Hear, O nations, the word of the LORD,
and proclaim it in distant coastlands:
“The One who scattered Israel will gather them and keep them
as a shepherd keeps his flock.

For the LORD has ransomed Jacob
and redeemed him from the hand that had overpowered him.
They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion;
they will be radiant over the bounty of the LORD—
the grain, new wine, and oil,
and the young of the flocks and herds.

Their life will be like a well-watered garden,
and never again will they languish.
Then the maidens will rejoice with dancing,
young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning into joy,
and give them comfort and joy for their sorrow.

I will fill the souls of the priests abundantly,
and will fill My people with My goodness,” declares the LORD.

~ Jeremiah 31: 10-14

“At that time,” declares the LORD, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be My people.”

This is what the LORD says:
“The people who survived the sword
found favor in the wilderness
when Israel went to find rest.”
The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying:

“I have loved you with an everlasting love;
therefore I have drawn you with loving devotion.
Again I will build you, and you will be rebuilt,
O Virgin Israel.
Again you will take up your tambourines
and go out in joyful dancing.

Again you will plant vineyards on the hills of Samaria;
the farmers will plant and enjoy the fruit.

For there will be a day when watchmen will call out
on the hills of Ephraim,
‘Arise, let us go up to Zion,
to the LORD our God!’”

For this is what the LORD says:
“Sing with joy for Jacob;
shout for the foremost of the nations!
Make your praises heard, and say,
‘O LORD, save Your people,
the remnant of Israel!’

Behold, I will bring them from the land of the north
and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth,
including the blind and the lame,
expectant mothers and women in labor.
They will return as a great assembly!

They will come with weeping,
and by their supplication I will lead them;
I will make them walk beside streams of waters,
on a level path where they will not stumble.

For I am Israel’s Father,
and Ephraim is My firstborn.”

~ Jeremiah 31:1-9

Josiah was eight years old when he became king and reigned 31 years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath.

He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left. 2 Kings 22:1-2
Raising up a God fearing generation is the most important task entrusted to us parents; we can not or should not neglect that. And for that we need to be God fearing parents. We should lead by example.

Jesus Himself said:

Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Mark 10:14
Do we live a life that automatically lead our children to the Lord? Or are we hindering our next generation from following the Lord, by setting bad examples?

Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save your souls.

Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so—not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer—he will be blessed in what he does.

If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless. Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

James 1:19-27

Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. Hebrews 13:9

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming. Ephesians 4:14

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on the sons of disobedience. Ephesians 5:6
How do we know if a teaching is off or in line with God's word? 

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

The brother in humble circumstances should exult in his high position. But the one who is rich should exult in his low position, because he will pass away like a flower of the field. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its flower falls and its beauty is lost. So too, the rich man will fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him. James 1:2-12

“My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.”

Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons.

Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it.

Therefore strengthen your limp hands and weak knees.Make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent. Revelation 3:19 So know in your heart that just as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you. Deuteronomy 8:5

But when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world. 1 Corinthians 11:32

For the LORD disciplines the one He loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. Proverbs 3:12

The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
whom shall I dread? Psalm 27:1 For You, O LORD, light my lamp; my God enlightens my darkness. Psalm 18:28

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4

We will not fear, though the earth is transformed and the mountains are toppled into the depths of the seas Psalm 46:2

The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? Psalm 118:6

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand of righteousness. Isaiah 41:10

May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble;
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.

May He send you help from the sanctuary
and sustain you from Zion.

May He remember all your gifts
and look favorably on your burnt offerings.

May He give you the desires of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.

May we shout for joy at your victory
and raise a banner in the name of our God.

May the LORD grant all your petitions.

Behold, how good and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in harmony!

It is like fine oil on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down Aaron’s beard
over the collar of his robes.

It is like the dew of Hermon
falling on the mountains of Zion.
For there the LORD has bestowed the blessing
of life forevermore.

~ Psalm 133 If your church service is back in person, please make every effort to attend. It is good and pleasant for brothers/sisters to live together in unity. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25

- Psalm 100

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Luke 6:35

Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Luke 6:37

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice Ephesians 4:31
Yesterday we learnt about how to treat our friends. Today's scriptures instruct us on how to deal with our enemies. I know it is hard. But can we sincerely make an attempt at it?

Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children Ephesians 5:1

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:48

Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, and do not go to your relative's house when disaster strikes you-- better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away. Proverbs 27:10

A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Proverbs 17:17

A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24

Who among the gods is like you, LORD? Who is like you-- majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? Exodus 15:11

"O Lord GOD, You have begun to show Your greatness and power to Your servant. For what god in heaven or on earth can perform such works and mighty acts as Yours? Deuteronomy 3:24

There is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to your aid, and the clouds in His majesty. Deuteronomy 33:26

"O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth below, keeping Your covenant of loving devotion with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts. 1 Kings 8:23

Who is like the LORD our God, the One enthroned on high? Psalm 113:5

There is none like You, O LORD. You are great, and Your name is mighty in power. Jeremiah 10:6

Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance--who does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in loving devotion? Micah 7:8
Matchless is our God. Mighty in power. The highest authority in the earth and beyond. Is any of our needs impossible for Him? 

Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 17:8

Please take some time to read Psalm 17 which is a prayer by King David. I love prayers of different people from the Bible as it shows their heart and teaches us to pray as well.

King David's prayers are candid, coming straight from his heart without any filtration by the head.

In this prayer, King David sets before the Lord the contrast between him and his adversaries: He is righteous; they are wicked. He does not sin with his mouth ; but they speak arrogance. He keeps himself from the way of violence but they are crouching in cover to prey on him.

He then pleads for God to confront his enemies on his behalf and ends it with no doubts of his deliverance.

We can sure learn a great deal from this prayer. Knowing that in spite of our righteousness, in spite of our enemies wickedness, amidst our plea, the deliverance is at hand should make our faith stronger.

We have thus disqualified our merits, nullified the fear of our enemies' wickedness, accepted that God alone can save us and look forward to receive our victory!

Amen!

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Hebrews 4:16

The answer to the question is: We can receive mercy and find grace at the throne of God. But remember folks He is not our King alone but our Father! Our Papa! Our Daddy! 

So we can approach His throne as His children and not merely as His citizens. 

Isn’t that wonderful?! 

“Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing,  Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18,19 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17

The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. Isaiah 65:17 I know forgetting former things is almost impossible. 

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2

The LORD is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him, my father's God, and I will exalt Him. Exodus 15:2

O LORD, my strength and my fortress, my refuge in the day of distress... Jeremiah 16:19
The similarities in these scriptures/statements are remarkable!

King David, Prophet Jeremiah and Moses all lived at different times; yet they all related to God in the same way - that He was their rock, their strength and their refuge!

Can we make that bold statement this morning? Is the Lord our rock too? Is He our strength and our refuge?!