -- by Tissot

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.

“Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

“But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”     (Matt. 4:1-4)

As we wait upon the Lord and anticipate His return, troubles and temptations arise against all who belong to Him, but the Lord is not troubled; He is not tempted. He speaks the truth; He takes up the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, and He strikes down the attacks of the enemy. Let us too take up the sword of the Spirit and boldly proclaim the Word. Quote the scriptures; speak truth to the lies of the enemy; pray in the Spirit; speak and stand on the word of God. Wield the sword in the power of His might and the enemy must give way before the reign and authority of the Lord Almighty. Thank God that He does not leave us defenseless, but we are armed with truth sharper than any blade. Praise God; bless His holy name.

May the Lord bless you to take up the sword of the Spirit and cut down the enemy with the word of truth.

Strengthen and Encourage the Brethren 01/01/12

This week’s scripture is from Genesis:

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”

“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.”    (Genesis 1:1-3, 31)

God is good, and all He does is good. He was in the beginning, and by His Word everything that is or ever will be came into existence. He spoke into that which was empty and dark, and there was light dispelling the darkness, just as Jesus, the Living Word, then came into this sin-darkened world and brought the light of salvation. Everywhere the light of God’s word goes, the darkness is dispelled and God’s goodness breaks into the light. Praise God for sending the light into our lives.

May the light of God’s word continue to shine in your life as you share it with others.

Happy New Year 2012; Blessings to You

May the Lord bless you this year to come.

Strengthen and Encourage the Brethren 12/25/11

This week’s scripture is from Revelation:

“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”          (Rev. 22:12-13)

Our Lord Jesus is faithful and true. Let us likewise be faithful, for His promises are yea and amen. He is sovereign over all that is and all that will be. Despite the rising darkness let us remember that He is soon to return; that He will finish what He started, for He existed before the foundation of the world was laid and He reigns forever and ever. Praise Him and keep praying. Come, Lord Jesus, come.

May the sovereign Lord reign forever in your life and bless you in His keeping.

Strengthen and Encourage the Brethren 12/18/11

This week’s scripture is from Luke:

Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
“ Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”        (Luke 2:10-14)

Praise the Lord God Most High for the glorious gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, the greatest gift ever given, our salvation come to bring us peace, and reconcile us to God. How great the gift and how great the giver. How can we but praise Him and worship His holy name, for there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. Praise God Almighty in gratitude and joy.

May your praises and prayers rise up to the Lord, and may He shed peace abroad in your heart.

Strengthen and Encourage the Brethren 12/11/11

This week’s scripture is from Isaiah:

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”  (Isaiah 9:6)

Let us praise God that we can gather together and celebrate the advent of Christ’s birth, for He came that we might know Him and the beauty of His grace, that through Him all creation might know salvation, that the peace of God might reign in us. Thank God that He sent His Son. May we forever praise His name and preach the good news, that some might believe and receive eternal life in Christ.

May the Lord bless you this Christmas season with all the blessings of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Strengthen and Encourage the Brethren 12/4/11

This week’s scripture is from Isaiah:

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: Behold a virgin shall be with child and give birth to a son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (God with us).    (Isaiah 7:14)

The Son of God come down to us as a child; O great are the promises of God. How blessed we are, for the ancients knew the promise but did not see it come to pass, yet we live in the time of God’s favor, we have seen His grace and His salvation, for He sent His Son Jesus Christ to us that we might know Him, and through Him the blessings of His mercy and love, unto life and life eternal. Glory to God, glory in the highest, for He is with us and we are forever blessed. Praise God Almighty.

May the blessings of Our Lord Jesus Christ be yours this very day.

Strengthen and Encourage the Brethren 11/27/11

This week’s scripture is from Job:

“Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you.
Accept instruction from his mouth and lay up his words in your heart.”    (Job 22:21-22)

If we would have peace, then we must trust God, for how can we be at peace when life comes hard against us, when our hearts are breaking within us, when our world is split by strife and grief, when troubles and hardship mark our days? Without God, peace eludes us. Our soul cries out against the turmoil in the world and that in ourselves, but to no avail. Only the Prince of Peace can quiet our troubled hearts and calm our souls; only by surrendering ourselves to Him can we have that peace that we seek. For it is by the Lord and the Lord alone that we can know peace, live in peace, and be at peace with God, and ourselves.

May the Lord grant you peace of heart and peace of mind through Jesus Christ.