“The source of your strength”

1 Samuel 30: 6 ^“ Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” (NKJV)

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. When pressure or stress has been applied to the chain, it’s not the entire chain that breaks; it’s the weakest link in the chain that cannot handle the pressure.

We read in the scripture that David was greatly “distressed”. The feelings that he was experiencing were anxiety, sorrow and pain. These feelings are normal when someone has been put in crisis situation.

At any given time we can experience feelings of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances. Often times we may find ourselves in a situation where we feel “hard pressed” on every side with nowhere to go or no one to turn to. Many times the choice that is made about what to do, or where to go to gain the strength that is needed, turns out to be the wrong choice.

Some turn to drugs and alcohol, which will only anesthetize the feeling of being stressed or distressed. When the effect of the alcohol and drugs wear off, those feelings that a person was experiencing come back. Some may try gambling, viewing pornography or using nicotine to obtain relief. The sad part about these choices is that sometimes they may not be available to use, and a person can no longer use them to get the relief that they are seeking.

Matthew 11:28-30 ²⁸ Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  ²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (KJV)

Because God is the God who never slumber or sleeps (Psalms 121:4)…He is an ever present help in a time of trouble (Psalms 46:1)

2 Samuel 22:33  ^“God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.” (KJV)

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (KJV)

David made the right choice to seek the Lord his God for the strength that he needed in a time of crisis…let us follow the example that David set and seek God to be the one and only true “source of our strength.” Amen!

Continuing in His service Rev…

The Great I Am

Exodus 3:13-14  “And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? What shall I say unto them?

¹⁴ And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.” (KJV)

When God told Moses to tell the children of Israel that “I Am” has sent me, God was giving Moses a “blank check” to give to the children of Israel, with the signature of God on the check reading “The Great I Am.”

“I Am” is everything that God is, with nothing being left out. He is the Alpha and Omega and everything that is between. He is God that never slumbers or sleeps (Psalm 121:4 “Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.”

The same “blank check” that God gave to Moses for the Israelite’s at the burning bush can be used today by believers. The funds in God’s account are unlimited, and there is no such thing as His check “bouncing” or being returned stamped “non-sufficient funds.”  

Because God is the great “I Am”, we can go to Him with our every need and have faith that it will be met because “I Am” is always faithful. All we have to do is fill in the spaces on the blank check with the need.

God is unlimited in what he can do. The only thing that God cannot do is fail!

God is:

• Never failing…Matt 28:20 “Lo I Am with you always even to the end of the age.”
• Protection / Rewarder…Gen 15:1 “ I am your shield. Your exceedingly great reward.”
• Deliverer…Exodus 6:6 “I Am the Lord, I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.”
• Healer…Exodus 15:26 “For I Am the Lord who heals you.”
• Substainer…John 6:35 “I Am the bread of life.”
• Savior…John 10:9-10 “I Am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved.
• Direction…John 14:6 “I Am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”   

Philippians 4:19 “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (NKJV)

“Aba Father, thank you for giving your people a blank check that can supply a persons every need. You are truly the one and only great “I Am” in Jesus name…Amen!

Continuing in His service…Rev

 

Jesus

The light of the world

John 8:12 “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (NKJV)

“Lord Jesus, thank you for being a continuous light that is shining in a world of darkness”

Isaiah 9:2 ^“The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined” (NKJV)

“ O God, thank You for being a great light that shines upon your people”

Psalm 119:105 ^“Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.” (NKJV) 

“Thank for Your word that leads and guides each and every day”

Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (NKJV)

“May the refection of Your light, that is in your people shine so brightly, magnify and glorify You, that the flesh will get no glory”

Hebrews 1-3 “ God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, ² has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; ³ who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴ having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.”  (NKJV)

“Lord Jesus, let the light that shines in us, be the express image of You and Your light that shines with brightness in darkness”  

Psalm 27:1 “ The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?” (NKJV)

“Because of your light that shines so bright O God, we will have no fear of darkness”

Isaiah 2:5 “O house of Jacob, come and let us walk In the light of the Lord.” (NKJV)

“We walk by faith in your light O God”

Isaiah 60:20 “Your sun shall no longer go down, Nor shall your moon withdraw itself; For the Lord will be your everlasting light, And the days of your mourning shall be ended. (NKJV)

It is impossible for darkness and light to occupy the same space at the same time. A room will remain completely dark until a light is turned on. The brighter the light, the less darkness there will be. There can be no darkness in the presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, His light is everlasting.

“Lord Jesus, thank you for being the light in our lives that leads and guides, You are the light of the world!” Amen

Continuing in His service…Rev

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Leviticus 26:1-2 “You shall not make idols for yourselves; neither a carved image nor a sacred pillar shall you rear up for yourselves; nor shall you set up an engraved stone in your land, to bow down to it; for I am the Lord your God.” (KJV)

Exodus 20:4-5 “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.⁵ Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;”  (KJV)

Several scriptures in the bible warn against worshiping idols and practicing idolatry. God is not mocked ( Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap) Galatians 6:7 (KJV) so he sees everything that is done.

When a person takes an image or an object and begins to admire, give reverence to, or give extreme devotion or to it, those things have become idols. When someone worships a physical object as a god, that person is committing idolatry.

We worship the creator and not the creation. God is the one true and living God, and there is none other like Him. He is Omnipresent (He is everywhere), Omnipotent (He is all powerful) and Omniscient (He is all knowing).     

Isaiah 40:18 “To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him?”

God is the beginning and the end.

Isaiah 44:6 “Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: ‘I am the first and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me.”

God is merciful and gracious and will forewarn His people of danger that may lie ahead.

Deuteronomy 12:29-32“When the Lord your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, ³⁰ take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ ³¹ You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every ^[a]abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.³² “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.” (NKJV)

“Aba Father, You art in heaven, Hallowed is Your Name and only You should be worshiped. You have a kingdom, and Your will is being done here on earth and in heaven. This is another day that You have made and I pray that people all over the world will take every opportunity that is made available to them not only for today, but each and every day that you allow them to see, to worship only You. I thank You for being the great I AM and the creator that you are, and bless your Holy Name. In Jesus name, Amen!

Continuing in His service Rev…