"I have much people in this city" James Miersch Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. Acts 18:9-11 In verse 10, we have the doctrine of election, the Scriptural truth that before the foundation of the world, God ordained and chose, unconditionally and sovereignly, some among the fallen human race to eternal life. In saying, "I have much people in this city," God was reminding Paul that the apostle was not sent to pursue his own kingdom and agenda, but to call God's people - his elect - to faith in Christ. And they will come, as it was in Antioch, where "as many as were ordained to eternal life believed" (Acts 13:48). This verse ought to prove once and for all that election is not meant to stymie evangelism or to cause us to keep our mouths closed, but to give us boldness to preach and share God's word with whomever we can, knowing that the success of our endeavors does not rest upon our shoulders but upon God's immoveable purpose of election. Election is not grounds for do-nothingism, but ought to give us courage to join in the assault upon the gates of hell. As the apostle Paul would say later to Timothy, "Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory " (2 Tim. 2:8-10). I believe God has much people in our city. Let us therefore pray that God would use us to boldly live and proclaim, uncompromisingly and winsomely, the unsearchable riches of Christ. God Loves You So Do I.

Loving Father, thank you that you are always with us. We pray for police officers and ask that they would know your presence is with them as they face the challenges and demands of their job. When their work feels overwhelming, we ask that you would bring peace and clarity of mind. There is no purer source of peace and joy than you, Lord. You alone are worthy to receive our honor and worship for eternity. We exalt your powerful name above all other powers on the earth. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.

Loving Father, thank you that you are always with us. We pray for police officers and ask that they would know your presence is with them as they face the challenges and demands of their job. When their work feels overwhelming, we ask that you would bring peace and clarity of mind. There is no purer source of peace and joy than you, Lord. You alone are worthy to receive our honor and worship for eternity. We exalt your powerful name above all other powers on the earth. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.

Father God, we come before your throne as a nation today to thank you for our beautiful land. Thank you for our leaders and everyone that you have placed in this country. Father, let your will be done in this nation as it is in heaven. May the people that are in leadership run this country according to your will. May we treat each other according to your will Father God. When we stray, Father, forgive us and show us the right way to go. Help us to be a nation that pleases you until the second coming of Christ. In Jesus’ name, we believe and pray, Amen.

Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” E.J.M. John 6:37 No limit is set to the duration of this promise. It does not merely say, “I will not cast out a sinner at his first coming,” but, “I will in no wise cast out.” The original reads, “I will not, not cast out,” or “I will never, never cast out.” The text means, that Christ will not at first reject a believer; and that as he will not do it at first, so he will not to the last. But suppose the believer sins after coming? “If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” But suppose that believers backslide? “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.” But believers may fall under temptation! “God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” But the believer may fall into sin as David did! Yes, but he will “Purge them with hyssop, and they shall be clean; he will wash them and they shall be whiter than snow”; “From all their iniquities will I cleanse them.” “Once in Christ, in Christ forever, “I give unto my sheep,” saith he, “eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” What sayest thou to this, O trembling feeble mind? Is not this a precious mercy, that coming to Christ, thou dost not come to One who will treat thee well for a little while, and then send thee about thy business, but he will receive thee and make thee his bride, and thou shalt be his forever? Receive no longer the spirit of bondage again to fear, but the spirit of adoption whereby thou shalt cry, Abba, Father! Oh! the grace of these words: “I will in no wise cast out.” God Loves You So Do I.

Would You Dare? E.J.M. Would You Dare? Judge One of man’s natural tendencies is to judge others by his own measuring stick; usually himself. Paul, in Romans 2, strongly addresses this weakness. “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?” Romans 2:1 Most of the time when we judge others, we have or have had the same problem ourselves. It seems that those that have had the biggest problems, or are still having them, complain the loudest of another’s weaknesses. It is the ex-smoker that criticizes the loudest about another’s smoke he is inhaling. An older man grumbles to a son about his child’s late hours coming home, forgetting how his father used to rebuke him in his younger, cohorting days. One that recently lied on his income tax form somehow is not convicted, when he judges a worker that just lied to him. On and on our hypocritical judging goes. God, however, knows the truth, and He remembers (Rom. 3: 3). For the born-again child of God, there is no judgment for sins. All his sins are paid for and no longer remembered (Hebrews 10:17). All Christians, however, will be judged (Mat. 12:36, Gal. 6:7, Eph. 6:8, Col. 3:24 …) for what they did or did not do for the Lord. It is called the Judgment Seat of Christ (II Cor. 5:10), and it will involve reward or loss of rewards (Rev. 22:12). For the unsaved person, sadly their judgment will be at the White Throne Judgment (Rev. 20:11-15). That fearful condemnation will be at the end of Christ’s 1,000 year reign on this earth. At that judgment, the lost will be judged for their works (Rev. 20:14) and sins. In light of a Christian’s future day of judgment before an Almighty God who knows everything about us, (including real intents for doing something, what we did when no one else saw us, and all other dark secrets), our judgment of others seems so insignificant and embarrassing, on our part. We certainly want our mistakes and sins over-looked. How can we dare judge others when God has been so merciful and forgiving to those that are saved from the consequences of their forgiven sins. Can we stop judging others, and leave that to the One who knows all? “Reputation is what man thinks of us. Character is what God knows us to be.” God Loves You So Do I.

Today’s Thought: “The worship most acceptable to God comes from a thankful and cheerful heart.” — James.

Should We Go to Church on Saturday or Sunday? E.J.M. Should We Go to Church on Saturday or Sunday? Old Church The fourth of the ten commandments given to Israel by Moses states, “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Ex. 20:8). When the Sabbath day was observed, one could not leave his home (Ex. 16:29), could not build a fire (Ex. 35:3), and could not work (Deut. 5:14). Anyone breaking the rules on Saturday would be put to death (Ex. 31:15). It was serious not to observe that day properly. Because of this seriousness, it is understood why many today wonder, “Should I worship on Saturday?” To understand why today’s day of worship should be on Sunday, one should first know why the Sabbath was first instituted. It was started so that Israel would remember that they were slaves in Egypt and God had set them free from their bondage: “But the seventh day [Saturday] is the sabbath … And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day” Deut. 5:14,15. Modern day Christians are not to remember they were freed from Egypt’s hand. The observance of the Sabbath was for the Old Testament Jew. We are not under Old Testament laws: “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith …” Galatians 3:11-12. One trusting in Christ’s finished work on the cross is free from the law’s bondage: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” Gal. 5:1. This is why the law of the Sabbath is not mentioned in the New Testament; it is not for those living by faith in the resurrected Christ. Nine of the ten commandments are (Mat. 19:18, Rom. 13:9) in the New Testament, but the one about the Sabbath was not reaffirmed. The significance of the Sabbath changed when Christ came. Old Testament believers were waiting and looking forward to the Messiah’s coming. Those that still hold to the Old Testament’s keeping of the Sabbath are saying, by their beliefs and practices, that they are still waiting for Him to come. Christ has come. All changed when He came. Jesus’ resurrection could easily have been on the Sabbath, but it was on Sunday morning as stated in the gospels (Mat. 28:1, Mark 16:2, Luke 24:1, John 20:1). His resurrection and many other important events happened on the first day of the week. Jesus was declared to be the Son of God on Sunday (Rom. 1:4). Pentecost also occurred on Sunday (Lev. 23:15-16). After Jesus died, there was much emphasis on the first day of the week. Many teach that Constantine changed the day of worship to Sunday in AD 321, but the early church worshipped on Sunday before the New Testament was even completed. The Bible reveals how worship was often every day (Acts 2:46), but soon the main worship day was the first day of the week (Sunday): “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.” John 20:19 “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.” Acts 20:7 Notice the Lord’s Supper was also observed on Sunday. After Paul purposed to minister to the gentiles, the Sabbath was never mentioned. Unless someone was ministering to the Jews directly and met with them in their synagogue (Acts 17:1-2), all meetings of the early church were on Sunday. Even offerings were taken up on the first day of the week (I Cor. 16:1-2). We are not commanded to make one day holier than another: “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. …” Rom. 14:5-6. The Sabbath is still on Saturday, but the emphasis, for one trusting on Christ and not keeping the law now is on the first day of week, not the last. There is no direct Scripture saying that Sunday is now the Sabbath either. We are to have the attitude to put a day aside to make God and His Word a priority along with fellowshipping with His people. Sunday is the day we need to put aside for the Lord! “What is your priority on Sunday: fishing, soccer matches, the super market, or , church. God Loves You So Do I.

What Does It Mean To Truly Have Faith In Jesus Christ ? E.J.M. Many people speak about “having faith in Jesus,” but what exactly does this mean? The Bible uses the phrase “faith in Jesus” synonymously with belief in Jesus as Savior. Romans 3:22–23 says that “righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” When we place our faith in Jesus, we believe in Him, and God grants His righteousness to us. To have faith in Jesus means to trust Him. Simply. Fully. Without reservation. On one occasion, before Jesus healed two blind men, He asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They answered, “Yes, Lord,” and He healed them “according to [their] faith” (Matthew 9:28–29). The men simply trusted the power and goodness of the Lord, and they received their sight. When a person has faith in Jesus, it means that he or she believes who Jesus is (God in human form) and trusts what Jesus has done (died and resurrected). This faith in the person and work of Christ is what saves (see Romans 10:9–10; 1 Corinthians 15:3–4). “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God” (1 John 5:1). John 3:16 says, “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” The key is belief, in response to God’s love. Anyone who places his or her faith in Jesus has the promise of eternal life. Without faith in Jesus, we remain in sin and cannot be accepted into God’s presence in His perfect heaven. With faith in Jesus, we are given access to the Father as God’s own children (John 1:12). To have faith in Jesus is to reject all other ways of salvation. We cannot trust in Jesus and anything else. We trust in Jesus alone. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Salvation is exclusive. Jesus is the only way (John 14:6). Are you ready to place your faith in Jesus? Do you trust Him to save you? There is no special prayer you must pray. However, you can respond right now with a prayer similar to this: “Dear God, I realize I am a sinner and could never reach heaven by my own good deeds. Right now I place my faith in Jesus Christ as God’s Son who died and rose again to give me eternal life. I trust in Jesus alone. Please forgive me of my sins and help me to live for you. Thank you for accepting me and giving me eternal life.” God Loves You So Do I

Who/what is the Lion of the tribe of Judah? E.J.M. The Lion of the tribe of Judah is a symbol found in Genesis and Revelation. In Genesis, Jacob blesses his son Judah, referring to him and his future tribe as a lion’s cub and a lion (Genesis 49:9). In Revelation, this symbol is seen again when the Lion of the tribe of Judah is declared to have triumphed and is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals (Revelation 5:5). Jesus is the One who is worthy to open the scroll (see John 5:22). Therefore, Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. In Genesis, as Jacob blesses his children, he promises Judah that his brothers will praise him and that they will bow down to him. Jacob also tells Judah, “You are a lion’s cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?” (Genesis 49:9). Jacob says that in the future the scepter and ruler’s staff will not depart from Judah “until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be His” (Genesis 49:10). This messianic prophecy points forward to the second coming of the Lord Jesus, the descendant of Judah who will rule the earth (Revelation 19:11–16). Based on Jacob’s blessing, the lion is a symbol of the tribe of Judah, which is known as the kingly tribe (King David was of the tribe of Judah). Lions symbolize power, fierceness, and majesty. Lions are the king of the beasts, and the Lion of the tribe of Judah is the king of everything. In the Old Testament, God is sometimes described as being like a lion. In Isaiah 31:4, just “as a lion growls, a great lion over its prey—and though a whole band of shepherds is called together against it, it is not frightened by their shouts . . . so the LORD Almighty will come down to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights.” The Lord is not afraid of His enemies. He protects His people and does not allow them to be conquered. In Hosea, God is angry at Israel because they became proud and forgot Him. God says, “I will be like a lion to them. . . . like a lion I will devour them. . . . You are destroyed, Israel, because you are against me, against your helper” (Hosea 13:7–9). It is better to experience the help and protection of the Lion than to deny His kingship and face His fierceness. In Revelation 5, Jesus is the long-awaited Lion of the tribe of Judah. John weeps because no one was found worthy to open the scroll of God’s judgment or even to look inside it. Then one of the elders says to John, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals” (Revelation 5:4–5). Both of the genealogies in Matthew and Luke record that Jesus is a descendant of the tribe of Judah. When Jesus is revealed as the promised Lion of the tribe of Judah, it reveals His deity. He is the true king and the One to whom belongs the long-awaited obedience of nations. Yet it is not His fierceness or the force of His power that makes Him worthy. The Lion has triumphed because He became a Lamb (Revelation 5:6–10; cf. John 1:29). Jesus Christ is worthy because He lived a perfect, sinless life and in shedding His blood defeated sin and death. His death and resurrection have resulted in a protection for His people and an eternal kingdom that will honor and worship God. Ruling this kingdom will be Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Judah. God Loves You So Do I.

The meaning of the feet of Jesus E.J.M. The feet of Jesus are meant for those who are open and receptive to being guided and directed by God. They belong to those who are willing to surrender their own desires, plans, and ambitions in order to follow God's will. It is not enough to simply believe in Jesus Christ or acknowledge his existence. True discipleship requires action and movement. It requires us to take steps of faith, even when it may be uncomfortable or uncertain. The feet of Jesus are for those who are willing to let go of their own agenda and trust in God's leading. When we truly understand that the feet of Jesus belong to those who are willing to be moved by God, it changes the way we approach our relationship with Him. It means we are not just passive observers, but active participants in God's plan for our lives. To have the feet of Jesus means to allow God to take us to new places, both physically and spiritually. It means being open to new experiences, new challenges, and new opportunities for growth. It means being willing to step out of our comfort zones and embrace the unknown. The feet of Jesus also serve as a reminder that our journey with God is not meant to be stagnant or stationary. It is a continuous movement towards spiritual maturity and closer communion with Him. We must keep stepping forward, seeking His guidance and direction every step of the way. The spiritual meaning of hands in the Bible The spiritual meaning of hands in the Bible is significant and profound. Hands are often used as a symbol of power, strength, authority, and blessing throughout Scripture. In the Old Testament, the laying on of hands was a way to impart blessing, consecration, and authority. It was a physical gesture that represented the transfer of spiritual power from one person to another.Jesus also used His hands to heal the sick, perform miracles, and bless others. His touch brought restoration, wholeness, and deliverance to those in need. The apostles and early believers in the New Testament laid hands on others to impart the Holy Spirit, healing, and spiritual gifts. It was a way to activate and release the power of the Holy Spirit within individuals. Today, our hands can still be a powerful instrument for the Holy Spirit to work through us. We can lay hands on the sick, pray for others, and bless those around us, knowing that the power of God can flow through our hands. Physical use of the hand in scripture The physical use of the hand in scripture holds significant meaning and symbolism. It is through the laying on of hands that healing, blessing, and impartation of the Holy Spirit take place. Jesus Himself used His hands to perform miracles, showing us the power that can flow through our own hands when surrendered to His Spirit. When we extend our hands to touch someone in prayer or to minister to their needs, we are acting as vessels of God's love and power. Our hand becomes an instrument of His grace, bringing comfort, restoration, and deliverance to those in need. It is a tangible expression of our faith and a demonstration of the presence of the Holy Spirit within us. Throughout the Bible, we see the importance of hands in various acts of worship, from the lifting of hands in praise and adoration to the laying on of hands for commissioning and ordination. The physical touch of hands signifies connection, unity, and the transfer of spiritual authority. We mus not underestimate the power that resides in our hands when yielded to the Holy Spirit. May we use our hands to minister to others with love, compassion, and the expectation of God's miraculous work. As we do so, we will witness the transformative power of God flowing through us and touching the lives of those around us. God Loves You So Do I.

To Love Our Unchanging God E.J.M. When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. Jonah 3:10 The Bible makes clear that God is unchanging. At the same time, the book of Jonah affirms that He can and does change His attitude towards people and His way of dealing with them. How are we to make sense of this apparent contradiction? We see this tension elsewhere in Scripture. In His dealings with King Saul, for instance, God said, “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments” (1 Samuel 15:11). But a few verses later we’re told, “The Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret” (v 29). It seems that God regrets His decision, but then we are told that He doesn’t have regret. Yet there is no ultimate inconsistency between these two modes of expression. When God is said to have regret or change His mind, the descriptive language is an accommodation to our finite human perspective. It appears that there has been a change in God, but what has actually changed is our human conduct. Simply put, Saul was no longer the man he had once been. He had become persistently disobedient, and God responded to that changed circumstance in a way that was entirely consistent with His character. Similarly, in response to Jonah’s preaching, the Ninevites changed their conduct—this time, in the opposite direction: they turned away from evil. God is consistently against sin and favorable towards repentance and faith; His character does not change. His warnings are intended to alert the wayward and bring them to repentance—and if repentance occurs, then God responds accordingly. Only because God responds in this way can the sinner who believes in Jesus come to know His acceptance. Because “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8), we can know that when we come in penitence and childlike faith, God receives us with compassion and mercy. That is His nature, and He will not change. From our perspective, it may look as if He has changed His mind—but God always remains true to every word He has ever spoken. In a world that is always changing and where even the best of us cannot always keep our word, here is great ground for your confidence and joy today God Loves You So Do I

John 3:16 Meaning of For God So Loved the World BY JAMES MIERSCH John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Explanation and Commentary of John 3:16 Our God is righteous and holy and bears wrath for a world in rebellion. There is no other way that he could be in his perfect nature. He is all goodness, all love, all truth. The world will perish and pass away (1 Cor 7:31) but it does not change the fact that God loves the world. He loves it more perfectly than any human could ever grasp. The adulterous world in sin must be cleansed by fire (2 Pt 3:10), but God will not leave us without a way to be saved. In fact, he has done what was necessary in order to forgive us. Forgiveness is always costly for the one forgiving, but no one paid a higher cost than the Father for forgiveness (Jn 3:16). God sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, who willingly came down off his eternal throne and lived a perfectly righteous and sin free life so that he could be the spotless lamb of sacrifice (Heb 9:22). The humans who he came to save murdered him so that he could be a sacrifice for them, although they did not know it. Because of this, anyone who believes in his name, and calls on the name of the Lord (Ro 10:13) will not perish but will live forever and ever with the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, and all the saints in Christ for eternity in God’s Heavenly Kingdom. Breaking Down the Key Parts of John 3:16 #1 “For God…” Jesus has been explaining to Nicodemus, “The Son of Man must be lifted up” so that those who look on him can be saved (Jn 3:15). Now he explains God’s motive. #2 “…so loved the world…” Though he has wrath for sin and hates it (Prov 6:16-19), he loves the world and the people he has created. Righteousness demands that the world be judged, but love moves God to offer a way to be saved from the coming wrath. Further, God saw a way to bring men and women to himself in peace and in friendship. #3 “…that he gave his one and only Son,” God the Son was not created. He always existed with the Father and the Spirit (Jn 1:1). Jesus the man was begotten by God and Mary, fully God and fully man, in order to be the perfect sacrifice. It is astounding that the eternal Son of God, the Lamb that was slain since the foundation of the world, (Rev 13:8) had to be born a baby and grow up like everyone else. #4 “That whoever believes in him…” John 6:28-29 says, “Then they asked him, ‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’ Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.’” Before we can call out to God for salvation, we must believe. Before we can believe, we must be born again (Jn 3:3). #5 “…shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” Believers will not bear the wrath of God for their sin. Jesus has imputed his righteousness to us by taking our sin on himself. Everlasting life is difficult to grasp, but there is hardly a more clear promise in Scripture. God Loves You So Do I.

“The precious blood of Christ.” BY James Miersch 1 Peter 1:19 Standing at the foot of the cross, we see hands, and feet, and side, all distilling crimson streams of precious blood. It is “precious” because of its redeeming and atoning efficacy. By it the sins of Christ’s people are atoned for; they are redeemed from under the law; they are reconciled to God, made one with him. Christ’s blood is also “precious” in its cleansing power; it “cleanseth from all sin.” “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” Through Jesus’ blood there is not a spot left upon any believer, no wrinkle nor any such thing remains. O precious blood, which makes us clean, removing the stains of abundant iniquity, and permitting us to stand accepted in the Beloved, notwithstanding the many ways in which we have rebelled against our God. The blood of Christ is likewise “precious” in its preserving power. We are safe from the destroying angel under the sprinkled blood. Remember it is God’s seeing the blood which is the true reason for our being spared. Here is comfort for us when the eye of faith is dim, for God’s eye is still the same. The blood of Christ is “precious” also in its sanctifying influence. The same blood which justifies by taking away sin, does in its after-action, quicken the new nature and lead it onward to subdue sin and to follow out the commands of God. There is no motive for holiness so great as that which streams from the veins of Jesus. And “precious,” unspeakably precious, is this blood, because it has an overcoming power. It is written, “They overcame through the blood of the Lamb.” How could they do otherwise? He who fights with the precious blood of Jesus, fights with a weapon which cannot know defeat. The blood of Jesus! sin dies at its presence, death ceases to be death: heaven’s gates are opened. The blood of Jesus! we shall march on, conquering and to conquer, so long as we can trust its power! God Loves You So Do I.

And his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.” BY James Miersch Exodus 17:12 So mighty was the prayer of Moses, that all depended upon it. The petitions of Moses discomfited the enemy more than the fighting of Joshua. Yet both were needed. So, in the soul’s conflict, force and fervour, decision and devotion, valour and vehemence, must join their forces, and all will be well. You must wrestle with your sin, but the major part of the wrestling must be done alone in private with God. Prayer, like Moses’, holds up the token of the covenant before the Lord. The rod was the emblem of God’s working with Moses, the symbol of God’s government in Israel. Learn, O pleading saint, to hold up the promise and the oath of God before him. The Lord cannot deny his own declarations. Hold up the rod of promise, and have what you will. Moses grew weary, and then his friends assisted him. When at any time your prayer flags, let faith support one hand, and let holy hope uplift the other, and prayer seating itself upon the stone of Israel, the rock of our salvation, will persevere and prevail. Beware of faintness in devotion; if Moses felt it, who can escape? It is far easier to fight with sin in public, than to pray against it in private. It is remarked that Joshua never grew weary in the fighting, but Moses did grow weary in the praying; the more spiritual an exercise, the more difficult it is for flesh and blood to maintain it. Let us cry, then, for special strength, and may the Spirit of God, who helpeth our infirmities, as he allowed help to Moses, enable us like him to continue with our hands steady “until the going down of the sun;” till the evening of life is over; till we shall come to the rising of a better sun in the land where prayer is swallowed up in praise. God Loves You So Do I.

Is He Really Your Lord? BY James Miersch Often in prayers or conversations, God is referred to as “Lord”. “I love you, Lord”; “Lord, we need your intervention in helping us out of this mess”; “Lord, I’ll do whatever you show me to do.” If, however, the situation is followed up on, and the reactions observed of the one who requested of God, it may be wondered if God is really their “Lord”. The title “Lord” implies that another is one’s master, a supreme being and absolute authority, or one’s ruler. If it is true that “Lord” has a Saxon definition meaning “sole bread giver,” then it also implies that the user of the address “Lord” is totally relying on God for all their provisions and needs to be met. When God is addressed as Lord, is He really all the title implies? If God truly is one’s Lord, than one would do what God has told them to do. God would not have to speak to our hearts multiple times about reading His Word faithfully, halting the sin He convicted us of doing, changing a practice in our life, or doing anything His Spirit whispered to our hearts about doing. Total obedience would be given to God, if He truly were our Lord. “LORD, it’s not open to discussion. You show me and I will do it!” “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” Luke 6:46 If God truly is Lord of your life, He should be receiving your total respect and honor. One obeying the Lord should never dispute, question, or refuse to do the bidding of one’s Master. “A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? 7 Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible. 8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.” Malachi 1:6-8 If God is truly your Lord, then there should be proof. You should notice how you have forsaken your own will and way for His. Even those around you should see the priority you make in obeying God’s will! “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciple.” John 15:8 “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” James 1:22 “(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.” Rom. 2:13 Calling God Lord does not necessarily make Him our Lord. If we make God our Lord, it will be shown by our obedience and respect for Him. Is His Lordship in your life clearly exhibited in the way you live? Is God truly your LORD? “To live for self or live for God is the question we all face. How one’s life turns depends on how the question was answered!” —James God Loves You So Do I.