I must apologize for making assumptions. I go about putting together these messages on a daily basis and sometimes I forget that there is a good chance that someone that may be reading it is not saved, so today’s prayer is for everyone to pray for themselves.
Today’s Prayer
Father, I come before you this day as a sinner. But in my heart I believe that you sent your son to this earth to die on the cross for my sins and on the third day He arose, ascended to you and sits at your right hand. If you prayed this simple prayer and believe it with all of your heart, you are saved. Welcome to the family. If you don’t have a church home, find one that teaches the bible and exhibits the love of Jesus and get plugged in to the BODY.
Let’s eat.
A Call to Worship
…but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and cruel bondage. – Exodus 6:9
It’s very difficult to lead when those you are leading believe they have been mistreated and have lost all hope. That was the case when God called Moses to bring the people of Israel out of Egypt. They had lived under many years of oppression and slavery. Yet God heard their cry. He sent someone to bring them out of slavery “so that they might worship God” (see Ex. 8:1). Interesting that God didn’t say, “to serve Him.” Above all else, God desires our worship. A person can’t enter into true worship of God while still in slavery and bondage.
In Proverbs, the writer tells us “hope deferred makes the heart sick” (Proverbs 13:12). There is a place in life where life becomes so discouraging and hopeless that we lose all hope, and it can actually make us sick. I have been at this place; it is a scary condition. It brings you to the edge of hopelessness.
The bible says that the people wouldn’t listen to Moses. Yet God didn’t deliver immediately. In fact, it would be many plagues later before ultimate deliverance would take place. Why does God withhold deliverance at times? It’s in order to bring greater glory from the situation. It isn’t because He doesn’t care. It’s because His plan for mankind is resting in these events. It’s a finely tuned plan that involves many people and situations-all operating at the same time. It can seem cruel at times. But God knows that His children can’t worship Him if they are in bondage and lose all hope. He won’t allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear, so He has a plan of deliverance for each of us. This plan is not always the kind of deliverance we might think is best. It sometimes has pain surrounding the deliverance. When a mother gives birth, that child is delivered into this world through much pain. But with that pain comes great joy on the other side. Every mother will say the pain was worth it because of the exceeding joy that child brought in the midst of the pain.
What are you in bondage to today?
What keeps you from entering true worship?
Work can keep us in bondage if we fail to enter into freedom in Christ during our workday. Today, ask God to show you the areas of bondage that you are living in so that you may truly worship Him.
Quote of the Day
If God were small enough to be understood, He would not be big enough to be worshiped.
Evelyn Underhill
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REV. ELDER G E STERRETT
FOUNDER
GCKRS HELPING HAND FOUNDATION – THE RELATIONSHIP FACTORY
James H. Taylor Sr. – Kankakee City News has published my Daily meal message for a decade.