A wifeb of noble character, who can find? 

She is far more precious than rubies.

11The heart of her husband trusts in her, 

and he lacks nothing of value.

12She brings him good and not harm 

all the days of her life.

13She selects wool and flax 

and works with eager hands.

14She is like the merchant ships, 

bringing her food from afar.

15She rises while it is still night 

to provide food for her household 

and portions for her maidservants.

16She appraises a field and buys it; 

from her earnings she plants a vineyard.

17She girds herselfc with strength 

and shows that her arms are strong.

18She sees that her gain is good, 

and her lamp is not extinguished at night.

19She stretches out her hands to the distaff 

and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

20She opens her arms to the poor 

and reaches out her hands to the needy.

21When it snows, she has no fear for her household, 

for they are all clothed in scarlet.d

22She makes coverings for her bed; 

her clothing is fine linen and purple.

23Her husband is known at the city gate, 

where he sits among the elders of the land.

24She makes linen garments and sells them; 

she delivers sashes to the merchants.

25Strength and honor are her clothing, 

and she can laugh at the days to come.

26She opens her mouth with wisdom, 

and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

27She watches over the affairs of her household 

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

28Her children rise up and call her blessed; 

her husband praises her as well:

29“Many daughters have done noble things, 

but you surpass them all!”

30Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, 

but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

31Give her the fruit of her hands, 

and let her works praise her at the gates.

 The Lord [b]has been mindful of us;

Some hard instructions this morning. Shall we make a conscious effort today, to put others first? 

May God bless you! 

* What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? Psalm 8:4

* What is man that You should exalt him, that You should set Your heart upon him. Job 7:17

* O LORD, what is man, that You regard him, the son of man that You think of him? Psalm 144:3

That is why I am suffering as I am. 

Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day. 

2 Timothy 1:12

Do you know whom you have believed?

 Cast your cares on the Lord

and he will sustain you;

 1Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

3But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.   

For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 

 6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.  7Therefore do not be partakers with them.

Ephesians 5:1-7

* One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace will have the king for a friend. Proverbs 22:11

* Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Matthew 5:8

* Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from the God of his salvation.… Psalm 24:3-5

* Righteous lips are a king's delight, and he who speaks honestly is beloved. Proverbs 16:13

* The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him. Ecclesiastes 10:12

Dear Father in heaven: Thank you for this day Lord! Thank you for this time together communing with you one on one Lord. Dear Lord we just learnt about the blessings in store for those with a pure heard and who speak with grace Lord. I want a pure heart Jesus. I want to speak with grace Lord. Please give me a pure heart this morning Lord. Please clean me once again Lord. Please touch my tongue so my words are graceful Lord. Thank you Jesus you are able to make me whole again Lord. I love you Jesus. I praise you Savior! I give you all the honor, glory and praise Lord. In Jesus Christ our Lord's most precious name I ask, amen.

 During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants, and his eleven sons, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, along with all his possessions.

So Jacob was left all alone, and there a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower Jacob, he struck the socket of Jacob’s hip and dislocated it as they wrestled. 

Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”

But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

“What is your name?” the man asked.

“Jacob,” he replied.

Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men, and you have prevailed.”

And Jacob requested, “Please tell me your name.”

But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed Jacob there.

So Jacob named the place Peniel, saying, “Indeed, I have seen God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”

Genesis 32: 22 - 30

What an awesome encounter it would be to see God face to face! Here Jacob had that privilege. And he aptly perseveres to be blessed by God Himself! Shall we seek such an encounter with God? Shall we desire to experience His very presence? 

Is anyone among you in trouble? 

Let them pray. 

Is anyone happy? 

Let them sing songs of praise. 

Is anyone among you sick? 

Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 

And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. 

If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. 

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

James 5:13-16

 1Make a joyful noise to the LORD, 

all the earth.

2Serve the LORD with gladness; 

come into His presence with joyful songs.

3Know that the LORD is God. 

It is He who made us, and we are His;a

we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

4Enter His gates with thanksgiving 

and His courts with praise; 

give thanks to Him and bless His name.

5For the LORD is good, 

and His loving devotion endures forever; 

His faithfulness continues to all generations.

 1Blessed is the one

 “So you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. 

And I will take sickness away from the midst of you. 

No one shall suffer miscarriage or be barren in your land; 

I will fulfill the number of your days. 

Exodus 23:25,26

Shall we say amen to these wonderful promises given to us this morning?

Amen Lord. Thank you Jesus for your promises which are yes and amen. 

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: 

* Everyone should be quick to listen, 

* slow to speak and 

* slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 

Therefore, 

* get rid of all moral filth 

* and the evil that is so prevalent 

* and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

* Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. 

* Do what it says. 

Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. 

James 1:19-25

Take away for today is: let us be doers of the Word not just hearers only... 

Enjoy the weekend folks.

At that time the Feast of Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple courts in Solomon’s Colonnade. 

So the Jews gathered around Him and demanded, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

“I already told you,” Jesus replied, “but you did not believe. The works I do in My Father’s name testify on My behalf. 

But because you are not My sheep, you refuse to believe. My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. 

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand. 

My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 

I and the Father are one.” Joh 10:22-30

Do we listen to the voice of our Lord Jesus Christ this morning? The gentle prompting, the nudge of the Holy Spirit, is God speaking to us. Do we know His voice? Do we follow Him?

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 

For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

Colossians 2:6-10

Let us hold fast to our faith. The very basics of our Christian walk are:

* Believing in the holy birth of our Lord Jesus Christ - 100%

* Believing that Jesus Christ our Lord, though sinless, died for our sins - 100%

* Believing that our Lord Jesus Christ resurrected the third day - 100%

* Believing that our Lord Jesus Christ lives - 100%

* Believing that He will come again to take us home to live forever with Him - 100%

Any "gospel" or "philosophy" outside of these fundamentals is of no use. Do not even engage in such discussions. Stay strong in your faith. May God bless you!

To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ 

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at this glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is vindicated by her actions.” Matthew 11:16-19

Our Lord must have watched the children at play in the market-place, and have been grieved when a discontented spirit had been manifested by some of them. He had seen how no effort on the part of their companions could move these obstinate children from their sullen mood. And now he finds the behavior of the children to be typical of that of their parents. 

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SATISFY THE UNSYMPATHETIC. The disagreeable children can be enticed by no action of their companions. They will not dance to the gay music nor join in the mock mourning. A third method would be equally unsuccessful, because they are not to be pleased. 

They are sitting; there is always something wrong with children when they sit down for long; the life has gone out of them. Similarly there are people who are dissatisfied with all methods of religious work. 

Old staid methods are dull and gloomy to them; new and more lively methods are unseemly and irreverent. From the sobriety of the Quakers' meeting to the unrestrained fervor of a Salvation Army meeting they cannot discover any worship to suit them, and they find fault with all ways of conducting Church services. 

If some one could invent a new style of worshipping God this would be of no use for the discontented people. Their discontent lies deeper. 

The children had no mind to play; these people have no mind to pray. Therefore we shall not reach them by new methods. They are in a hopeless condition unless we can touch their hearts and lead them into a better state of mind. It is useless to pander to their prejudices. Perhaps at present all we can do is to pray for them. 

~ An excerpt from a sermon by W.F. Adeney

Let us not be discontent like the children in the market place example above that Jesus is talking about. Let us cheerfully worship our Lord through our ups and downs.

* Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, But a honest weight is His delight. Proverbs 11:1

* You must not use dishonest measures of length, weight, or volume. You shall maintain honest scales and weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. Leviticus 19:35-36

* Differing weights and differing measures-- the LORD detests them both. Proverbs 20:10

* Honest scales and balances belong to the LORD; all the weights in the bag are of his making. Proverbs 16:10

Enough scriptures on the topic I believe. The point to ponder today is, how honest are our measures? Are we partial to any of our children? How do we treat our subordinates? Do we have double standards - a relaxed one for us and a more stringent one for others?

Let us be careful not to have differing scales in our day to day life, which our God detests. If our scales differ let us balance them correctly so our Lord can delight in us. 

Amen!

 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 20:24,25

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16

Now that we are all used to online services most people get comfortable staying home and watching a service online, instead of actually being present in person.

There is a whole another dynamics when God’s children come together to worship Him as a church. Please do not neglect the fellowship of believers.

Let us pay attention to the instructions from God’s word this morning at the coffee table.

God bless you all! Love you all - my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus! ❤️

*Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. 

*Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. 

*Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.

*Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. 

*Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” . So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” 

*Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 

*Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Hebrews 13:1-8

Precise instructions for different areas of our lives. Let us be sure to follow. God bless you!

O LORD, our Lord how majestic is Your name in all the earth! Psalm 8:1

O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! Psalm 8:9

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.  Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose.

When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, presuming that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself! We are all here!”

Calling for lights, the jailer rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.” Then Paul and Silas spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house. 

At that hour of the night, the jailer took them and washed their wounds. And without delay, he and all his household were baptized. 

Then he brought them into his home and set a meal before them. So he and all his household rejoiced that they had come to believe in God.

Acts 16:25-34

Any one here who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ but hasn't been baptized,  I encourage you to commit to baptism at the earliest you can. Baptism is nothing but an outward proclamation of our inward faith. It is a bold statement we make in front of the Church and public that we stand for the Lord Jesus Christ. It is act that "sets us apart" as a child of God. The very basic step of obedience God expects from us.

 Would you? Please do.

Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it is not because you saw these signs that you are looking for Me, but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 

Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.”

Then they inquired, “What must we do to perform the works of God?”

Jesus replied, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.” John 6:26-29

Simple is it not? To do God's works. 

Now, are we? Do you believe in Jesus - the One God had sent for us? 100%?

Amen! May God bless you and keep you safe. 

And to the one who overcomes and continues in My work until the end, I will give authority over the nations. Revelation 2:26

 For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD, and the LORD examines all his paths. Proverbs 5:21

O LORD, how my foes have increased!

How many rise up against me!

Many say of me,

“God will not deliver him.”

But You, O LORD, are a shield around me,

my glory, and the One who lifts my head.

To the LORD I cry aloud,

and He answers me from His holy mountain.

Psalm 3:1-4

The land that you are entering to possess is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and irrigated on foot, like a vegetable garden. 

But the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks in the rain from heaven. 

It is a land for which the LORD your God cares; the eyes of the LORD your God are always on it, from the beginning to the end of the year.

So if you carefully obey the commandments I am giving you today, to love the LORD your God and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will provide rain for your land in season, the autumn and spring rains, that you may gather your grain, new wine, and oil. And I will provide grass in the fields for your livestock, and you will eat and be satisfied.

Deuteronomy 11:10-15

Let us make a decision to love the Lord much more this year. Let us strive to get closer to Him; there is no greater joy than the presence of the Lord. Then we will have a blessed and prosperous year ahead!

Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33