Praise God for the wonders of life He bestows on us and we so take for granted. I had a one and a half hour accountability conversation with a Pastor friend of mine a few days ago. It was an awesome time of sharing and it all came down to one thing; “worship”. The message today is going to the same subject so get ready.

Today’s Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, help us to see that virtue, like bread, is necessary for our nation’s meaningful existence. We need to learn to get along with our fellow citizens. We need to develop sensitivity to each other’s needs and misfortunes. Jesus taught His disciples to be sensitive, to pray for those who are suffering, to speak words of healing and forgiveness. … This was learned caring, not left up to government-managed welfare, but to neighborly concern – most often, to Christian concern. This is the basis of virtue!  Help us Lord, to learn this for ourselves and to teach it to our children, for fear that we lose our lives on streets that are rampant with crime because of our refusal to heed Your commandment to love our neighbor as we love ourselves, and to want for others what we desire for ourselves – the same opportunities, the same encouragement, the same helping hand. In the matchless name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

Let’s eat.

True and False Worship

Isaiah 58

1 Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast. Shout aloud! Don’t be timid. Tell my people Israel of their sins! 2 Yet they act so pious! They come to the Temple every day and seem delighted to learn all about me. They act like a righteous nation that would never abandon the laws of its God. They ask me to take action on their behalf, pretending they want to be near me. 3 ‘We have fasted before you!’ they say. ‘Why aren’t you impressed? We have been very hard on ourselves, and you don’t even notice it!’ “I will tell you why!” I respond. “It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves. Even while you fast, you keep oppressing your workers. 4 What good is fasting when you keep on fighting and quarreling? This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me. 5 You humble yourselves by going through the motions of penance, bowing your heads like reeds bending in the wind. You dress in burlap and cover yourselves with ashes. Is this what you call fasting? Do you really think this will please the Lord? 6 “No, this is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people. 7 Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help. 8 “Then your salvation will come like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind. 9 Then when you call, the Lord will answer. ‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.

“Remove the heavy yoke of oppression. Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors! 10 Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon. 11 The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. 12 Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities. Then you will be known as a rebuilder of walls and a restorer of homes. 13 “Keep the Sabbath day holy. Don’t pursue your own interests on that day, but enjoy the Sabbath and speak of it with delight as the Lord’s holy day. Honor the Sabbath in everything you do on that day, and don’t follow your own desires or talk idly. 14 Then the Lord will be your delight. I will give you great honor and satisfy you with the inheritance I promised to your ancestor Jacob. I, the Lord, have spoken!”

Quote of the Day

The god which the vast majority of professing Christians love, is looked upon very much like an indulgent old man, who himself has no relish for folly, but leniently winks at the ;indiscretions of youth. But the Word says, ‘Thou hatest the workers of iniquity’ (Psalm 5:5). And again, ‘God is angry with the wicked every day’ (Psalm 7:11). But men refuse to believe in this God, and gnash their teeth when His hatred of sin is faithfully pressed upon their attention. ~Arthur W. Pink~

WITH HOPE AND FAITH

REV. ELDER G E STERRETT

FOUNDER

GCKRS HELPING HAND FOUNDATION – THE RELATIONSHIP FACTORY