When we are reconciled to God our minds have been renewed, our ways have been channeled in the ways of the Lord, and therefore, we should walk worthy of the calling to which we have been called. We should not receive God’s grace in vain; we should not touch what is unclean; we should daily cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and the spirit and perfect holiness in the fear of God. All of us who have been born again were borne out of sorrow, but godly sorrow, we are here because in the accepted time God heard our cries and in the day of salvation he helped us, so that we could give him the honor and glory for our godly sorrows which produced repentance in us and led us to salvation. Thank you, Lord, for new birth, thank you for mercifully accepting us as joint heirs with you, help us to never look back, but to look ahead, beholding the all things that have become new to us in Christ. Praise the Lord!

Just like Paul’s experiences, Satan sends messengers to stop our blessings, but we only see the trouble,  and not the blessing in it, sometimes the burdens we bear seems intolerable, and we ask the Lord to deliver us, but, the burden is not lifted, it is increased. Why? Because God is saying to us, “My GRACE is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”  So I am encouraging those who are weak this morning, to shout out, “I am strong in the Lord, for his strength will perfect my weakness.” Help us, Lord, to take pleasure in our infirmities, in our reproaches, in our needs,, in persecutions and in our distresses; help us to persevere knowing that the discomfort is only for little while; that God is perfecting us, that God is increasing our faith; therefore, be of good courage and know that God will strengthen your heart for any problem that you will face; boast in your infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon you. Praise the Lord!

God has called each of us not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ before time began. Therefore, if we have been called to his purpose we must serve Him without fear or shame, we must be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, we must be confident in whom we believe, and be persuaded, that the God whom we serve is able to make us fit for any task he has set before us and see it to completion. Therefore, be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth; be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.

Scripture reminds us that now abideth faith, hope and love, but that the greatest of these is love. Many of us profess to be faithful, and hopeful, but are we lovely? Faithfulness is between you and God, so is hope, but to be lovely involves loving ourselves and others. It is easier to love from the lip than from the heart, because loving from the heart makes us vulnerable and open to being hurt and deceived, but God says without love we are nothing. It’s no wonder that scripture encourages us to be kind to strangers, for if we are kind to strangers we expect nothing in return, and our reward will be greater in heaven, but many are reluctant to love or be kind to strangers because there is no earthly reward, but know that when we give from the heart to those we know and love, we expect to have it returned to us and we are most times disappointed. Why? Because true love is not puffed up, does not parade itself, nor seeks its own, and therefore, if loves is puffed up, paraded or self-seeking, it becomes nothing more than a sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. Let us then pursue the things that make for peace and love and build up the common life. Amen!

Lord, we come to you this morning, and we lay before you all the idols that we keep in our hearts which makes us estranged from you, we lay down all the evil desires of our hearts which causes us to stumble, we will no more profane your name, we will instead do good works which will bring honor and glory to your name. Lord, we are blessed, in that though we have sinned you will mercy and pardon us. Lord, this day, we come to you with repentant hearts, we will turn away from our idols, turn away from all abominations which grieves your Holy Spirit and call upon you, and you promised that you will answer us and cause us to no more stray away from you, that we will no longer be persistently unfaithful to you, that we will be your people and you our God forever. Amen!

Open our eyes Lord to behold your goodness.Every day we are faced with new challenges, but how many of us are able to thank God for those challenges? We focus so much on the challenge that we miss the blessing in it. Today we will not allow the challenge we face to discourage us, we will not break under its yoke, we will instead go through it valiantly, for trouble don’t last always and this too shall pass; but, we must go through it, in order to see the blessing in it and give thanks to the Lord who will indeed sustain us through it all. The Lord is good and his mercy endures forever. Let’s just praise the Lord!

Lord, your word is a light unto our feet and lamp unto our path, your word teaches us the way, shows us the truth and leads us in the light. Lord, we want to abide in your tabernacle, we want to dwell in your holy hill, so help us to walk uprightly, to do righteous works, to speak truth from our hearts, to keep our tongues from backbiting, keep us far from doing evil to our neighbors, or take up reproach against our friends. Lord, you have assured us in your word that if we keep ourselves from all these things that we will then be able to abide in your tabernacle and dwell in your holy hill, so we pray thee therefore Father, to keep us in your way, so that we may abide with you always. Amen!

My brothers and sisters in Christ, let us press on towards the goal, serving Christ without fear or shame, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are ahead of us. Let us glory in the cross of Christ, being mindful that he laid down His life for us, therefore we should be able to stand up and defend His name, a name that is above all other name. Let us never put anything or anyone before Him, because these things which are worthless will draw us farther away from God and the end thereof will be destruction. All the things that you and I have gained in sin could never be compared to what we have gained with Christ within. Praise the Lord!

^“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” How could we ever forget to thank the Lord for all His goodness and mercy towards us? He forgives all of our iniquities; He heals all our diseases; He redeems us from destruction; He crowns us with loving-kindness and tender mercies; He satisfies our mouth with good things; He daily renews us so that our youth is renewed like the eagles. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He has not dealt with us as we deserve, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.  For the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children, and to such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them. How could we ever forget to thank the Lord for all His goodness and mercy towards us? “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name.”

Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia! Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia! Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia! Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia! Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia! Unto Christ, our heavenly King, Alleluia! Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia! Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia! But the pains which he endured, Alleluia! Our salvation have procured; Alleluia! Now above the sky he’s King, Alleluia! Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!