Responding to God's Faithful Intervention:

God sent the prophets to proclaim His Word Courageously, so follow the prophets’ courageous obedience.
Jer.1:8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.
Be faithful to our faithful God, for when the heart breaks, a close relationship demands faithfulness from both parties.
Hosea 2:19 And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. 20 I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.
God judges sin but shows mercy to the repentant , so identify and turn from the sin in your life.
Hosea 14:9 Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.
Humbly respond to God’s discipline, turning to God in times of chastening.
Joel 1:19 O LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field.
During the dark days of gloom, let God’s Character attributes motivate you to repent.
Joel 2:13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
God expects believers to care for others because He is caring so show compassion to the needy.
Amos 2:6 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes; 7 That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek:...

God expects believers to listen to Him for direction in life, so take time to listen to the Lord.
Amos 3:8 The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?
God is a just, powerful and compassionate judge, so fear and trust God, your Judge.
Amos 9:9 For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.
Pride and envy are evil and should not be part of a believer's life so recognize and turn away from pride.
Obadiah 4 Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.
You cannot run from God, He expects His people to be available, so seek to know and do God’s will.
Jonah 2:7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.
God graciously uses believers even after they fail Him, so respond to failure by submitting to God.
Jonah 3:1 And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying, 2 Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. 3 So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD.
Woe! God detests covetousness and materialism so should you!
Micah 3:11 The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.
After the Tribulation, Jesus Christ will return to establish a worldwide Kingdom so rejoice in the forgiveness of sins and future blessings.
Micah 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Survival Guide for Hostile Territory!

Make a new start after spiritual failure.
Mathew 4:18And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 19And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men
Remember God’s care in trials.
1Pet.1:7That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus
Christ: Walk closer to the Lord by holy living.
1Pet.1:15But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
Fear God and show love to believers.
1Pet.1:22Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
Declare God’s praises by word and by deed.
1Peter2:9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
Submit to authority.
!Pet.2:13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; 18Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

Follow Christ’s example of submission.
1Peter 2:21For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

Do your part to build a strong marriage.
1Peter 3:1Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; 7Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
Build lasting relationships.
1Peter 3:8Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
Use trials as opportunities to testify of Christ.
1Peter 3:15But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
Live in light of eternity.
1Peter 4:7But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
Glorify God in times of trial.
1Peter 4:16Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
Cast all your cares on God.
1Peter 5:6Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Hymn for Early Morning Prayer Meeting

Sweetly the holy hymn Breaks on the morning air;
Before the world with smoke is dim We meet to offer prayer.
While flowers are wet with dews, Dew of our souls descend, Ere yet the sun the day renews,
O Lord, thy Spirit send!
Upon the battle field Before the fight begins, We seek, O Lord, thy sheltering shield, To guard us from our sins!
Ere yet our vessel sails Upon the stream today, We plead, Oh Lord, for heavenly gails To Speed us on our way!
On the lone mountain side, Before the morning's light, The Man of Sorrows wept and cried, And rose refreshed with might.
Oh hear us then, for we Are very weak and frail!
We make the Saviour's name our plea, And surely must prevail.

Marks of Genuine Faith

Live with integrity. God expects us to practice what we believe and teach.
Jas.2:14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
Show resilience in trials. God uses trials to mature our faith.
Jas.1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Resist temptation. God is not responsible for tempting us to sin.
Jas.1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Respond to the Scriptures. True faith shows when we respond to God’s Word by doing it.
Jas.1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Treat others without prejudice. Prejudicial treatment of other people breaks God’s commands and betrays His grace.
Jas.2:1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
Demonstrate your faith by good works. Genuine faith expresses itself in good works.
Jas.2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Use your tongue in God-honoring ways. Real faith will tame our tongues.
Jas.3:2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
Pursue biblical wisdom and solutions. Wise counsel contributes to peaceful solutions.
Jas.3:18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
Reject worldly thinking. Living a worldly lifestyle and loving God cannot mix.
Jas.4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
Devote yourself to God. The fruit of repentance is restoration and joy.
Jas.4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Make plans prayerfully. We should always make plans in light of God’s will.
Jas.4:15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
Exercise love and patience. Loving one another is the command of Christ and the ultimate proof for one’s faith.
Jas.4:11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
Seek to restore the fallen. Brotherly love recovers a wayward brother from sin.
Jas.5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Visions of Glory that We May Know the Lord

We seek to learn Your Word, let it draw us nearer to You. We trust you to provide for our daily needs, and the strength to be in practice what we already are in Christ. Help us to humble ourselves and to turn from our wicked ways, knowing that all come short of Your glory. We acknowledge it is by Your Grace and Mercy that You have saved us. We also know that You hold our spiritual leaders accountable for their words, give them wisdom and the words we need to grow. Lord Jesus we pray that we never rebel against You, knowing that no rebel ever wins. We ask for wisdom and discernment to recognize the devil’s methods to trick us. We want to be obedient to You, because You have willed it so in us. Humble us and let us turn from hypocrisy and pride to follow You, walking in the Spirit. It is in You that we find regeneration, repentance, hope, holiness, and fellowship. It is our desire to live in You always serving at Your pleasure, thanking You for the forgiveness of ours sins through Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ.
Holy Father, we come to You asking for Your help because You are God and nothing is too difficult or impossible for You. You know our schedules, the pressures and pulls of our lives. Yet You tell us how essential it is that we know and understand You and Your ways.
Your Word shows us how You deal with people who are not any different than we. Let us learn from their examples. You gave the Israelites a warning of Your judgments to come through Ezekiel’s visions as You warn us today through your Word. Sinful people we are who cause You so much heart ache, yet You show Your great mercy. Please forgive us for grieving You so, we pray as You warn against sin in our lives that we respond with a truly repentant heart that we will not be afraid to face Your judgments. It is by Your desire that we turn from our wicked way and live.
Father as we study Your Word meet with us in a personal and intimate way, a way that will surprise and delight us, in a way that will equip us for service, a way that will warn us when we are going the wrong direction. We need Your wisdom, Your encouragement, Your strength, and Your direction for our lives. Let us never forget that these come only from You as a gift of grace.
Help us to persevere in our study of Your Word. We know that old serpent , Satan, would love to keep us away from Your Word and a deeper understanding of whom You are. Without a true knowledge of You and Your Word we stand defenseless before our adversary , that liar, deceiver and destroyer, Satan.
We pledge to You our faithfulness in studying Your Word so that we may know that You are Lord of all. Through faith we thank You for what You are going to do as we obey Your Word in our walk. Please, we pray,let this be so.