Do the work - June 17, 2014

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 25-29

9 “And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. 10 So take this seriously. The Lord has chosen you to build a Temple as his sanctuary. Be strong, and do the work.”
20 Then David continued, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. He will see to it that all the work related to the Temple of the Lord is finished correctly. 21 The various divisions of priests and Levites will serve in the Temple of God. Others with skills of every kind will volunteer, and the officials and the entire nation are at your command.” 

-1 Chronicles 28

18 “O Lord, the God of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, make your people always want to obey you. See to it that their love for you never changes. 19 Give my son Solomon the wholehearted desire to obey all your commands, laws, and decrees, and to do everything necessary to build this Temple, for which I have made these preparations.” - 1 Chronicles 29
Message:
Be strong and courageous and do the work.

Observation:
God has called us for a specific purpose. Many times it is laid before us by the family that GOD has given us, other times, GOD calls us out of our families like David was called from being a shepherd to be a king. Whatever that GOD has called us to do, we ought to remind ourselves and be faithful to do it.

Application:

Be faithful to the calling of GOD in your life. Many times we forget, we get busy with the mundane things instead of what we were called to be, remember GOD's purpose and plan for your life and do it with all your heart for there is nothing more satisfying and fulfilling than being able to do what GOD has created you to do.

Bring to Remembrance - April 17, 2014

Scripture: Joshua 11-15
10 “Now, as you can see, the Lord has kept me alive and well as he promised for all these forty-five years since Moses made this promise—even while Israel wandered in the wilderness. Today I am eighty-five years old. 11 I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then. 12 So give me the hill country that the Lordpromised me. You will remember that as scouts we found the descendants of Anak living there in great, walled towns. But if the Lord is with me, I will drive them out of the land, just as the Lordsaid.”
13 So Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave Hebron to him as his portion of land.14 Hebron still belongs to the descendants of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite because he wholeheartedly followed the Lord, the God of Israel. 15 (Previously Hebron had been called Kiriath-arba. It had been named after Arba, a great hero of the descendants of Anak.)

Message:

Remember the Promise of GOD and ask this of Him.

Observation/Promise:

The LORD has given us many promises in His word. But it's up to us if we truly take it into our hearts and treasure them until it is fulfilled, or just forget them in time. When we understand what is ours from GOD, then we will not be afraid to fight the battles assigned for us. We will even ask this of GOD, because every promise comes with a battle, but the promise is always an assurance of the victory, we will always win. GOD will not promise us something that will make us lose, when it is GOD's will and we have received His very word, we will always win.

Application/Command:

We have to be like Caleb, remembering the promises of GOD and treasuring it in our hearts until we have to remind GOD again and even our leaders of His Promise and allow us to fight the battles that are supposed to be ours because it's result is the promise that GOD has given us in the first place.

Memorial - April 7, 2014

Scripture: Exodus 13-16
3 So Moses said to the people, “This is a day to remember forever—the day you left Egypt, the place of your slavery. Today the Lord has brought you out by the power of his mighty hand. (Remember, eat no food containing yeast.) 4 On this day in early spring, in the month of Abib, you have been set free. 5 You must celebrate this event in this month each year after the Lordbrings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites. (He swore to your ancestors that he would give you this land—a land flowing with milk and honey.)6 For seven days the bread you eat must be made without yeast. Then on the seventh day, celebrate a feast to the Lord. 7 Eat bread without yeast during those seven days. In fact, there must be no yeast bread or any yeast at all found within the borders of your land during this time. - Exodus 13

13 But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. 14 The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” - Exodus 14
Message:
A milestone is a day to remember forever the day of GOD's breakthrough and miracle in our lives. As He has promised, He will fulfill more than what we asked.

Obeservation/Promise:
When GOD hears, He will surely act on the prayers of your heart. Like when the LORD answered  the cries of the Israelites when they were oppressed by the Egyptians, the Lord not only sent Moses, but He had already prepared every miracle that was about to take place in the eyes of His people and the Egyptians. HE is GOD and there is no Other, He wants to make that clear to everyone, He wants to make Himself known to people. He wants us to remember what HE did because humans easily forget and take for granted everything that GOD has done for them. We have to do our part by reminding ourselves through these feasts that GOD has done a great thing in the past and HE will surely do greater things in the present and in our future. HE has always been involved, orchestrating everything in our lives, according to His plan and purpose. 

Application/Command:
We need to stick close to GOD. We have to draw nearer to Him and understand His will on earth and understand what GOD wants us to do in relation to His plan and purpose. We need to act with GOD, He has a role for us to play. We have to work with GOD and be one in mind, heart and Spirit with Him. 
When He answers the prayers of our hearts, we ought to always remember it, we ought to make a memorial out of it so that we never forget that it is GOD who brought us this far. That is why we have to remember the feast days of GOD appointed by Him. We have to celebrate it so that we will always be reminded that HE is a great GOD and HE is present in our lives. Remembering the days of GOD will enable us to be strong and courageous, to not be shaken by troubles, the next time new trials will come our way. It will teach us to trust and rely on the great One who has made all things possible.

The Wonderful Ways of GOD - March 3, 2014

Scripture: Deuteronomy 23-25
3 No Ammonites or Moabites, or any of their descendants for ten generations, can become part of Israel, the Lord’s people. 4 This is because when you came out of Egypt, they refused to provide you with food and water. And besides, they hired Balaam[b] to put a curse on you. 5 But the Lord your God loves you, so he refused to listen to Balaam and turned Balaam’s curse into a blessing. 6 Don’t even think of signing a peace treaty with Moab or Ammon.
7 But Edomites are your relatives, and you lived as foreigners in the country of Egypt. Now you must be kind to Edomites and Egyptians 8 and let their great-grandchildren become part of Israel, the Lord’s people. - Deuteronomy 23
17 Make sure that orphans and foreigners are treated fairly. And if you lend money to a widow and want to keep something of hers to guarantee that she will pay you back, don’t take any of her clothes.
19 If you forget to bring in a stack of harvested grain, don’t go back in the field to get it. Leave it for the poor, including foreigners, orphans, and widows, and the Lord will make you successful in everything you do. - Deuteronomy -24

Message: 

The wonderful ways of GOD is just and merciful at the same time. He remembers the acts of other Nations towards His chosen people and commands His people what to do with these Nations according to His judgement. GOD is merciful to the poor and needy, HE makes sure that they are taken cared of.

Observation/Promise:

GOD is just in all His ways. He is all knowing and perfect. He knows how to take care of His people and He instructs them how to deal with their enemies and friends. When you are a child of GOD, you will never be left unaware of certain situations and not knowing what to do if you continually heed the voice of GOD everyday in your life because He always has something to tell you and His instructions for you are not just for your good, it's for the best for you and for everyone affecting you! GOD is such a merciful GOD, compassionate to the poor and needy. He instructs His people to look after them in many simple ways. When harvesting leave a little behind for the poor. GOD is teaching us to be givers so that we do not become greedy and seek gain only for ourselves. If we obey the LORD, He will surely make us successful in everything that we do.

Application/Command:

Do not let your enemies become part of you. There are certain people that GOD is willing to forgive easily like the Edomites and the Egyptians. He is willing to let them be part of His people. But there are certain people whose hearts are calloused and defiled, these are the Ammonites and Moabites. So hard are the hearts of these people, He has instructed Israel never to have to do anything with them at all. Know who these people are in your life and be sure to follow GOD's instructions according to HIS commands for this will surely keep you safe and at peace. 

Treat the orphans and widows fairly. Be kind to them. Leave something of your harvests or income to the poor. GOD has not only commanded us to give our tithe to the LORD but HE has also commanded us to leave something for the poor. Teaching us to be kind and compassionate just as HE is. 

The Best for Us

14 “And in the future, your children will ask you, ‘What does all this mean?’ Then you will tell them, ‘With the power of his mighty hand, the Lord brought us out of Egypt, the place of our slavery. 15 Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, so the Lord killed all the firstborn males throughout the land of Egypt, both people and animals. That is why I now sacrifice all the firstborn males to the Lord—except that the firstborn sons are always bought back.’ 16 This ceremony will be like a mark branded on your hand or your forehead. It is a reminder that the power of the Lord’s mighty hand brought us out of Egypt.” 17 When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” 18 So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea.[c] Thus the Israelites left Egypt like an army ready for battle.[d]

- Exodus 13

Why does GOD want us to do many rituals and things? Why all the festivals with all their meanings? What's all this that the Old Testament has commanded the People of GOD to follow throughout the seasons of the year? GOD wants His people to be reminded of what HE did for them so that they won't ever forget? Are humans that forgetful? As a matter of face yes we are forgetful of so many things, especially the good things that GOD has blessed us with. We are bound to focus more on the negative aspects of life, the stress, the hardships that we went through. But these milestones that GOD declared for His people to do are to remind us that when we are in difficult times again, HE will always be there to carry us through.

GOD's love is just amazing, He understands the frailty of humanity and provides everything we need just to overcome. In verse 17, it says that when the Israelites were finally free to go, GOD lead them to a longer route towards the promised land because He knows that if they are met with a battle they will not have the strength to overcome it. So they were led to a longer but safer route. If you think that you are having hardships now look back and remind yourself what GOD has already done in your life, just remember that GOD is allowing you to pass through a safer way that will lead you to success. Just as how HE looked after the Israelites, is how HE is looking after you now. If you know what a caring and great GOD HE is, you will not complain but will be filled with thankfulness believing that GOD's ways are only the best for us. 

Remembrance

“In honor of the Lord your God, celebrate the Passover each year in the early spring, in the month of Abib, for that was the month in which the Lordyour God brought you out of Egypt by night. 2 Your Passover sacrifice may be from either the flock or the herd, and it must be sacrificed to the Lord your God at the designated place of worship—the place he chooses for his name to be honored. 3 Eat it with bread made without yeast. For seven days the bread you eat must be made without yeast, as when you escaped from Egypt in such a hurry. Eat this bread—the bread of suffering—so that as long as you live you will remember the day you departed from Egypt.

- Deuteronomy 16:1-4

Why does GOD want us to celebrate a certain feast in a year? The Jews Celebrate the Passover while the Christians remember the death and celebrate the ressurection of Jesus. Why is it important to remember all the things that happened during this certain time of the year? The reason being is so we do not forget. Human weakness tend to be so forgetful especially when the events that happened are not favorable or pleasant, we just want to forget about these things. But GOD doesn't want us to forget our sufferings or the hardships that we have gone through. In fact, GOD wants us to remember the sufferings experienced in the past by commanding the Israelites to eat unleavened bread for one week. Unleavened bread is bread without yeast. It is flat, hard and untasty. Everytime they eat this bread and celebrate the Passover, they remind themselves what happened during the time GOD took them out of Egypt. They are reminded that their freedom now is because of GOD. Eating the bread of suffering will remind them that they owe it all to GOD and that they should never foget what GOD has done for them, so that they will be faithful to HIM, following HIS ways as long as they live.

It is easy to forget our blessings in life. We complain when things are rough, but before you even utter a word of complaint, try to remember the hardships you have gone through in life that GOD has carried you through. With every victory that GOD has given you, do you have a remembrance of that certain event and time? Everytime GOD lifts us up from our trials and sufferings, we should make it a point to create a milestone, a remembrance of how we suffered and how GOD has rescued us from such suffering. It is easy to forget many things that happend in our lives for the days that we live pass by like a mist. We have to remember that where we are now is because of where we have been in the past. So as not to let our heads get puffed up and swell in pride, but to always walk humbly before our GOD, let us remember all our blessings, sufferings and breakthroughs. Let us remember what GOD has done for us.

Be Careful

10 When you have eaten your fill, be sure to praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.
11 “But that is the time to be careful! Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees that I am giving you today. 12 For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in, 13 and when your flocks and herds have become very large and your silver and gold have multiplied along with everything else, be careful! 14 Do not become proud at that time and forget the Lord your God, who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt.15 Do not forget that he led you through the great and terrifying wilderness with its poisonous snakes and scorpions, where it was so hot and dry. He gave you water from the rock! 16 He fed you with manna in the wilderness, a food unknown to your ancestors. He did this to humble you and test you for your own good. 17 He did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’ 18 Remember theLord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.

- Deuteronomy 8

Does it seem like everything is going your way? Do you feel happy satisfied and blessed beyond what you ever thought you could be? Praise GOD! But remember your Maker, your enabler, for HE is the one that enables you to be and to achieve great things. And most of all be careful. For enjoying success is the time when we let our guards down and let the enemy have an opportunity to strike us when we are weak. During our horrible days, we always seek GOD's comfort and we spend time kneeling at HIS throne of grace for we know HE is merciful and HE is our only hope for better days. But when we don't lack anything it's easy to forget our provider because we have all the provisions we would ever need and want. When you start to think to yourself "I have achieved all these things" "I have made it" "I did it" "I'm so smart" "Nothing can stop me now" Think again.

Pride is a silent illness. You never know it has already crept in on you and your head is already up high on the skies until one day you suddenly fall crashing down on the ground. It's like having high blood pressure, you never know you have it until you suddenly have a heart attack one day. It is easy to forget our difficulties, when we have already made it. But the Bible tells us to remember, remember what we have gone through, remember how GOD has led you in the darkest night, remember how GOD helped you to survive the toughest days. It is during our dark days that we see GOD's miraculous provision. So we have to remind ourselves, when we feel we are on top, that it is GOD who has brought us where we are now and we can never take credit for what we have achieved because without GOD, we are nothing. The difficult times are also GOD's doing, so that HE could discipline us and mold our characters until it is fit to receive whatever blessings HE has prepared for us. So if you are in your dark days now, take comfort, for GOD has a plan to bless you in the end of those dark seasons in your life. Yes, hold on to GOD for HE has great things in store for you and no event in your life is ever a waste. Everything that happens is allowed by GOD for HE is in control. HE is Sovereign. There is nothing that happens on earth that HE is unaware or surprised of. So be careful, never to forget the LORD who has blessed you. Always remember that the One who has given you life is also the only One who can take it away not accidents, not killers and not the enemy. Only HE, the great I AM. HE alone is worthy of all glory and praise!