Why should we care? Welcome to our new 5 part mini-series 'Who Cares Wins' with apologies to the British SAS motto 'Who Dares Wins'. Q. Who cares? A. God cares. God Himself is a carer, we know this from reading the Bible; 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. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Did you notice that there is a connection between loving, giving and caring? God cared enough to become one of us, to live, to die and to break down every barrier between us and offer an unending relationship with Him. Matthew 10: 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. God cares about the small details, pervasive in depth care for each human being. Jesus expresses his loving care this way: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” John 13:34-35 . Jesus gave us a special duty of care towards our fellow believers which includes all your church family. However, there is a wrong kind of care; 1 Peter 5: 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety (cares) on him because he cares for you. God does not want you to be burdened down with worry but rather to put all your cares in a barrel and roll them over to Him and take both hands off! Who cares? The church of Jesus Christ cares for the vulnerable in various ways; For the widows and orphans. For the hungry and thirsty. For the naked. For the addict. For families (including children) including those needing counselling For people with learning disabilities. For sick people including those with mental health issues For the elderly (dementia sufferers) and for the homeless. Everyone in your church fellowship should care for your brother and sister and that includes your leaders! Who cares? We do. Who cares? I do. Prayer; Lord teach us to love like you love, Lord teach us to give you give like you give and Lord teach us to care like you care. Amen

Total commitment to the Lord We now consider what it means to be totally committed to the Lord. It can be summed up in these verses.   Matthew 22:35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ Loving the Lord your God with all your heart all your soul and all your mind means we are to be totally committed with our whole being to the Lord in the following ways: To the Lord personally and to His commandments and will. Loving your neighbour as yourself means being as totally committed to your neighbour's wellbeing as to your own. The sea captains of old were so committed to their ships that when the ship sank, they went down with it. Marriage without commitment will not last. A sports team without commitment will not be successful. A business without commitment is unlikely to succeed. What about your church fellowship? We must commit ourselves to the Lord and to each other for our fellowship to succeed. Learning Points If you want anything to succeed you must invite the Lord into it. When we commit our ways to Him, and keep trusting, it will happen. When we commit our works to Him, our plans will be established. Remember the examples of commitment from the bible e.g. Noah Remember committing usually starts with a prayer, and we keep trusting until the result comes c.f Philippians 4:6-7. Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God ; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Always remember to consult the Lord before starting any battles, projects, or campaigns. Loving the Lord with your whole being expresses our total commitment to him. Loving our neighbour as ourselves shows that God’s love is in us and moving through us. Amen Personal Prayer

Everything we need to know for the marathon of the life of faith The Race of Faith This message is a word of encouragement for us in our Race of Faith! Our key scripture is from Hebrews 12:1-3 which tells us that we are in a race, but not a race in the sense of racing to work or to the shops to get that item we forgot. Our race is a lifelong race of faith which is a marathon not a sprint! Since our context is the book of Hebrews, we will recall that the two of the main themes of Hebrews (unknown author):  1. Jesus Christ is elevated as superior to anyone and anything else, in order to show that he is worthy of our total trust and devotion. 2. All believers are challenged to remain faithful to Jesus despite persecution. This helps us to keep our reading of the scriptures in context. Hebrews 12:1-3 1.Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking* unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3.For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. Our race of faith that began the moment we asked Jesus into our lives, whom the author of Hebrews calls both “the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.” So, the race we are running requires. v1 So like any athlete, we will need to be disciplined; to stay focused and to make sacrifices in order to finish the race in the way Jesus intends us to. The race we are running is the race of faith that began the moment we asked Jesus into our lives, whom the author of Hebrews calls both “the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.” So, the race we are running has: ✓a starting line, where Jesus is present (coaching us for the race ahead / firing the starting gun) as the pioneer of our faith ✓and a finish line, where Jesus is waiting for us (cheering us on) as the perfecter of our faith. ✓And on top of all that there is a prize (eternal life) that will help us be serious in running our race to finish it well. Obstacles in our Race of Faith Hebrews 12:1 …let us lay aside every weight , and the sin which so easily ensnares us… a.      Weights: are otherwise legitimate things that hinder us in our race towards God b.      Sin c.      Losing the plot Let us consider these three points; — First, There are hindrances on our race which are not necessarily sins. Secondly, If we would run, we must put aside these. And lastly, If we would put them aside, we must look to Christ. The Greek word "ogkos" refers to a weight or burden, suggesting that believers must identify and eliminate distractions or hindrances in their spiritual journey. As we all know too well, life itself will provide us with plenty of obstacles along the way, distracting us with all that the world wants to offer us - things that seem more appealing and alluring. This could include our amusements, entertainments, pastimes, and hobbies etc. Self-examination is required. And then there is outright sin - the sin in our lives holding us back, entangling us as if somebody had tied the shoelaces of our running shoes together when we weren’t looking, it's sin that comes to entice us with the promise of something more gratifying or rewarding, but in the end it’s real aim is to disqualify us completely and take us out of the race. In the meantime, perhaps some of us will not have even realised we are actually in a race, wondering why everything is so tiring and why we have not progressed in our faith as we would have hoped to; others will be running at a good pace, calm, focused on Jesus for the distance. We must keep our eyes and focus on Jesus otherwise we might lose the plot and not finish our race of faith. Amen Personal Prayer In Part 2 we find the tremendous encouragement that the Lord has provided for our race of faith.

God has provided all the encouragement we need to succeed The Race of Faith Encouragement in our Race of Faith The writer of Hebrews in 12:1 tells us that “… since we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses …"  Have you ever wondered who this great cloud of witnesses might be? Sometimes people today assume, that this cloud are those who have died who we all know family, friends, and acquaintances, and they are watching us from above ... but this is not what the Bible tells us. The "great cloud of witnesses" mentioned here are actually those first introduced to us in Chapter 11 of Hebrews. The ones who have run the race before us, living lives of faith and dependence on God, until they crossed the promised finish line.  We might picture the scene that we toward the end of our marathon of life have entered the last few laps of the race and entered into the stadium for the grand finish. The life examples of these heroes of the faith cheer us on to complete our race of faith by giving us encouragement to finish. Who are these heroes of faith in the Book of Hebrews Chapter 11? Here are some examples. Abel: First Martyr in the Bible. ... Enoch: The Man Who Walked With God. ... Noah: A Righteous Man. ... Abraham: Father of the Jewish Nation. ... Sarah: Mother of the Jewish Nation. ... Isaac: Father of Esau and Jacob. ... Jacob: Father of the 12 Tribes of Israel. ... Joseph: Interpreter of Dreams. Many others; see verses 30-40… Every person named and some not named in Hebrews Chapter 11 give different examples of from their lives of faith by which they served and glorified God. Let us now consider why their names are recorded in the scripture. They were all fallible people just like you and me. Because they all put their trust in God and watched Him do amazing things - in God’s eyes they are all champions Today, we all are running that same race of faith now, in whatever way God has called us to serve Him, so let us stay faithful as they stayed faithful! Amen Jesus’ Race of Faith Hebrews 12:2 looking* unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame,  and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Run the race of faith like Jesus did! The scripture says Jesus went to the cross for you and for me, despite the shame and humiliation he chose to run His race, He kept His eyes on the prize. “Why?”  verse 2 says, “for the joy set before Him” He saw the prize! His prize - He completed His mission to save us sinners (you and me) and to accomplish the will of His Father, and He is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hallelujah! Encouragement to stay the full course of our race of faith. Profiting from our trials  James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. In James 1:2-4, we as followers of Jesus in the race are encouraged to stay the course: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." More encouragement to stay the full course of our race of faith. Look to Jesus  … and win the prize! Let us make Jesus our only prize, our aim, our life.   Colossians 1:18 says that He is to have first place in everything . We are to set our eyes on Jesus always - confident in the knowledge that there is no better trainer who could have prepared us, no better coach who could be cheering us on, and no better champion gone before us and waiting for us at the finish line to catch us, than Jesus himself! Yet More encouragement to stay the full course of our race of faith.  1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. God always provides an escape hatch when we are tempted. Sometimes we need to ask the Lord ‘where is the escape hatch from this temptation’? So with the help of the Holy Spirit let us stand on this truth - God does not abandon us because we have weaknesses. He works through our weaknesses because He knows we are a work in progress.  Learning Points for our race of faith 1. We are in a life-long race of faith which is a marathon. God has surrounded us with a great cloud of witnesses whose lives are an example to us. 2. We must set aside all our hindrances, weights, and distractions –anything that takes our eyes off Jesus. 3. We must repent and forsake all sins that would hinder our race. 4. We must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus at all times in the race until we run into his arms at the finish line. Amen Personal Prayer   Materials Consulted Jacky Wilson: Blog Post ‘Surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses' www.psalmonesermons.com Derek Prince: Commentary of Hebrews 11 and 12 YouTube. David Guzik: Hebrews 12:1-4. YouTube. Alexander MacLaren: Weights and Sins (Hebrews 12:1) Blue Letter Bible Commentary.

Romans 11:1-36 Daddy God has not forgotten His kids in Israel It was always God’s intention to bring together a remnant of the Jews and a proportion of the Gentiles into one family through Jesus Christ. This chapter outlines the process through which God has led the Jews and Gentiles to get them to becoming one family. The Remnant of Israel 11:1 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me” [a] 4 And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” [b] 5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 6 And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. Despite the disobedience and hard-heartedness of most of the Jews yet God has not totally rejected all Jews for all time because they were His special treasure, and His covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Paul speaking as a Jew himself from the tribe of Benjamin says ‘absolutely not’ [1] . Paul shows that he himself is living proof that as a direct descendant of Jacob’s son Benjamin and as a true blooded Jew, elect and chosen by God, that he is indeed one of God’s special remnants in Israel. Paul goes on to give further evidence that God is not finished with all of Israel but always preserves a remnant. He reminds his readers that even when Prophet Elijah thought that he himself (unlike those killed by Jezebel) was the only godly man left in Israel. It was then that the Lord reminded him that He had 7000 true believers in hiding. So too with Sodom and Gomorrah and Noah’s ark etc. So how do you get to be one of God’s remnant, well it is His call of grace and there is absolutely nothing we can do to earn or deserve it. 7 What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened, 8 as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear, to this very day.” [ c ] The Jews always sought to achieve right standing with God through keeping the Law and of course were unable to do so. Only the elect remnant of the Jews achieved right standing with God through faith but the others, the majority in some ways were hardened by the influences of God. Paul now gives examples of this hardening from Moses and David. Moses spoke of a spirit of stupor that produces mental and spiritual apathy that was still working on the unbelieving Jews in Paul’s day. 9 And David says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them. 10 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.” [ d ] David continues a similar theme in Psalm 69 where he invokes curses on all who hate his belief in and close relationship with God. Such people would be filled with moral and spiritual blindness. David implies such people deserve their fate. God hardens those who harden themselves. Ingrafted Branches 11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. 12 But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring! So does this mean that once a Jew had hardened himself and was in turn hardened by God then they were absolutely doomed and with no way back? Paul declares absolutely not [2] ! Since the Jews had rejected the gospel then God bringing good out of evil rolled out His offer of salvation to the Gentiles. Abba Father planned to make the Jews jealous of the wonderful relationship with God that the Gentile converts were now beginning to display. God was using this ‘tactic’ as blessing to the Jews to bring them to their senses. Only God can bring good out of a great evil. The Jews' sin opened the door for the rich gift of salvation for the Gentiles bringing the spiritual riches of life in the Holy Spirit to the elect Gentiles. Surely the day will come when all the spiritual riches of life in the Holy Spirit will come to each remnant of the House of Israel i.e. the elect Jews. 13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry 14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. 15 For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16 If the part of the dough offered as first fruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy ; if the root is holy, so are the branches. Paul turns his attention to the Gentile Christians in the congregation telling them he is delighted to have them as the main thrust of his ministry but with the bonus of knowing that as God worked through the Gentile Christians this might well stir up the interest of some Jews and hopefully lead them to Christ. Even those Jews who had hardened themselves against the Gospel might in some way driven by envy to embrace what God was already doing with the Gentiles. In the same way as a cake or a plant are a holy offering to the Lord, they represent the whole harvest or tree as far as God is concerned. God is not finished with the Jewish remnant. 17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches , he will not spare you either. Paul cautions the Gentile believers to humbly remember that Israel was the natural tree and only because God allowed some Jewish branches to be broken off was it possible for some Gentile believers to be grafted into the tree. Paul is warning the Gentile believers against pride and is telling them, ‘remember it is the Jewish natural olive tree they have been grafted into. God deals with sin irrespective of our ethnic origin. 22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God : sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. 23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree! Paul warns the Gentile Christians to keep the faith and continue to walk in the kindness God lest they come under God’s discipline. He then turns his attention back to the unbelieving Jews and says that if they turn to God in faith then it is possible for them to be grafted back into the natural olive tree. When the elect Jews repent and turn to God, they will fit into the natural olive tree more easily than the Gentile believers since they were previously reared on the soil of Judaism. All Israel Will Be Saved 25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not think you are superior: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and in this way [ e ] all Israel will be saved. As it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. 27 And this is [ f ] my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” [ g ] The story so far is that the unbelieving Jews have stumbled and fell with the result that God had the Gospel preached to the Gentiles. The elect Gentiles got saved and this somehow drove the elect Jews to turn to Christ in line with God’s plan. Once the God appointed numbers of Gentiles have been saved then God’s focus will return onto the full remnant of the elect Jews coming to salvation though faith and all that remnant will be saved. All Israel will be saved is interpreted in different ways by different people. The most widely accepted theory is that most Jews living in the end times when the full number of the Gentiles having been already converted, will then be saved. Critics of this view point out that it is hard to believe that only Jews living on the earth at that time will be saved. Also the Greek does not support a time frame interpretation. They think Paul was looking at his day and beyond when he wrote this. The idea of a time of mass conversion of the Jews does not fit well with other things Paul wrote. Calvin’s theory : ’All Israel’ refers to the total amount of saved people throughout history i.e. both Jews and Gentiles. It seems unlikely that @All Israel’ should include the Gentiles. A third theory ; held by various theologians [3] that ‘All Israel’ means the grand total all elect Jews throughout the ages. My own preference is for this theory. Jesus Christ a true Israelite came to set mankind free from the bondage of sin and bring them into God’s wonderful salvation through His wonderful New Covenant. 28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. 30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now [ h ] receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. 32 For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. Paul explains that the unbelieving Jews became God’s enemies so the Gentiles could be saved. Then in turn when those Jews who are elect are provoked to jealousy by seeing the Gentiles saved then they become (no longer enemies) friends of God. The gifts and call of God on lives are never lifted off by God. God has remembered His covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Daddy God has it all under control knowing just when and to whom to pour His mercy onto. Doxology 33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and [ i ] knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counsellor?” [ j ] 35 “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” [ k ] 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. Paul’s heart and soul are filled awe and joy at seeing the wisdom of God’s plan for all His elect people through time. God’s plans and thoughts are beyond even the best human mind. Almighty and amazing God is no man’s debtor, nor does He need any man’s advice. All our salvation comes from God and Him alone and it is He who must receive all the glory for this forever. Amen Footnotes: [a] 1 - [k] 11 Romans 11:3 1 Kings 19:10,14 Romans 11:4 1 Kings 19:18 Romans 11:8 Deut.29:4; Isaiah 29:10 Romans 11:10 Psalm 69:22,23 Romans 11:26 Or and so Romans 11:27 Or will be- Romans 11:27 Isaiah 59:20,21; 27:9 (see Septuagint); Jer. 31:33,34. Romans 11:31 Some manuscripts do not have now. Romans 11:33 Or riches and the wisdom and the Romans 11:34 Isaiah 40:13 Romans 11:35 Job 41:11 Footnotes [1] - [3] [1] Meganoito ; Good heavens no! That is the Greek way of expressing a strong negative wish, may it not come to be, good heavens no. Or as Ken Boa puts it; your premise is correct, but your conclusion is wrong! [2] ibid [3] H Bavinck, L Berkhof etc. as quoted in pages 381-382 W Hendriksen’s Commentary on Romans. For full text for printout and access to other chapters please click below https://www.psalmonesermons.com/post/romans-11-1-36

Let us consider the question of Jerusalem and Israel's relevance to the church of Jesus Christ. Firstly let us look to the Psalms for some context. Psalm 122 1 I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord. 2 Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem. 3 Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together: 4 Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord. 5 For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David. 6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. 7 Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. 8 For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee. 9 Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good. Verse 6 The Psalmist tells God’s people to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and invokes prosperity on the lovers of Jerusalem and Israel. But you say that was the old covenant, what does the new covenant say to the church about Israel? Romans Chapter 11 addresses this issue in depth (to see my personal commentary please go to https://www.psalmonesermons.com//post/romans-11-1-36). Very briefly in Romans Chapter 11 We find that Abba Father has not forgotten the Children of Israel. It was always God’s intention to bring together a remnant of the Jews and a proportion of the Gentiles into one family through Jesus Christ. This chapter outlines the process through which God has led the Jews and Gentiles to get them to becoming one family. The Jews always sought to achieve right standing with God through keeping the Law and of course, were unable to do so. Only the elect remnant of the Jews achieved right standing with God through faith but the others, the majority in some way were hardened by the influences of God. Paul now gives examples of this hardening from Moses and David. Moses spoke of a spirit of stupor that produces mental and spiritual apathy that was still working on the unbelieving Jews in Paul’s day. God is not finished with his people Israel Zechariah 12:10 I will bring them (Israel) again also out of the land of Egypt and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them.11 And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away. 12 And I will strengthen them in the Lord; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the Lord. Here is something wonderful for the church from Psalm 122:6 (see above). Jerusalem means the ‘possession of peace.’ Today the church of Jesus Christ is also a ‘possession of peace’. The New Jerusalem Revelation 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. The heavenly Jerusalem is prepared as a ‘bride’. Spiritually speaking, Jerusalem can be likened to the church God is building, which ties in with Zion. Remember that our bodies are temples of Holy Spirit, in other words, God’s dwelling place. A place of giving praise and thanks. This Psalm 126:6 is a special prayer for both Israel and the church. Let us take the actual words of the above scriptures and turn them into our prayer; Lord, in Jesus’ name we pray for the peace of Jerusalem. We pray, for Jerusalem that peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy palaces. Peace be within thee and we shall seek thy good always. Amen Shalom

Psalm 56:8 by guest author Helen Draye Psalms 56:8 NLT "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book." None of us enjoy experiences that cost us tears and often the enemy tries to use these experiences to discourage us and tell us what a mess we've made of everything. Have you been there? Well, God reminded me of these verses, whilst sharing with a friend who is going through a hard time. It’s so encouraging to see how the Psalmist turned it all around and instead of letting the enemy gloat over the situation he was able to see what God was accomplishing through it! What a blessing that the Psalmist shared these things and how we can read ourselves into the same victory that God intends for His children because Jesus has paid the price already for our victory! The enemy IS already defeated!! PSALM 56 GNBUK A Prayer of Trust in God "1 Be merciful to me, O God, because I am under attack. my enemies persecute me all the time. 2All day long my opponents attack me. There are so many who fight against me. 3When I am afraid, O LORD Almighty, I put my trust in you. 4I trust in God and am not afraid. I praise him for what he has promised. What can a mere human being do to me? 5My enemies make trouble for me all day long. they are always planning how to hurt me! 6They gather in hiding places and watch everything I do, hoping to kill me. 7Punish them, O God, for their evil. defeat those people in your anger! 8You know how troubled I am. you have kept a record of my tears. Aren't they listed in your book? 9The day I call to you, my enemies will be turned back. I know this: God is on my side — 10the LORD, whose promises I praise. 11In him I trust, and I will not be afraid. What can a mere human being do to me? 12O God, I will offer you what I have promised. I will give you my offering of thanksgiving, 13because you have rescued me from death and kept me from defeat. And so I walk in the presence of God, in the light that shines on the living." Hallelujah! We can be people of victory! Pastor Colin Urquhart loved to remind us: "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!”. If we are " in Him " we can live in His victory through every experience! He used to demonstrate this using a book, and if you have something enclosed in the pages of that book you are included wherever the book goes and in whatever happens to the book. We are secure in Him! Hallelujah! Amen Prayer Further information: A short history of tear bottles Tear bottles were prevalent in ancient Roman times, when mourners filled small glass vials or cups with tears and placed them in burial tombs as symbols of love and respect. Sometimes women were even paid to cry into "cups", as they walked along the mourning procession. In the Old Testament of the Bible, a reference to collecting tears in a bottle appears in Psalm 56:8 when David prays to God, "Thou tellest my wanderings, put thou my tears in Thy bottle; are they not in Thy Book ?" David is referring to the belief that God keeps a record of human pain and suffering and always remembers our sorrows. Tear bottles reappeared during the Victorian period of the 19th century, when those mourning the loss of loved ones would collect their tears in bottles ornately decorated with silver and pewter. Special stoppers allowed the tears to evaporate. When the tears were gone, the mourning period would end. In some American Civil War stories, women were said to have cried into tear bottles and saved them until their husbands returned. Their collected tears would show the men how much they were loved and missed. The tear bottle tradition has endured for more than 3,000 years. Tear bottles, or lachrymatory, were common in ancient middle Eastern societies. Even today they are still produced in that region. Tear bottles were prevalent in ancient Roman times, when mourners filled small glass vials or cups with tears and placed them in burial tombs as symbols of love and respect. Sometimes women were even paid to cry into "cups", as they walked along the mourning procession. Those crying the loudest and producing the most tears received the most compensation, or so the legend goes. The more anguish and tears produced, the more important and valued the deceased person was perceived to be. Today, lachrymatory tear bottles are given on many occasions - to show joy and delight upon the wedding of a friend or the birth of a new child. To convey love and admiration between a mother and daughter, representing the tears that have been shed between them. To express sympathy upon the loss of a loved one. Tear bottles communicate feelings that few other gifts can. And what's so wonderful is that unlike flowers, a tear bottle will last for years and be a precious and powerful reminder of your love. Guest author/blogger Helen Draye For a print copy and much more please click on the link below https://www.psalmonesermons.com/post/all-your-tears-are-in-god-s-bottle

What can happen when we fail to consult the Lord We now consider two instances where the Israelites did not consult the Lord and created serious problems for themselves The deceit of the Gibeonites Joshua 9:15 So Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them to let them live; and the rulers of the congregation swore to them. 16 And it happened at the end of three days, after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours who dwelt near them. 19 Then all the rulers said to all the congregation, "We have sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel; now therefore, we may not touch them.  21 And the rulers said to them, "Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for all the congregation, as the rulers had promised them." The Gibeonites' deception is a story about the Gibeonites tricking the Israelites into making a peace treaty with them. God had told Israel to destroy all the Canaanite tribes. The Gibeonites were Canaanites who disguised themselves as travellers from a faraway land to save themselves from Joshua's army. They wore old clothes and sandals, loaded their donkeys with worn-out sacks and wineskins, and brought dry, mouldy bread. They then asked Joshua to make a covenant with them. Joshua made a peace treaty with the Gibeonites and guaranteed their safety. Three days later, the Israelites learned that the Gibeonites were their neighbours. Joshua couldn't break his promise to the Gibeonites, but the treaty threatened Israel's covenant with God. The Gibeonites eventually became fully assimilated into Israel as slaves The Israelites did not do an ID check with the Lord to see where the Gibeonites came from. Israel had to make do with the situation they had gotten into-by not consulting the Lord! The defeat of Israel at Ai There were two battles at Ai (see Joshua Chapters 7-8) Israel was defeated in the first battle – due to the sin of Achan However, after repentance Israel, won the second battle Another example where Israel did not consult the Lord was their military defeat at Ai (pronounced as Ai or eye). Israel is defeated by the inhabitants of the city of Ai, and it is revealed that the reason for the defeat is because one of the Israelites has sinned and kept some of the “devoted things” from the spoils at Jericho. Achan, from the tribe of Judah, is found (by lot) to be the guilty party, and he and his household are all executed according to God’s instructions. We need to pay attention to what the Lord is saying in any given situation and of course be obedient to what he has said. Take away points We need to consult the Lord before our battles, major decisions, projects and everything else that is important. Do you consult the Lord in this way? Amen Prayer In Part 4 (our final part) we consider what it means to be totally committed to the Lord.

The Apostle Paul knew where he was headed in life, what about you? Everyone’s life is driven by something! A dictionary definition of driven includes guided , controlled by , or directed by . Think of your car when it is driven by you, hopefully you are guiding it and controlling it every moment you are driving! Today a problem, or a pressure or even a deadline might drive you. You could also be driven by a painful memory, an overwhelming fear (phobia e.g. fear of failure) or even an unrecognized belief or mindset. What would your closest family and friends say drove your life? There are literally hundreds of circumstances, values and emotions that can drive our lives. Here are 5 examples of common ones. Many people are driven by Guilt . They spend most of their lives running away from regrets and trying to hide their shame. Guilt-driven people are manipulated and controlled by their memories. They allow their past to control their future! They often unconsciously punish themselves and even may try to sabotage their own success. After Cain murdered his brother, his guilt caused him to become a restless wanderer. This is perhaps a good description perhaps of many people who wander through their lives without a purpose. We may be products of our past, but we do not need to be prisoners to it. God’s purpose in your life is not limited by your past. God turned Moses from a murderer into a national leader and the timid Gideon into a valiant warrior. I wonder what he is going to do with you and me? God specializes in giving people a fresh start. Oh the joy of whose sins have been forgiven (that is us). Many people are driven by resentment and anger. They hold onto their hurts and wounds and never get over them, instead of dealing with the hurt by forgiveness they replay the offence in their minds. Instead of dealing with the hurt by giving forgiveness they replay the offence over and over and keep it a fresh source of negative emotions. Some people repress their anger and pain whilst others explode with rage. Both responses are unhealthy and unhelpful. Resentment gnaws away at us (like a rat in your soul) and has more effect on the ‘offended’ than the offender. The offended person just stews in their own juice. We must learn to let go of all bitterness and resentment with God’s help and forgive people with His forgiveness. Easier said than done, you might say, but doing the right thing surely leads to health and peace of mind. Many people are driven by fear. Fears come upon people in many ways. Some traumatic experience, unrealistic expectations, superstitions, growing up under dominating people or perhaps some people may be more fearful than others by nature. Many fear-driven people miss out on great opportunities because they are afraid to go out or step out into the unknown. Instead they play it safe every time, avoid every risk and always vote for the status quo. Fear is a self-imposed prison which holds you captive from finding God’s purpose for your life. Perfect love casts out all fear and we have the full armour of God to help us deals with its attacks. Many people are driven by materialism. The acquisition of material wealth becomes the overriding purpose of their lives. Remember the parable of the wealthy man who built bigger barns and planned the good life not realizing his time was up. There is the underlying misconception that more material wealth will bring more happiness, more security, and more importance. It would not take to you too long to find examples of many people who could tell you otherwise. Possessions only bring a temporary happiness, then we get bored with them and want newer, better (or even younger) replacements. Your value to God does not lie in your possessions but in your very life, you are his treasure. What is your treasure? Wealth does not make you secure; you can have a billion in the bank but a need for 1.1 billion arises. Wealth can be lost in a moment e.g. the Wall Street crash. We find our security in our relationship with the living God (we have a written covenant with him that is fireproof, waterproof and event proof). Many people are driven by the need for approval. Some people allow the expectations of their parents, spouses, or teachers or even their friends to control their lives. Many adults are still trying to win the approval of their unpleasable parents (can even happen when the parent is dead). Others are driven by peer pressure to conform to the group or gang. We will never succeed in life by trying to please everyone! Jesus said no man can serve two masters, either we will please God or man. Being driven by the opinions of the others will result in us displeasing God. I am sure you will agree that it too high a price to pay. We must be on our guard for anything driving our lives that would lead to our unfulfilled potential or destiny. We need to live our lives guided and controlled and directed by God’s (and only) God’s purposes for our lives. Nothing matters more than to be in his will and purpose in your life and nothing this world has to offer us can really compensate us for missing his purpose for our lives. Without a purpose, life is motion without meaning . Without a purpose, life is activity without direction . Without a purpose, life has no reason . Without a purpose, life is trivial, petty, and pointless . Benefits of living a Purpose Driven Life Here are 5 great reasons of living a purpose driven life. Knowing your purpose gives meaning to your Life. Life without God and hence without purpose is meaningless. Where there is no meaning there is no significance or hope . Live without purpose is a terrible burden. What hope do the godless have? Nothing really matters. Why should anyone care about anything? Each day would drag on and on! Cancer patients with a strong life purpose and desire to live do better generally than those who do not. God has plans for your life, plans to bless you, and prosper you. Is anything too difficult for him? Knowing your purpose simplifies your Life We can simplify our lives into doing either things that… Please God or do not Glorify God or do not Things that are in obedience to God’s word or not. Any new project, plan or proposal can be measured up against your life purpose by asking will it help or hinder my God given purpose. Without a clear purpose we base our decisions to allocate out time and resources on momentary things such as mood, pressures etc. Isaiah 26:3 You Lord give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you. Knowing your purpose focuses your Life We can become effective by being selective. It is all too easy to become distracted by minor issues. We usually major on the minors. Thoreau said many people live lives of quiet desperation , but Rick Warren has suggested it might be more apposite to say they live lives of aimless distraction like gyroscopes spinning fast but going nowhere. Without a clear purpose we will change relationships, jobs, houses, churches etc. hoping that the next change will make everything all right, but it usually does not. What will help you, will be focusing clearly in on God’s purpose for your life then making any changes based on that. Being focused is more important than being busy. White light is diffuse and not focused and needs a magnifier to get focused, but a laser is highly focused and can cut through steel! God wants you to live your life focused like a laser . Look at Paul, Philippians 3:13, I am focusing all my energies on this one thing, forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. Knowing your purpose motivates your Life Purpose produces passion . Nothing energizes like a clear purpose. Passion dissipates when there is no purpose. Meaningless work wears us out quicker than overwork. G.B. Shaw wrote “ This is the true joy of life; being used up for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one, being a force of nature instead of a feverish little clot of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. ” Which one of these is most like you? Knowing your purpose prepares you for eternity Most people want to be remembered when they are dead. Yet, at the end of the day it is now that what our fellow men think and say of us really matters. All our records, trophies and achievements will eventually be surpassed. Living to create an earthly legacy is a shortsighted goal. We need to build an eternal legacy . We were put on earth to prepare for heaven. Each one of us will give a personal account to God for us our stewardship of our lives [ Romans 14:10]. He will ask you ‘ What did you do with my son Jesus Christ’ ? Did you accept him and what he did for you? Your answer will determine where you will spend eternity. ‘ What did you do with your life ( health, strength, gifts, talents, resources etc .)? ’ Your answer will determine where you will be for eternity. Knowing your purpose will give you the right answers to these questions. Summary Living with purpose is the path to peace and faithfulness. Let us forget what lies behind and focus in like lasers on God’s purposes for our lives. Amen Prayer

How can we commit our ways and our works to the Lord: practical suggestions 1.Start with prayer of committal that draws on your knowledge of God’s character (bible). 2. Let go of how you think the plan should be executed 3. Expect the unexpected 4. There may be a battle for God’s plan to be implemented 5. Keep trusting God for He knows best Practical example for a new children/youth ministry Prayer: Lord, we know that you love children and young people, and you suffered the little children to come unto you. You tell us to bring up our children in the knowledge and admonition Lord we now hand over all our ideas and thoughts of how we can achieve this to you acknowledging that you alone have the right plan. Watch out for unexpected developments e.g. a gifted worker in these areas may suddenly turn up or a facility may be made available. There may be difficulties and problems appearing just when it looks like we have Gods plan Keep believing, keep trusting, God has our prayers covered and will bring his answer at the right time. Abba Father knows best. Amen Psalm 127: :1 Unless the LORD builds the house, They labour in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain. Whatever we do in any sphere of life we must understand that all our undertakings require a total dependence upon God for without the Lord being in charge, all efforts will be frustrated, and all activities will be rendered unsuccessful. Even in terms of our security in all the areas of life we do all that is prudent, but our trust must be in the Lord. A biblical example of Commitment to the Lord: Noah The account of Noah’s commitment was particularly clear. Yes, you know Noah, the man who preached for (120) years about a thing he’d never seen before. If there’s a man that can teach us about how to be committed it would be him. We read his story in Genesis 6:13-9:29 . From Noah we learn three key things: Faith : God says to Noah, “I’m going to destroy the earth, and I want you to build a boat to save all the people who want to be saved as well as, the land animals and birds. Oh, don’t forget and you will also be saving your three sons and their wives.” Investment : The Bible doesn’t tell us what Noah’s day job was. Noah had to source and procure all the things that were needed to build the ark that was estimated to be 450 feet x 75 feet x 45 feet. It would have taken many tons of wood, gallons of pitch and a whole lot of hours to get this project completed. Persistence : Biblical commitment is often called faithfulness-–it’s because we can’t truly commit to something without faith. We have to believe before we can start investing in something. What about our commitment to what God is building in your church fellowship today? Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. In a sense delighting in the Lord also involves him in every situation. Delight in the Lord can be interpreted to mean that: Enjoying God brings contentment: When we delight in God, we find complete satisfaction and contentment in Him. God gives us what we want: God gives us what we want because He gave us the desire to want it. Godly desires are placed in our hearts: When we delight in God, He places godly desires in our hearts. Our desires are fulfilled: When we delight in God, our desires are fulfilled because our contentment is satisfied in Him. The Hebrew verb for "delight" in Psalm 37:4 is a command that charges us to find enjoyment in the Lord. Another Hebrew word for "delight" means to bend toward or incline toward, which is a fitting description of what our attitude should be toward God. Amen Personal Prayer In Part 3 we consider what happened to God’s people when they did not check with the Lord or consult with Him.

If you want to be successful in anything you must get God in it at its inception. Whatever we do for the Lord we must get God himself in on the act. The Lord must be the first guest at any celebration for he is the life and soul of the party. We must seek the Lord for both the direction and the execution of any task he has given us. Unless God is in the task from its inception our plans are going nowhere and will eventually fail. Also, unless the Lord is sustaining all our ministries and service then we are just wasting our time. If God is not involved in any project, then why should we be? Psalm 37: 5 Commit [a] your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. [a] = Lit. Roll off onto. Way= plans and purposes The Amplified Bible Classic (AMPC) edition renders Psalm 37:5 Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass. David wrote this Psalm in his old age and so he is talking from experience. Commitment: Committing to the Lord means to hold nothing back and to trust God completely. Trust: The verse emphasizes the importance of trusting God and placing one's faith in Him. Action: The verse assumes that faith is inseparable from action, and that those who trust God will continue to do what He says. Rolling with God: The Hebrew word for "commit" literally means "to roll". This concept is similar to the idea of "rolling with God". God's care: God can take better care of us than we can do for ourselves. Psalm 37 encourages people to not respond to evil with yet more evil. This psalm is especially relevant when things don't seem to be going our way, and we are struggling forward through a fight of faith Commit your works to the Lord Proverbs 16:3 Commit [a] your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established. Pledge or dedicate your use of energy, mental and physical effort to the Lord, and your way of thinking and intentions will be set up on a permanent basis.   [a] = Roll all your actions–good or bad–unto God and He will arrange your thoughts, purpose, and intentions. The AMPC renders Proverbs 16:3 Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed. Plans should be aligned with truth. The best chance for success is when plans are aligned with truth. Those who submit to God's will are in a better position Those who submit to God's will and seek Him are in a better position than those who ignore or reject Him. Plans should glorify God Plans should include serving other people and using gifts to bring God glory. Trust in God The proverb assures those who worship the true God that their plans will be successful if they place their trust in him by seeking and following his guidance. The word translated into English as "established" conveys the idea of laying a foundation. Amen Personal prayer In Part 2 we consider the practicalities of how to commit our way and our works to the Lord

Jesus is a superconductor of the Holy Spirit. Acts 10:38; God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and he went around doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him. In Luke 4:18 Jesus spoke these words “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor, he has sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” Jesus' mission statement or manifesto was as follows. Jesus came to meet people’s needs Jesus came to meet their need for Salvation Jesus came to meet their need for Deliverance Jesus came to meet their need for Healing Jesus came to meet bind up broken hearts, open blind eyes, and deaf ears, to heal their bruises and to tell them “today is the day of Salvation, if you hear His voice don’t harden your heart”. Jesus came to meet people’s needs and he had the anointing of the Holy Spirit to give the power to meet those needs of the people. Isaiah 10:27 tells us that is the anointing that breaks the yoke (of bondage).  In other words, the Holy Spirit (in believers) supplies the power to change, to save, to set free, and to heal. The ‘anointing’ in a physical sense means a perfume prepared from oil and aromatic herbs and this perfume was poured on the head of the High Priest, setting him apart as holy unto the Lord. This perfume is a picture of the Holy Spirit being poured out onto the head of the believer. Jesus Christ - The Anointed One (Luke 4:18) And we are the Christians the ‘little’ anointed ones. The power of God comes with the anointing. Every good work needs power, from Salvation to healing and deliverance. In the New Testament a miracle is literally a ‘Dunamis’ a working of power. Only God himself, God the Holy Spirit can supply this power to change, heal, to set free and to have this power available to meet the needs of people so we must have the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Summary God wants you and me to meet these same needs in the lives of people, for salvation, healing, deliverance and will give you and me the anointing to perform these works.                 So, what is the limiting factor?                 So, why don’t we see more miracles?                 So, what is the problem? Why was Jesus able to always be successful in meeting the people’s needs? He led a Holy sinless Life. (Psalm 5:4; 66:18) Electricity can flow down wires, but its flow is impeded (we call it resistance) by non-conducting components. Non-conductors produce unwanted heat and so reduces power. Water flowing through a pipe is greatly impeded by blockage in that pipe. The liquid flow can become a trickle if there are leaves and debris in your petrol tank. Such debris will eventually find their way into the pump and stop all power to move in your car. If we consent to evil, give regard, allow, nurture it so will the sin in our lives reduce the power of the Holy Spirit which is able to flow in our ministries and we will not be able to meet the needs of people. God hates sin in all its forms and must turn away from it. Testimony God drew certain mental sins in my life, attitudes of not giving up something that wasn’t right. But the moment I repented and forsook these attitudes (with God's help) I knew a new power and anointing in my ministry. In retrospect, it seems clear these unforsaken sins were significantly hindering the flow of God`s power through me and as a result people`s needs were unmet or not fully met. Dead flies in the ointment Ecclesiastes 10:1 KJV: Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. In this scripture the ointment represents the anointing of the Holy Spirit in the believer's life. The dead flies represent our sins/folly that produce a bad smell so that the perfume cannot perform its function. When the perfume of the Holy Spirit is removed than we have no power to perform the good works commanded by Jesus. We should avoid any foolishness in our lives and maintain a good reputation.                          King David came at this issue in a similar way, speaking of the little foxes that spoil the vine (Song of Solomon 2:15). Application Now, is the time to identify any dead flies in your ointment, asking God to reveal to you, what sins/foolishness that need be forsaken. If you do repent you will experience a new power of the Holy Spirit present within your ministry and that God will use you to meet the needs of people. Such an anointing, when you ask for it, will be available for each circumstance, see the example below. Me: Lord, I have no power of my own, and unless you provide the anointing for this person nothing will happen. They will be disappointed so you so will I. Dis-anointment causes disappointment. Lord: My son and daughter, will you forsake the sin in your life, for I cannot flow through an unclean vessel. Me: Lord, I will, I name them now and with your help I forsake them, thank you for blood of Jesus Christ. Lord: My son, what do you want? Me: Lord I want an anointing of the Holy Spirit with the power to meet this person’s need. Lord: My son, go in faith. God wants you to be vessel for meeting people`s needs. Purge and cleanse your vessel and cast the dead flies out and be filled afresh with the Holy Spirit. See the power of God flow through you and meeting people`s needs, Glory to God. Amen. Personal Prayer