I pray that any of you that have put God aside will repent. No longer put idols ahead of God. If there is anything, in your life, that is above the Lord then that is an idol. These things that are more important to you are only temporal and the satisfaction does not last. No matter what it is, small or great, it is all idolatry if it comes before God. Don’t make excuses any longer for the way you live your life. Examine your life and if you have strayed from the presence of God than you are in danger. Your time could be up soon. A life for Christ yields blessings in heaven. A life for the world yields a punishment in hell. Only those that follow Jesus will be saved. Everyone else will pay for their sins, if the blood of Jesus has not covered them. As it reads in Psalm 44, 1“If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god; Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.” God does know when we have went astray. He knows where our heart lies. He can see the secret things we’ve done and searches our heart daily. 4If your lives are far from Christ, then you are on the broad way to destruction. You 1“are counted as sheep for the slaughter.” But your time is not up yet. Awake and come to Jesus for mercy. Humble yourself and say to God, 1“cast us not off for ever.” Let Jesus take you by the hand. Believe in Him and do what He says. Let the Lord lead you into new life.
The heart of the Lord is pure. He is virtuous above all things. There is only holiness in the Lord. His ways are higher than anything in this world. To be in His presence is awesome, indeed. Come unto Jesus and you will be made free. Only the Lord has power to forgive. 4He desires to show us a new path that leads to life. We have only experienced a snippet of happiness in this world. 6What Jesus can do through us is much greater. His love will bring eternal happiness into our lives. If you trust in the Lord then His promises are sure, in your life and the life to come. He is able to do things that you never thought were possible. Even difficult things can be made effortless. Do you believe this? Do you believe that Lord cares for your life? The truth is, He does. Very much so, indeed. If you have gone astray, then no longer wallow in your sins. Come to Jesus and repent. Confess your sins to those you’ve wronged and to the Lord. Let it be known that you are sorry for what you’ve done, that things may be made right. Make restitution in all things. 3Forgive one another that the Lord may forgive you also. 2Have mercy upon those that have wronged you and the Lord God will do the same for You. 5As you learn to love your neighbor, the love of Christ will grow in your life. It is Jesus that will help you be less selfish and more selfless.
Let us pray:
Oh Lord, deliver the lost from darkness. Help them follow You more so than the world. Help people put You above all things. May you be more important than anything else in their lives. Shine your light among non-believers, that they may see this light and seek after it. Your glorious light changes lives, and I know that You can do all things. Thank You for showing patience for me, though I had strayed. I was so into the lusts of the flesh but You never gave up on me. Though I struggled in my addictions, You came to rescue me. In my afflictions, You found favor upon me. You comforted my soul while I was down. I was dead and You came and restored my life. I am alive because of Your great love. Thank You for caring for my needs. I love You. Amen.
Let us read the Bible:
Note: Any Numbered References, found above, are listed below.
1Psalm 44:20-26 (KJV)
20 If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;
21 Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.
22 Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
23 Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.
24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?
25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth.
26 Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies’ sake.
2Matthew 5:1-11 (KJV)
1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:
2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
3Matthew 6:9-15 (KJV)
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
4Matthew 7:11-14 (KJV)
11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
5Matthew 22:35-40 (KJV)
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
6John 14:11-14 (KJV)
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
