John 15:7

Our Friday devotion comes to us from Council Member, Kim Caldwell:

John 15:7 --- If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

Do you ever find yourself wondering whether you are truly loved by anyone………even God ??

Does God say to cast all your cares on Him ??

The word of God is God-breathed (just think about that for a second)

2 Timothy 3:16 says: All scripture is inspired (God breathed) by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

When God speaks on any given issue, what He speaks is truth. What He commands is to be obeyed. God has spoken and it stands. We are to believe and obey.

Being a Christian is more than merely believing promises and obeying commands. Christianity isn’t a religion, it is a relationship and a relationship requires a high commitment to communication. That is why it is so important to daily spend time in Gods word THE BIBLE……..and pray COMMUNICATE. Think about the daily demands in our lives, the decisions we make, the wisdom we need, the resources we require, the relationships that need so much tending…….we need strength, wisdom and love of the Lord in our lives so desperately.

In my own life lately I have been learning what it is like to fully lay on God……..in the past I have prayed, read the bible and felt I did my good deed for the day……..but that is not what God is asking…….he says to pray without ceasing…….that means all day long I better be in communication with Him. He says to be in His word (that means to read it and claim it) God loves us so much and all you need to do is open His word, sit back and take a deep breath and let God be God. He is good all the time.

Please start taking the time everyday to make God first in your life – when you wake up……..thank God for letting you wake up and then talk to him all day and then before you close your eyes……..thank Him again for being with you that day. Pray without ceasing my friends.

In Gods hands………Kim Caldwell

“Who Touched Me?”

Luke 8:40-48: “Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. Then a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus' feet, pleading with him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. "Who touched me?" Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you." But Jesus said, "Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me." Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at His feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched Him and how she had been instantly healed. Then He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace."

Consider what her life had been like up until that moment: The twelve-year span of uncleanness that this woman experienced meant that she must have lived with so many unanswered questions about herself: "I am at the end of my resources, now what am I supposed to do? Where is God, and why doesn't He answer my prayers? Why doesn’t He heal me? Am I unworthy, have I done something to deserve this? I am forced away from God’s presence, forbidden to go into the temple for a time to worship with my family and fellow believers, I cannot participate in the annual festivals, the sacrifices, how can my sins be forgiven if I am not allowed go to the temple with my offerings?" and she must have also worried for her future… “What will my life be like next week or the week after if I continue at this rate, will I even survive until next week?” We do not know her age, but if she had been young, this ailment would have also meant she was without the ability to have children, yet another social stigma to bear. Her heart and soul must have been broken in so many ways.

The background for this story is from the Old Testament, Leviticus 15:25: "When a woman has a discharge of blood for many days at a time other than her monthly period or has a discharge that continues beyond her period, she will be unclean as long as she has the discharge, just as in the days of her period." This was the condition of the woman before us. We will discover that she had lived for twelve years with a menstrual flow that could not be ended. The “modern medical techniques” she would have been subjected to by both doctors and folk medics of her day would probably have made things worse! I discovered some historical information regarding Jewish customs of the day, by Alfred Edersheim, an orthodox Jew who became a Christian. He gives an example of one of the eleven “medical directives” that this woman would have been offered as a cure: "...The ashes of an Ostrich-Egg, must be carried in the summer in a linen, in winter in a cotton rag; or barley-corn found in the dung of a white she-ass, ..." How this could have possibly stopped her condition is beyond me, and yet I would imagine that she would be willing to try anything just to have any type of relief!

Now that you understand a little more of our woman, place yourself next to her on that crowded street where the people were pressing in all around Jesus and the disciples. Look at how Peter responds when Jesus senses someone has touched Him… it almost seems that Peter was being sarcastic here with the Lord, as if to say, “oh come on now, Jesus…. You can’t be serious with that question… There are hundreds of people touching You… how ridiculous for you to ask about just one!” (consider too that she probably heard his caustic remark and only felt more humiliation after realizing she had been discovered breaking the Law in touching the Master). This is not how God wants us to see others who pass us by every day. We need to learn to think and feel as the Lord does. We can learn to expect that there are people everywhere who want Him more than they are able to articulate, who are reaching out on some level for the life-restoring power of God. They don't know how to ask for help. They may not know what to say, what to do, or where to go, but they desperately want God to love them and they want the freedom to love him back. We can learn to see what's going on in people's hearts and lives. We should be more tender, more caring, more expectant, more compassionate. More Christ-like… CHRISTian.

It is also significant to remember that Jesus had stopped his urgent errand to heal the daughter of Jarius. There was a little girl dying and her father was an important man in that city urging him, "Come quickly!" But the Lord knew that somebody else needed Him in that moment. He felt power go out from Himself, and He knew that this appeal for help was more important than everything else at that moment. Jesus heard the crowds, but He felt and heard the desperate plea of a heart wounded and slipping away into hopelessness. Every honest cry for help receives God's full attention. You remember the story of the one hundred sheep (Matthew 18:12; Luke 15:4). The shepherd left behind ninety-nine sheep that weren't lost so that he could find the one that needed him. Each one of us is the object of his searching love.

So I ask you today:

Do you relate to the woman? Are you someone who has been wanting to reach for the Master, but unsure if He will turn you away? Then be assured that He already sees you, and knows what is needed to revive you and bring healing to your heart and soul. He sees that tiny mustard seed of faith as you reach for Him, and He is eager to turn and SEE you and hold you and love you for eternity.

Do you relate to Peter? Are you frustrated with others instead of feeling the compassion of our Lord? It is time for you to repent of such a hard heart and ask the Lord to show you the world from HIS viewpoint.

Or, are you Jarius, expecting Jesus to work on your need, and then seeing other needs being met before yours? Do not worry, simply understand that God is in control, and His timing is perfect…. And He is more than able to meet your needs and the needs of others, just as Jesus healed both the woman and brought the daughter of Jarius’ back to life.

Is Jesus asking “Who Touched Me?” because you are reaching for Him? I know I am, and I know He is turning and holding me close to His heart, and that He will never let me go. This is the place I find rest when the road behind and before me seems so very long in my life. And I hear Him ever so gently say to me, “Go in Peace.”

Shalom, sister Lahoma

Psalm 117

Psalm 117:1-2 "Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol Him all you peoples. For great is His love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord."

This Psalm is the shortest chapter in the Bible. Not only that, it is also the middle chapter. The author is anonymous as with all the Hallelujah Psalms, but Paul the Apostle quotes from the first verse in Romans 15:11 to show that God's salvation is for all people. The chapter begins and ends with the same three words.... Praise the Lord. The answer as to why are the 23 words in between. Two reasons essentially. We praise Him for His great love toward us and for His faithfulness that endures forever. Why is this so important? It is really just about all you need to know.

Once we accept His love and discover that His love is eternal, we have all the information we need in order to trust Him, know Him, believe in Him, follow Him, worship Him and serve Him. I can make my decision to be a Christian solely on my understanding that He loves me and is faithful forever in that love. The fact that He paid the price for my sin and restores my broken relationship with God is a direct result of His faithful love. Of course He paid the price, He loves us. Of course He offers us salvation, because His amazing love lasts forever and He is faithful.

I think in addition to this shortest chapter of the Bible it is good to remember the shortest verse....."Jesus wept." When I consider that Jesus loves me to this degree forever, I am completely won over to Him. How can we possibly deny total commitment to Him knowing that He loves us, wept over us, made an eternal commitment to us and is faithful to that promise. The sincerity of Christ is irrefutable. He truly cares and has done everything possible to make a relationship with us. We must respond.

So today, respond to Him. Respond to His love, His compassion, His heartfelt commitment to us. Respond to His salvation and to His plan and faithfulness. Surrender to His love. Receive from Him today all that He has for you. I know that I have not experienced all that God has for me. I know that I have so much more to understand and to be in Him. We must make Him the most important thing. After all He did for us, how else could we respond? Start with a few hearty "Praise the Lords" and end with a few Praise the Lords too and then, in between, celebrate all that He has done for us. Jesus our Savior who is loving and faithful, who wept for us and cares enough to give His very own life so that we could live forever. Worth responding to, I think. What do you think?

In Him, Pastor Fred

How to Repay God

Psalm 116:12-14 "How can I repay the Lord for all His goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people."

The anonymous writer of this Psalm loves the Lord because he knows the Lord heard his cry for mercy. God turned His ear to him and delivered him from his anguish and he is eternally grateful. Near death, troubled and sorrowful the man was struggling and called on the Name of the Lord. God responded with grace and compassion. God saved him from a pit of despair wiping his tears and giving him rest from his affliction and near destruction. Wow.

I know this in my life more than once. I understand how this feels and what this does for one's relationship with the Lord. I hope you know God's grace on this level. When we totally surrender to Him and He responds we have a new appreciation for His love and grace. Our response only then to Him is total commitment. I first realized this at the point of my salvation. I received His forgiveness, received His saving grace, then totally committed to Him in response.

I have also known this a number of times in my walk with Him over the years; in times of utter despair, attack from the enemy, betrayal, sickness and anxiety. When it happens, I am overwhelmed by the joy of my salvation. I say it again now, it was Him and Him alone, who rescued me, healed me, encouraged my spirit, restored me and reconciled me.

But my response goes deeper than that. I must also recommit to Him my vows afresh each time. My vow of faithfulness in marriage, my vow of serving Him in ministry and my vow as a covenant member of Grace Harbor Church. Not only do I do it in my heart and before Him and with Him, I also testify to it publicly. I must tell you today because I am reminded.

This is part of our testimony, the ongoing help of the Lord. the never ceasing intervention and hand of God that never fails and always succeeds. He indeed never leaves us or forsakes us, He is always there and His power and strength help us in times of trouble and despair. He is faithful and in response to that faithfulness I will be faithful to Him. I am ever reminded of His grace towards me and when I am I will draw attention to Him, my Savior and my God. So today I challenge you to answer the question.....How can you repay the Lord for all His goodness to you? I am not waiting for your answer, but maybe you are and better yet maybe He is.....

His, Pastor Fred

A Grace Harbor Blessing

Psalm 115:15 "May you be blessed by the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."

Today I would like to speak a blessing on Grace Harbor. May the Lord bless us, the Maker of heaven and earth. I claim that we have been blessed, are being blessed and will be blessed. I believe that God has plans for us to succeed in His will and to fulfill His vision for us. I know that God is with us and for us and in us and that He is preparing us for more blessings and to serve Him more.

I ask the Lord to bless us and I humbly seek His guidance and His purpose. He brought Grace Harbor into existence. He formed Grace Harbor out of His grace and by His plans. He sustains, protects, under girds and maintains us by His love and design. We are the sheep of His flock and His harbor. It is His grace that is sufficient. We have nothing, are nothing and can do nothing outside of Him. His glory is the sole reason for all that we are and do.

I pray and claim God's blessing over us not only corporately but individually. I pray a blessing on every household, every family, every marriage, every business and every partnership that makes up the extended Grace Harbor ministry. May the Lord bless the enrollment of our schools and the giving of our church. May the Lord bless the Covenant Members of Grace Harbor as they seek to fulfill their commitments to Him. I pray for those who are visiting Grace Harbor Church and who tour Grace Harbor School that they will see God at work here and join us in fulfilling His vision and mission.

May the Maker of heaven and earth bless us in every spiritual and physical way that would glorify Himself. May we be blessed with even more fruit and may our territory and ministry be strengthened and broadened. May we be righteous in our stewardship of His resources because He blesses us. May we be resolved to call upon Him and rely upon Him alone for our needs and our provision. May the Lord God Almighty humble us, call us to repentance, change our ways so that He can bless us more. May we see His hand of power, deliverance and healing as we pray for His help.

May we be glad and broken-hearted, strong and humble, confident yet dependent on Him. I pray for those who are yet to come to Grace Harbor that they will be blessed to consider partnering with us. I pray that our leadership with be blessed and emboldened and that they will inspire our hearts to be hungry for the truth. May He overwhelm us with overflowing blessings to share and to use to glorify Him more. I pray we may we be a place for salvation, restoration and sanctification.

These are my heartfelt prayers this day as I pray a blessing on you now the reader of this devotional. May the Maker of Heaven and earth bless you with every good thing that will inspire you to be all that you are called to be in Him. We are indeed grateful for His blessings and we claim His promises and surrender to His purposes for each and all of us and for His ministry, Grace Harbor.

Prayerfully Yours in Him, Pastor Fred

Walk by Faith

Our Friday devotion comes to us from Council Member, Hank Botts:

Luke 17:14 So when He saw them, He said to them, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.

Good morning! The following is an excerpt from a book about faith, written by Manley Beasley, that was passed along to me recently. I enjoyed reading it, and was moved by the message of obedient expectation, a lesson God has been showing me in my own life lately. I hope you will enjoy reading it as well...

"When the ten lepers came to Jesus and asked for healing, He gave them what might seem to be a strange answer. In Luke 17:14, He told them to go and show themselves to the priests. This was part of the Jewish law for lepers who had been healed, a part of the temple ritual they had to submit to before being permitted to return to normal life. When Jesus spoke those words, however, they had not yet been healed. They obviously believed that Jesus could perform miracles (intellectual faith) or they would not have asked for healing. They certainly wanted to be healed (emotional faith), but the Bible says that they were healed "as they went". They were healed when they acted as though they had been healed (volitional faith). They were healed as they were walking toward the Temple to present themselves to the priests. The lesson here is that only when their will moved them to obedient and believing action, God granted their request."
(end of excerpt)

Now, please don't confuse this with "name it and claim it" theology. I'm not saying that, whatever you want, no matter what it is, you just have to start acting like it's yours, and God will grant it. What I am saying is that, like the lepers, when you make a request to God, and you hear from Him, then when you act in faith, obedient to what God has instructed you to do, He will do exactly as He has promised. Are you expecting something from God? Walk by faith, obedient to His calling, and watch what He will do with your active expression of faithful belief in Him!

Have a blessed weekend in Jesus!

Hank

Practicing the Presence of God

Psalm 114:7-8 "Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turned the rock into a pool, the hard rock into springs of water."

Lots of teachable points in this selection today. Question.... do we actually tremble at the presence of the Lord? We should. The very thought of Him should be able to cause us to shake in our boots. When we lose this sense of awe, maybe we should stop watching so many cinema graphic depictions of the impossible and remember that God doesn't need computers, time-delay, camera angles, mirrors or high-tech production to turn solid into liquid. Someday He will pulverize the whole mess without an academy award to appreciate His creativity.

It shouldn't be the miraculous or supernatural or spiritual that is needed to get us to the point of trembling. Just His presence. Do you ever just recognize the presence of the Lord? It is actually inescapable. We almost have to avoid Him in order not to deal with His presence. Just try getting quiet and removing all the stimuli for a few minutes, sometimes it only takes seconds. I'm serious here. Just be silent enough that there are no distractions. Take all the audio, visual, sensory things away and draw into His presence. What a lovely place.

Please excuse me because as I describe it I am going there. Just into His presence. A place where I am safe, loved, in awe and absolutely overwhelmed with Him. Only Him. Just me and He. It is beautiful. Available all the time. It only takes a little mental effort to remove myself from everything else and recognize His manifestation in my spirit. At first, there are distractions and then interruptions. I keep focusing on Him. Who He is. How much He loves me. Why I love Him. His Truth. Within seconds I am back in His presence, enjoying the peace, basking in the grace He gives me.

There is a song from a musical that comes to mind that keeps returning to my memory lately though it was more than 15 years ago that I first learned it. The song said..... "I just want to be where you are, daily in your presence'. Wow. Works for me. Being in His presence is definitely where I want to be. You see, there are two ways to tremble. You can tremble from awesome fear and respect, and I do... but also I tremble from sheer thrill and excitement. The more you experience the presence of God the more you will sense both kinds of exhilaration. I think for most of us we lack enough spiritual experiences and that is why we can't get there more often or often enough.

If you haven't read it... I really recommend "Practicing the Presence of God" by Brother Lawrence. He truly understood what it meant to have God be the priority of his life. Try to get there more often. That place where it is in His presence, with Him alone.

With His love and power, Pastor Fred

Psalm 113

Psalm 113:1 "Praise the Lord. Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord."

Since this devotional is about one of the Hallelujah Psalms it should come as no surprise that it starts like all the others so far, with the words, Praise the Lord. So much has been written in these devotionals by many contributors over the years about praising the Lord. We should, we do, we need to keep learning why and how. Today, as I write this where I am in my spirit, I was totally mowed over by another couple of words in the first verse. I literally was moved to tears by the two words 'O servant'. There is a good reason why, and I share with you now, hoping that you will not only capture some deeper meaning from this Psalm, but also a piece of my heart.

From the beginning of my walk with God I have been working on being simply this......'a servant of the Lord'. Sounds kinda simple in its own right, doesn't it? Shouldn't we all just want to do that? Isn't that the calling of all believers, to serve the Lord? Of course it is. We all know that the call to believe is also a call to receive and what we receive is the personal desire for discipleship and spiritual maturation that includes, serving Him and 'praising the Lord'. Let me draw the two together for us. When you are truly a servant of the Lord, praising Him is what you must do. Not out of obligation but out of desire. The desire to appreciate the privilege of serving Him, the joy of serving Him, the fulfillment of serving Him. It is like nothing else is important and everything else is included in doing that alone.

Now for a totally personal point. I share this with great vulnerability and humility knowing myself to the degree that I understand many of my own weaknesses. When I die, somebody please say that Pastor Fred was just a servant of the Lord. Not to brag or to bring notice to himself, but because He loved Jesus that much. I can think of no more meaningful definition of my life than that I only wanted and meant to serve Him. That is why my ministry is based on servant leadership and why my goal has been purely to pastor and shepherd His sheep by serving Him.

Needless to say, the serving of the Lord in Grace Harbor has been both a rewarding and challenging experience. I have known both the tremendous satisfaction of seeing God at work in the lives of hundreds of people and also the overwhelming discouragement of lives broken, visions un-actualized and attacks from within and without, seemingly trying to crush His work, this servant-pastor's heart and the viability of this ministry. As challenging as that is and may be, still the reward and tremendous satisfaction comes from 'serving the Lord'. That is the bottom line. Whether it is rewarding or discouraging, cyclical or challenging, up or down or in between, I just plan on continuing to 'serve the Lord' until He tells me differently.

So like the Psalm says...... we serve and praise Him from sun up to sun down. We serve and praise Him because there is no one else like Him. We serve and praise Him because He raises the poor and lifts the needy. We serve and praise Him because He heals the brokenhearted, restores the downtrodden and even heals those who are barren. I praise God for the fruit I see in our ministry. Though there be more challenges ahead I will serve Him and praise Him, because of who He is and because that is who I am. I am a servant of the Lord.

Praise the Lord. Pastor Fred

Psalm 106

Psalm 106: 32-43 "By the waters of Meribah they angered the Lord, and trouble came to Moses because of them; for they rebelled against the Spirit of God, and rash words came from Moses' lips. They did not destroy the peoples as the Lord had commanded them, but they mingled with the nations and adopted their customs. They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood. They defiled themselves by what they did; by their deeds they prostituted themselves."

Hard words to read. When I first read this account of what happened in Exodus it broke my heart. Although we've never been given the task of destroying the godless, we nonetheless have very much prostituted ourselves with the gods of power, fame, convenience, sex and pleasure. All of these things are derivatives of our collective culture and customs that have become more and more a part of the 'American way'. Our roots of Christianity in the founding of our nation have severely eroded and we are already leading the way to the post-Christian era. Am I hopeless? No, but I am dismayed.
How have we let it go so far?

First we must admit that it is as bad as it is. Then we must seek forgiveness for how we have allowed ourselves to be mowed over by secularism, materialism, individualism, relativism and a handful of other isms that should not have been so tolerated by our desire for pluralism. But, such as it is, we now must be a light for right in a fast approaching night like we haven't seen before. So let's start by calling wrong, wrong and by not being completely sucked in by every trend and new thing that comes along.

We should learn from the Word that God will be angry with us and will allow us to be oppressed in order to force us to understand this prostitution was not good for us or our nation. Verse 43 says...."Many times He delivered them, but they were bent on rebellion and they waste away in their sin." I hope it doesn't take that for us to turn the tide and to reclaim God's hand of favor. I am not one to usually ring this bell this loud, but I can't deny that I see the erosion and can measure the slippage.

Hopefully we can stem the tide, hold our ground and pray that our nation will turn from its wicked ways. If His people do that, He will respond. The Bible promises us that. We need healing, deliverance and restoration. Pray for our great country to have a spiritual and moral revival.

With His grace, Pastor Fred

Psalm 105

Psalm 105:1 "Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done."

This is yet another Psalm about what God has done. Our God is a God of action. He does things. Not just talk, not just plans or ideas, He actually gets things done. Big things, little things, and all sizes of things in between. No task too great for Him or matter so small that He isn't attentive to it. But, the actual doing is the key. In sentence structure, nouns are wonderful, they give names to everything so we know what to call them. But without verbs, a sentence goes nowhere. For your inspiration today I will list all the verbs in Psalm 105 that describe God with verbs. Amazing what all He does when you take those words together and see Him in action.

He is
He remembers
He made
He swore
He confirmed
He allowed
He called
He sent
He turned
He spoke
He struck
He spoke
He brought
He spread
He opened
He gave

He did everything necessary to keep His promises and to fulfill His will and additionally to love, provide and guide His people. I want to be in partnership with the only true God who does that. This is not an exhaustive list of all He has, can and will do. Just one Psalm, written by David to remind the people of God's hand in their lives. Towards the end of the Psalm David discloses God's purposes for doing what He does. In verse 45 it says.... "that they might keep His precepts and observe His laws. Praise the Lord." I think a little more obedience is in order. After all, God does do a lot, and since God is such a God of action, maybe I ought to take action in response to Him.

His, Pastor Fred

Dear Grace Harbor Saints

Our Friday devotion comes to us from Council Member, Ray Beeman:

Dear Grace Harbor Saints,

I have been thinking about how precious, inspirational, and TRUE, are the words of God, especially as opposed to so many of the words/works of man. In Isaiah 59:21 the Lord is speaking to Isaiah when He says: “As for Me,” says the Lord, “this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants,” says the Lord, “from this time and forevermore.”

And in the footnotes of my New King James Bible, regarding the Inspiration of God’s Word: The word inspiration is found but once in the New Testament. This singular occurrence is in 2 Tim. 3:16, where Paul says “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God...” literally “God-breathed.” Divine inspiration logically follows divine revelation. In revelation God speaks to man’s ear while by inspiration He guides the pen to ensure that the imparted message is correctly written down.

This analysis goes on to suggest that there are similar processes that can be explained by God’s intentional thoughts, like giving Shakespeare the words, or Handel the notes (the words, of course, being from Scripture). In contrast, Jesus Himself said that the very letters of the words were also chosen by God! (Matt 5:18) And, the Bible authors understood that their writings were being guided by the Spirit of God, even as they wrote them. Peter said that this was true of the Old testament authors (2 Pet. 1:20-21), his own writings (2 Pet. 3:1-2), and Paul’s (2 Pet. 3:15-16).

What’s all this have to do with us, other than that this Divine inspiration is only true of the original Hebrew and Greek manuscripts (since there are obviously many rip-off modern versions)? I say that we should really pay attention to the Word of God! We should study His Word much more than we study the box-scores, the “news” (has anyone realized that most “news” is old, or a planned event? That many of the events of the day, other than obvious acts of God, are simply staged, to confuse us or allow completion of the serious things that are being pulled off - while we’re distracted by the big-game-of-the-day, that epic catastrophe, the latest fad, the news flash about the latest Hollywood divorce/drug death, etc?) By the way, I’m not picking on anyone in particular – I have issues with the box-scores, the cryptogram and the comics...

Bear down, brothers and sisters, and bury your nose in the only writing that has eternal consequences. If you focus on the Word, no matter what version, and seek mentors who have done just that and can help you, you will be so far ahead of the masses that you will be very pleasantly surprised at the discernment and joy that accrue! There is a reason that only 4% of Americas have a true Christian world-view! Let’s be in this minority!

In His love and admonition,
Ray Beeman

Psalm 103

Psalm 103:1 Praise the Lord, O my soul.......

For whatever reason, maybe because of where I am in my life or what has happened recently or what will happen soon I am going to do something with the devotional of this Psalm that I have not done with the previous 102 Psalms that I have written about thus far this year. I am going to ask you to read the whole thing. This encouraging treatise from David on God's great love and what He has done touched me so deeply with encouraging hope that I can't possibly choose a verse or even a few out of here. So please, slowly (and maybe more than once, like I did) read of exactly what God's love for us is like and take in every drop of His overwhelming grace. Let this flood your soul with whatever you need to hear from Him.

Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel: The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.

As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.

But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children- with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.

The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the LORD, O my soul.

Hope you enjoyed as much as I did.

His, pf

Psalm 112

Psalm 112:8 "His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes."

This Psalm is also a Hebrew alphabet acrostic of praises, focusing on the blessings that come to those who fear the Lord and find delight in His commands. Being a Christian really is a blessing. The peace of the redemptive perspective and the righteous lifestyle truly brings much joy. These blessings are passed on to upright children and even when times seem dark dark he can see the light. He promotes goodness and generosity and it returns to him. The blessed follower of the Lord will not be shaken because he trusts in Him who blesses.

Verse 8 is special to me for it speaks of where I am at right now. Indeed my heart is secure and I am not fearful. I fully trust that it all is in the Lord's hands and I am steadfast in Him. I am learning to roll with all kinds of developments without letting them affect my sense of security. Without being naive or foolish, I can look many adversities in the eye, simultaneously and still keep my trust in Him. I must and I do so because of the second part of the verse that is even more encouraging than the first......... "in the end he will look in triumph on his foes." In the end I know everything turns out fine. I know God is in charge and that He is going to work it all out. My foes aren't people; they are my thoughts, my worries and my distractions. My troubles will someday be over so I am secure and I am blessed. My issues, needs and problems are no more difficult or easier than yours, just different.

Within a month of time I usually deal with an assortment of developments, surprises and adversities that sound like most of your prayer lists. Let me give you the "for example" part, so you know I understand. In my life right now.......

...the better car is making a funny sound that isn't a laughing matter.

...we are over the legal occupancy rule in our apartment and must come up with a solution now

...we got a surprise bill in the mail and this is not good timing

...need to get the eyes and ears and teeth and other stuff checked out sometime soon

...parents and grandma are aging rapidly and concerns are increasing

...there are regular reports of people who say the cruelest and most insensitive things about Grace Harbor

...we need some time away together and the windows of possibility are closing in

...children and grandchildren need more and more help and guidance

...the church is in need of financial undergirding as we face shortfalls or we may face more pay cuts

...the school must have new enrollees to avert staff reductions and budget cuts

All of this and more does not mean I am fearful or not blessed or secure or hopeful or encouraged. This just means we trust Him all the more. He sees us through. Whether it is the job or the church or the family or the friends or the world or the whatever it is.... doesn't change the truth. Truth is.... it is all in God's hands, I trust Him completely and am seeking His guidance in everything. Don't be discouraged, He has overcome the world. Keep your eyes on Him. He knows and He cares and has a plan. So we press on. Someday we will look in triumph on our foes in final victory.

Hallelujah!! Pastor Fred

Psalm 111

Psalm 111:1a "Praise the Lord."

This Psalm is an acrostic poem, meaning that each of the lines begin with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Praise the Lord in the Hebrew is literally the word Hallelujah or Hallelu Yah (like in Yahweh) as it would be transliterated. Psalms 111-118 are all anonymous and are as a group called the Hallelujah Psalms because they are so uplifting and optimistic. Good stuff for us in these days of negativity, suspicion and speculation. Seems like lots of things around us are on a downer and eight devotionals in a row of positive, uplifting encouragement probably won't hurt.

Did you know that everything that God does is good? Has to be, because He is good. He can't do wrong or bad. He doesn't fail and He always succeeds at everything. Even His judging is righteous and perfect. This truth about Him is why we can always praise Him. He always deserves it never ceases to appreciate it and is the source of everything praiseworthy. Acrostics are good tools to force us to think of what we already know. Sometimes a system or a style of writing can bring something fresh out of us. Here is my acrostic of the English alphabet of things to praise God for today. I have left out a few letters, you can fill them in, try it, it isn't that hard.

A	Awesome
B	Beautiful	N	Noble
C	__________	O	Omnipotent
D	Dynamic	P	Perfect
E	Everything	Q	Quintessential
F	First	R	Royal
G	Glorious	S	__________
H	__________	T	Tremendous
I	Incredible	U	Undeniable
J	Joyful	V	Victorious
K	Kind	W	__________
L	Loving	X	__________ (extra credit here)
M	Majestic	Y	Yahweh
		Z	Zealous

I hope this brought fresh ideas about God and who He is to you.

Hallelujah!! Pastor Fred

Psalm 110

Psalm 110:1-7 "The Lord says to my Lord: 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.' The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion; you will rule in the midst of your enemies. Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy majesty, from the womb of the dawn you will receive the dew of your youth. The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind: 'You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.' The Lord is at your right hand; He will crush kings on the day of His wrath. He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead and crushing the rulers of the whole earth. He will drink from a brook beside the way; therefore He will lift up His head."

This Psalm contains one of the most exalted prophetic portions of Scripture presenting Jesus Christ as both a holy king and a royal High Priest, something that no human monarch of Israel ever experienced. It, along with Psalm 118 is by far the most quoted Psalm in the New Testament. While portraying the perfect king, the perfect High Priest, and the perfect government Psalm 110 also declares Christ's current role in heaven as the resurrected Savior and His future role on earth as the reigning Monarch.

This Psalm is decidedly messianic and millennial in content. Jesus Christ verifies the Davidic authorship. The exact occasion of this Psalm is unknown but it could easily have been associated with God's declaration of the Davidic Covenant. Christ's humanity descended from David, which is demanded by the Davidic promise in 2 Samuel 7:12. Using this very passage Jesus also declared His deity in the Gospels (Matthew 22:44, Mark 12:36, Luke 20:42-43) by arguing that only God could have been lord to King David.

So much for our theology lesson for the day. What does this mean to us? These types of correlations substantiate the unity of the Old and New Testaments and become a bridge linking the promises of God to Christ's fulfilling of them. This is significant because even under careful analysis scrutiny we can see irrefutable evidence of who Jesus is illustrated numerous times in the Old Testament and verified in the New Testament. This type of seamless and obvious association becomes proof text in the study of the whole of Scripture for verifying that Christ is the Messiah, period. This understanding then becomes faith-building and inspiration for the case for the authenticity of our beliefs and doctrine.

That being said, let me close with this thought. Study for yourself. Search the Word of God and delve deeper into the doctrinal passages and make them part of your arsenal of defenses for your faith. It is Ok to study those who study and it is Ok for us to believe because we trust those who have studied and know these truths and share them with us but, only to a degree. Nothing is better than digging for gold yourself and finding it yourself and holding it in your own hand because you worked for it yourself. These biblical epiphanies are rich and can lead you to a more valued relationship with Him.

I hope you make this kind of study a part of your faith development and part the substance of your beliefs. As the Scripture and the old hymn of our faith says..."I know whom I have believed and are persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day."

My salvation and relationship with the Lord is not based on feelings, it is based on facts and better yet, irrefutable and provable truth from His Word, Pastor Fred

Confident Faith in an AWESOME GOD

Our Friday Devotion comes to us from Council Member, Lahoma Ballester:

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

A common theme throughout God’s Word is the concept of “Faith”. What is faith? We all know that Hebrews 11:1 gives a great definition: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the EVIDENCE of things not seen.” Simply read the rest of Hebrews 11 to find an itemized listing of many of God’s people who were commended for their faith. In our passage today, Paul encourages us to maintain an eternal perspective on events in this world. By focusing on eternity rather than on temporal gains or losses, we become willing to step out and take risks, for our confidence is in God. One of my favorite verses comes later in this book: ”For we walk by faith, not by sight" (II Cor. 5:7) Does it sometimes feel like you are walking in the dark? Is it hard to see how God will resolve an impossible situation that you are facing right now? Is it your finances? Your marriage? Your wayward child? Your health? Your ministry? Your job (or lack of one)? Are you facing uncertainty? Are you drowning in the waves of this world’s hopelessness? It is so unnatural for us to humanly walk without looking where we are going, yet that is precisely what Paul says we Christians must do spiritually when we face uncertainty, when our human understanding fails us, and we feel as if we are in the dark. We MUST stand up and WALK by FAITH!

I am not talking about "blind faith" here. There is blindness when it comes to physical sight, but let me assure you beloved brothers and sisters… our faith is not "ignorant" faith. We have the Bible which teaches us about the dependability of God, we have our own previous experiences as well as the testimony of others - these all help us live by "informed faith". Allow God’s Word to be a Lamp unto your feet and a Light unto your path (Psalm 119:115), He has provided a roadmap and it is up to us to read and follow it’s guidance in ALL situations, especially when we are at a loss for direction. Your faith must be based on your understanding of Who our God is, and that you can be confident when you trust Him with all aspects of your life, your circumstances and your future. Francis Schaeffer, in his book "The God Who Is There," imagines a situation where a man is caught in a storm on the side of a mountain in the Swiss Alps. The swirling snow makes it impossible for him to see more than a few inches. The man, squatting on a narrow ledge, hears a voice urging him to leap off the ledge to a safe path below which will take him back to the village below. If an unknown voice is heard, the man will probably not want to take the risk of jumping into the unknown abyss. But when the voice identifies itself as belonging to a well known, experienced mountain guide, the man is willing to leap, and ultimately finds his way to safety. The point of the story is this, we can trust in the "Voice", because we know from the reports of others, as well as from our own past experience, that He is trustworthy, and we can rely on Him to lead us out of this blinding storm.

When you really tap into the power of having faith in an Almighty, All-knowing, Everywhere-at-the-same-time GOD, how could you ever doubt He was in control of every situation you face? When we cry out to Him, and stand on the promises of His Word, God moves on your behalf, He has already gone before you to make a way where it seems to be no way. Just because you can’t see it yet does not mean it has not been taken care of by our Heavenly Father Who passionately loves you and promises to do what’s ultimately best for you in all situations. His eye is on the sparrow… and I know He watches me” is a line from a famous hymn, but it is precious to consider that idea when I hear the birds singing in the morning… He sees the tiniest details of our lives, nothing escapes His view, nothing surprises Him, His Hands hold us close to His heart, He longs to draw us into an intimately quiet place with Him when the storms of life crash all around us. He speaks to the waves and says “Be still”. He longs to quiet your heart as you wait on Him. Release your anxieties into His loving care. Rest in Him. IN HIM. Nothing else. When the people of Israel seemed to be trapped at the edge of the Red Sea, Moses called out to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." (Exodus 14:13, 14) Can you imagine the faith, the boldness, they needed in order to stand still at such a time? WOW. Moses reminded the people to ONLY BE STILL. How often we allow ourselves to get agitated, fearful, frustrated, angry, confused… when God simply wants us to BE STILL AND KNOW that He Is God! (Psalm 46:10) This makes me get excited, because we get to simply stand still and SEE God move.

Be courageous in your faith. Set your face towards the impossible and believe God is doing the impossible. Trust God for the big things, and you will see Him do the big things. Think about it: If you could solve the problem, then where would the need be for God to Divinely intervene? I believe that it is faith that enables boldness. And God is moved when His people live by faith, and trust Him, and wait on Him to move on their behalf. He can move mountains with simply the faith of a tiny mustard seed, how much more can our God do when we stand in faith and BELIEVE He has already answered our prayers!!! Here is a current example: Our beloved Grace Harbor Church and School are struggling right now under the financial crisis that is hitting our nation. We are trusting in GOD to find a way, to provide for the needs of our little Lighthouse to the communities of Orange County. We may not see it at this moment, but we are standing on God’s Promises, and we are seeking His face and crying out to Him. As the Lord leads you, I would encourage you to join us in prayer and standing with us in confident faith that He Who has begun a good work at Grace Harbor, is FAITHFUL to complete it. The ministries that touch so many lives, that always open their doors and love on people unconditionally, who provide food ministries, and children ministries, and youth ministries and prayer ministries, and counseling, and a safe haven for babies and preschoolers and elementary school children to freely learn about the world from a Biblical perspective…. all of these ministries are under attack by our adversary who would love to see it not continue. But God’s Word says in Philippians 1:3-6: “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 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.” This is my prayer for Grace Harbor. I am standing with confident undoubting and steadfast FAITH that our God will intervene and move on our behalf.

Be strong, my beloved. Trust God to be TRUE to His Word. Is anything too hard for our God? I say NO!

Remember: Our God is an AWESOME God, He reigns from heaven above, with mercy… power… and love… have confidence in our AWESOME GOD!

Shalom, sister Lahoma

p.s.: for those interested, we are having a special time of prayer and intercession at Grace Harbor Church on Wednesday night, July 14th, from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. All those who share a deep burden for the continuation of God’s Work in this place are encouraged to attend.

Psalm 109

Psalm 109:21 "But you, O Sovereign Lord, deal well with me for your name's sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me."

David is one of those rare individuals who has a close enough relationship with God that he is able to let God know exactly how he feels about his enemies and about what he'd like God to do to them. I must admit that I struggle some with letting my hair down as much as David does and telling God in no uncertain terms the feelings I have about the trouble I've had with divisive or destructive people or those bent on ruining God's work. I am not usually inclined to call upon God to deal with anyone with any other response except for mercy.

Perhaps those suppressed feelings are really best laid upon God rather than letting them ever ferment inside of us or trying so overly hard to be sensitive to wrongdoers. I do have a tendency to avoid conflict to a fault and sometimes need to lead with principles that are not overshadowed by my sensitivity to troublemakers. Maybe I have a lesson to learn about venting to God. Maybe calling on God to judge keeps us from judging or from letting God deal with whomever.

Then, after 20 verses of ranting and raging before God, David in verse 21 asks God to deal with Him out of love as His Sovereign God, and to treat Him well and deliver Him. I presume deliver him from his enemies and not from his harsh retributive feelings. Maybe the key to this difficult passage is that David is dealing with the godless, who frankly are easier to deal with in many regards than the spiritually weak or backslidden.

I know many of us get frustrated about those who struggle repeatedly so much and seem to be mired down in abject rebellion (and with the godless too for that matter). Maybe no matter who or what it is we should always share our harshest feelings with God. David 's feelings just happen to be published for all to read. We know his whole story and that he honestly, as a man after God's own heart, struggled within himself with a number of weaknesses. Such being the case, he feels he can just honestly vent to God and ask for His own blessings at the same time too. God knows his heart, as well as He knows mine and yours.

I will end today with David's words that close this Psalm in verses 30-31. "With my mouth I will greatly extol the Lord; in the great throng I will praise Him, for He stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save his life from those who condemn him."

Lay it all on God, He understands and will do the right thing always, in every respect.

With love, Pastor Fred

Psalm 104

Psalm 104:31-32 "May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in His works---- He who looks at the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke.

Many devotionals have been written about nature and things created glorifying the Lord. Indeed all of the 35 verses of this Psalm are dedicated to extolling His creating and maintaining of the cosmos. That very ability by definition is a bit overwhelming and when we are not mesmerized with manmade stuff we can step back and appreciate the grander scope of the true designer, first mover and originator of all the stuff that stuff is made from. So what could I say here that might give you a fresh perspective on this subject, since so much has been well said?

How about this? Let me suggest that human beings cannot fully appreciate the phenomenal beauty of the creation unless they know the Creator. Not just know of Him, but actually know Him. In the two verses I plucked out of this Psalm the anonymous writer draws two very recognizable illustrations, earthquakes and volcanoes. If you read just a little between the lines of these words you can see the reference to God's power that makes awesome things happen.

Earthquakes and volcanoes are fascinating to us because we absolutely don't control them and we are in utter awe of their power and potential destructiveness. Sometimes insurance policies actually refer to these as 'acts of God'. A careful note to make here is that God can certainly make things happen with just a touch or a look, but that doesn't mean that He makes or directs every earthquake or volcano eruption happen as an act of His perfect will. Remember, His will is also acted out preventively and permissively. If you know Him personally then you know that He is in control of the whole universe and all that happens in it.

When we know the Creator then we need not fear His creation. Respect it, yes, respond to its awesomeness, absolutely. If I did not know the Lord, I could fear that all of a sudden the earth would go spinning off its axis or that 'manmade global warming' had already doomed the earth, or that an asteroid or meteor could strike the earth with a fatal blow or that some pandemic infectious virus would kill us with just a few gusts of wind and a few breaths.

Granted, man is not a very good steward of God's resources, but man's self-destructive capability is completely trumped by God's omnipotence. Just think, if it is His will, could He stop anything from happening? Of course He could. So nature should just draw us closer to God, not away from Him. Appreciation of the creation should compel us to trust God more, not less. If God can do whatever with a touch, a look or a word, He can stop whatever with the same or even a just a thought. I'm so glad He has a plan and I am a part of it.

Nature illustrates God, enjoy His majesty and power on display for us to see, just so we will glorify Him.

Glory to God!!!!! Pastor Fred

Psalm 102

Psalm 102:18 "Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the Lord."

What forward-thinking, compassionate and visionary words for this Psalmist to write in the midst of his lamenting about the plight of his own life. Can you be a blessing in the midst of your trouble? Or, when you have hard times do you get totally self-consumed with your issues to the extent that you can only think about yourself? Troubles will come and go, but we should always be able to dig down deep and at least pass on the basic promise of God to future generations.

The writer of Psalm 102 is in distress and pours out his heart before the Lord. He feels like he is abandoned, alone and ready to die, yet he still recognizes that God is on the throne and that he can press on with faith and hope for a better day. He trusts God beyond his own perception of His current dilemma. He, like we, should believe that God is eternal and that He cares for us when we are in turmoil. This time will pass and a future time will come.

'All' is never lost. For God remains on His throne and He hears our cries. This is a tremendous comfort for me in hard times when it seems like one thing after another comes and we begin to worry if we can take much more. He will always give us enough strength to deal with whatever circumstances we face. God has always been who He is. He is a constant source of help and hope for us and all generations to come.

You see, nations and kings and powers and history will pass, but His promises are sure.

He indeed will never leave or forsake us. The writer finishes with this statement...... "The children of your servants will live in your presence; their descendants will be established before you."

I am sometimes amused by comments that people make about what might be happening 25 or 30 or 40 or more years from now. I sometimes say that I'm not much worried about it, because I know, by then I will be with Him. But in my deepest heart I always try to say that I hope that however many years from now that people will be seeking the Lord, putting Him first and passing the basic promises of God to yet future generations. The bigger picture of God's grand plan is always more important than the everyday single dimension snapshots of our lives. Pass that on.

Onward and upward, Pastor Fred

CELEBRATE FREEDOM IN CHRIST

Our Friday Devotion comes to us from Council Member, John Adams:

On this Fourth of July weekend, it is important to remember that it is only in and through Christ that we have real freedom.

Our founding fathers expressly recognized this in their Declaration that created this country:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident [obvious] that all men [women] are created [not evolved] equal and endowed by their Creator [capital "C" and not random chance] with certain inalienable rights, that among these being life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

In our Lord's very first public pronouncement of His ministry and divine purpose, Jesus read from the prophet Isaiah:

"The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach Good News to the poor.  He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners [i.e., all of us as prisoners of sin and death] and recovery of sight for the blind [i.e., all of us who are blinded to the Truth of God] and to release the oppressed [again, all of us who are crushed by our sins], to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Luke 4:18-19.

The Bible promises us that we will "...know the Truth [Christ] and the Truth [Jesus] will set us free" and that he who Jesus sets free, "is free indeed" [i.e., really, actually and unconditionally free].

It is no coincidence that two of the most fundamental rights guaranteed to Americans by the founding fathers were (1) the right of "freedom of speech" and (2) the right of the freedom of religion [i.e., to hold and express our faith].

Do not be deceived, the day that we can no longer freely proclaim our faith and belief in Christ and preach openly this "Good News" publicly - is the day this country will cease being free; and will most likely "...perish from the face of the earth" [Lincoln's Gettysburg Address].

So while we celebrate the Fourth of July, remember to praise and thank the One Who is the True freedom giver, the One Who is able to set you "free", regardless of what may be robbing you of your freedom and joy this day.

Have a blessed 4th and pray that God continues to bless (and forgive) our nation. [2 Chronicles 7:14].

John Adams

Psalm 101

Psalm 101:1-2a "I will sing of your love and justice; to you, O Lord I will sing praise. I will be careful to lead a blameless life---"

Sometimes we must not only make choices, but we must draw boundaries in our lives. In this Psalm David speaks of what he will and will not do. For simplification, I have made a short list for us of the things that David says he will and will not do. This is important because we too often don't have boundaries or limits and this makes it even harder to lead a blameless life. Though we cannot be perfect, we must make a much better effort at being blameless. Think about the difference. Use David's list to see if it would help you make a better effort.

David's wills and will not’s........

I will not look at vile things
I will not be around perverse people
I will hate the deeds of the faithless
I will not have anything to do with evil
I will not endure the proud or haughty
I will not have deceivers in my house
I will not stand with liars
I will sing of His love
I will sing of His justice
I will sing praise
I will walk in my house with a blameless heart
I will keep my eyes on the faithful
I will be ministered to by the blameless
I will silence the wicked
I will cut off evildoers

Quite a list. Not easy. We live in a broken, sinful and rebellious world. Being spiritually oriented is a fight. Almost everything around us is against what we believe. We must resist evil and cling to what is good. He is good. Seek Him today with your whole heart. David was by no means a perfect man but he was a man after God's own heart because he fought the good fight and made an effort to lead a blameless life. Start with being honest with yourself, then seek God's face and He will work with you.

May His grace be sufficient for you today. His, Pastor Fred