THE HEART OF DAVID THE BOY

Happy Thanksgiving Day everyone! Remember to take stock of what the Lord has shared with us on this special day! Do not be overwhelmed by the size of today's newspapers, they contain ads for Christmas! Today is a day of giving thanks!
Here is our study guide for today: Thursday: Please find and read the story of David’s anointing in 1 Samuel 16:1-7. In that passage we get a glimpse of how God sees. Do you possess the vision of God in all things? Or do you, like so many, suffer from limited vision? Are you seeing only what you want, without trusting God and God’s vision for your life?
Here is the passage from 1 Samuel 16:1 The Lord said to Samuel, "How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons." 2 Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me." And the Lord said, "Take a heifer with you, and say, "I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.' 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you." 4 Samuel did what the Lord commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, "Do you come peaceably?" 5 He said, "Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, "Surely the Lord's anointed is now before the Lord." 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart."
The key verse is verse 7 where the Lord tells Samuel, you got it all wrong; I'm not impressed with handsomeness, stature, physcial abilities! I look at a person's heart. On that day, God knew David's heart. It was a heart filled with love and trust in Him. It was a heart full of the joy of knowing the strength of God and the ability of God to lead and guide and protect.
May this day serve as the day in which we begin to see in God the things we had not yet seen and to trust like we had never before trusted. May God grant to us that which we need.
PRAYER: Loving Father, forgive me for not seeing as You; I have failed many times to have the heart of David the boy. Fill my heart with joy, love, and trust. Let me see You at work all around me. Let me begin to see You more in others. Let me see beyond myself. I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING DOUBLE ISSUE!

Good day dear friends! I trust this finds most of you ready to receive or go to, family and friends for this holiday weekend. I pray that each of you enjoy a special time of love, fellowship, and joy. May the real reason of this day be on our lips, hearts, and minds. Give thanks!
Here is our Tuesday and Wednesday study and prayer guides:
Tuesday: In Matthew 9:27-31. Read this special healing story. See how the Lord shared new vision with these men who needed it. Could not the same thing happen in terms of our spiritual blindness? Don’t we want the eyes of God to better see and understand the needs of the world? Those who know and walk with the Lord know His power and grace!
Here is the passage from Matthew 9:27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, crying loudly, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" 28 When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to him, "Yes, Lord." 29 Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith let it be done to you." 30 And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly ordered them, "See that no one knows of this." 31 But they went away and spread the news about him throughout that district.
This story of healing involves two men who were blind. They had heard of Jesus' power to heal and thus they went with him to ask for their healing. Jesus' only question to them was about their faith in Him. "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" Their faith was strong and they replied, "Yes, Lord." Jesus touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith let it be done to you." And they received vision! And in a probably unexpected manner, Jesus told the men not to tell anyone about this. Verse 31 says they did exactly what you and I would have done. If you and I had been blind for any significant period of time, no, if you and I had been blind for one day and we were healed by Jesus, we're telling everyone! To overcome such a thing as blindness by faith in Jesus is worth telling everyone.
Jesus continues to heal today. You and I may not have physical limitations on our vision, but spiritually speaking many of us do. Jesus comes to deliver us even from that today. Jesus comes to open our eyes of faith to see the things of God all around us. It may be that Jesus once upon a time allowed your blindness to your sin to be removed and you asked for the sin to be removed. Who did you tell? It may be that Jesus opened your eye to an opportunity that blessed you beyond your wildest dreams, who did you tell?
The most powerful technology being invented and yet to come will never, never, replace the power of one person telling another person what Jesus can do for them. You don't know how much power of influence you have on the lives of others by simply talking to them and telling them about Jesus and what He can still do. What's holding you back?
PRAYER: God of power and might, remind me of what it means to see with eyes of faith Your hand at work all around me. Let me see and let me tell of Your great wonder and work. I pray in Jesus' name, amen.
WEDNESDAY:
For our day of prayer and purpose, take a sheet of paper and make two columns. On one side write down “What I used to know,” and on the other side, “What I know Now.” On the first column write down some spiritual things that you thought you fully understood. On the second column share there the new revelations that have come to you since you have known and walked with the Lord. At the bottom share your thoughts on the difference it has made in your life to have known and walked with the Lord thus far. If you haven’t yet come to Him, this is the exact thing for which you should pray. Ask the Lord to bring blessings of understanding to your life.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.

WHO'S YOUR VISION?

Good day dear friends. In our prayer time, please remember theBaker family. Just a little over a week ago, Jayne Baker's momdied, and on Saturday night her father died as well. This is a mostdifficult time for them so please pray God's comfort be with them.Also Geoffrey Burton has had a difficult time of recover from atonsillectomy. He was operated Thursday and was rushed to thehospital on Saturday with dehydration. Doctors believe he may havebeen coming down with a stomach bug as he was being operated.Please pray for his recovery and healing.Yesterday we started a new sermon series called "The Life That GodBlesses," with "Be Thou My Vision" as the title of the firstsermon. The title comes not only from the hymn but also fromProverbs 29:18 "Where there is no revelation, people cast offrestraint; but blessed are those who heed wisdom's instruction."The biblical character for a good lesson on this was from Luke 19and the story of Zacchaeus. We know him to be, from the Sundayschool song, a "wee little man," but we tend to forget he was awicked and wealthy wee man. Not until he had his encounter withJesus did he understand the constraint of moral living and the post-sycamore tree Z was a better person as a result.Here is our study guide for today: Monday: Jesus spoke of a newlife lived in God in Matthew 25:35-40. In that passage we find areference to a life that cares beyond daily cares of our own tothose of others. Could it be said this is a life guided by thevision of God in the life of those who know and love the Lord?Here is that passage from Matthew 25:35 for I was hungry and yougave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, Iwas a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave meclothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison andyou visited me.' 37 Then the righteous will answer him, "Lord, whenwas it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gaveyou something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you astranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 Andwhen was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?' 40And the king will answer them, "Truly I tell you, just as you did itto one of the least of these who are members of my family, you didit to me.'A new life lived in Christ puts more of a focus on others thanoneself. This passage called the Judgment of the Nations, centerson the very basics of life: food, water, hospitality or acceptance,clothing, comfort and care, and visitation. Jesus says that thosewho care for others, care for Him. It seems so basic for some, butfor others it take a radical transformation to shift their focusfrom inward to outward. Yet, this is the basis of being aChristian, caring for one another. And it becomes an easy shift ifwe shift our guidance from selfish drives to the visionary power ofthe Lord.PRAYER: Loving God, come to my heart and shift my vision towardsYou. Let me care for You by caring for others. In Jesus' name.Amen.Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!e.v.P.S. Those of you in the San Marcos area, please remember thattonight at 7 in our church we're having our Community ThanksgivingService. Come and represent our church!Also, the Puebla Medical Mission trip has set the date for July 8-14, 2007 with an estimated cost of $700 (mas o menos) per person.We need medical person, with a special need for pathologists.

OUR DAY OF PRAYER

Good day dear friends. What an awesome prayer service we had last night! My thanks to those who took time to pray as a body. I know God's Holy Spirit is moving even now.
Here is our prayer guide for today:Friday: For our day of prayer let us pray for all churches in the world that profess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Pray that God would continue to raise up faithful churches in all things. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you today and in all days.
Last night we prayed for all the churches in San Marcos. I reminded the church that we are not in competition with other churches, we are still only in competition with Satan, things that kill, steal, and destroy. Our prayer today should be to ask God to bring faithfulness in every pulpit, righteousness in every Sunday school classroom, obedience in those who serve the church as leaders and officers, and a saving grace knowledge to all who gather to worship. Pray for the professions and walks of life of those who make up the many churches of our community that God might bring them blessings.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.

GOD'S SPECIAL GIFT

Good day dear friends. We continue to study the Corinth church and Paul's urge to share financial assistance to the less fortunate. This came to life last night as we hear our missionaries from Laos share what is going on in that poor country. I was proud of the efforts of our church in starting two important projects, the goat and mushroom project. I also like that the participants of the program are obligated to tithe to the local church in gratitude for what God has shared through our efforts.

Here is our study guide for today: Thursday: In 1 Peter 4:10-11, we find some references to giving and generosity. Please look up that passage and read in it that which would speak to your heart. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you about your life and your heart.

Here is that passage from 1 Peter 4:10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. 11 If you speak, you should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If you serve, you should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. (NIV)

God has first given to us. God has given to each of us a special gift. And each of these gifts should be received as a gift to give beyond ourselves. We are entrusted by God to share in various ways that gift that we have received. For example, Paul says, if our gift is speaking, we should speak "the very words of God" (v. 11) and if our gift is a gift of service, we should do so with the knowledge that God is with us and providing to us the strength needed to make such service possible. Whatever it is that we have as our gift, as we use it, we should use it in such a way that God would be praised through Jesus Christ.

What's your gift? How are you using it? Are you blessing and praising God with it?

PRAYER: Loving Father, thank you for the gift you have shared with me. Let me use it to serve others in such a way that You receive all honor and praise. I pray in Christ Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day!

e.v.

IT IS BETTER TO GIVE, SO GIVE!

Good day dear friends. We continue to talk about assisting the poor and how this was a challenge for Paul to share with the people in Corinth. It is believed the people of Corinth, because of the strong economy, were "new rich." They didn't have status like "old money" but they could support their ministry and beyond.

Here is our study guide for today:

Tuesday: Acts 20:35 quotes Jesus’ saying on giving. It calls to mind an old, old television commercial, and something someone will more than likely share with you as you compile your Christmas list. Please read the verse and ponder in your heart why it was that Jesus said what He said.

Here is that passage from Acts 20:35 In all this I have given you an example that by such work we must support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive.' " (I recommend you read the whole chapter).

Yes, that old commercial, a Fritos (remember them, they're still around!) that had the cartoon character running around trying to get Fritos, saying, "It is better to give than receive, so give!" Glad to know Jesus inspired it. Jesus knew how special it is for those hearts who learn how to share and to give. In some cases it has even saved people's lives. To hoard and keep and be stingy brings about a bitterness that is not good for our body; it is in giving that one receives a liberating and life-giving blessing. In the case of one of America's first millionaires, this man became so wealthy, he didn't know what to do with his money. As a result that worried him and bothered him to the point of illness. He was resigned to die. Yet, a close friend and advisor spoke to him about the truth. He said to his dying friend, "If you will learn to give, you might learn to live." And so it was. He gave and he lived. I believe that had he not learned to give, he would have died a bitter, empty man. And his wealth? Well, it wouldn't have been in a trailer behind the hearse.

How do you feel about giving? Have you stopped to realize how blessed you are? Has God shown you yet the plight of the "weak" in our midst and throughout the world? Wouldn't Jesus' message be relevant to your life?

PRAYER: Loving God of giving, speak to my heart today. Let me know how blessed and wonderful it is to have an attitude of gratitude, and a living for giving. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

Have a blessed and great day in the Lord!

e.v.

OUR DAY OF PRAYER

Good day dear friends. Here is our prayer guide for today: Friday: For our day of prayer let us pray again for our relationship with God and God’s church. Pray for those things mentioned during the entire week. Pray about what you will pledge this coming year!

Here is a sample prayer based on the Psalm:

Loving God, what a special relationship You have with me. You can search every part of me unlike any other, even myself and you truly know me. You know even when I sit down and when I get up from sitting. You can even read my mind. You know when I go out and just when I lay down; you know all about me! Even before I can form a word in my mouth you already know it, O God. You cover me with Your protection on all sides; Your loving hand is upon me so I can feel that I am not alone. This is just too wonderful for me, even at times, beyond my limited comprehension.

Is there somewhere I could go to hide from Your Spirit? Where could I possibly run that I would not be in Your presence? If there was a way I could fly up to the heavesn, you would be there; if I could lay down in the deepest part of the ocean, you would be there too.
If I could rise up on the wings of the dawn, or if I could settle on the far side of the sea, even there your loving hand would still guide me, your right hand would hold me tight, like a loving parent before crossing a busy and dangerous street. Even if I would say "I can hide in the dark, the night will hide me, you can see in the dark; in fact, it's like seeing the brightness of noonday sun for you. It was you, loving God, who created me, even the inner most parts I cannot see. I am the wonderful product of a finely crafted work, as if my grandmother had knitted me, even in the womb of my mother, your creative hand was there. So what can I do? I can praise you because I am made through a cautious and loving, expert hand. I know all your works to be wonderful and I know that fully well. Even my bone structure was known to you when I was being made. When I was being put together in an unexplainable way, you could see the end result of this my body. You knew what lay ahead for me, what choices I would make.

How wonderful it is to me to know your thoughts through your written word, O God! How awesome it is to read them! If I could even begin to count them they would outnumber the grains of sand on the ocean. When I am awake, I am with you. Protect me even when I dream about those who seek to harm or hurt me. Drive them away from my thoughts, dreams, and actions! Even those who do not know you or who do know and dislike you, keep them from the negative feelings of my heart. Search me, loving God, and examine my heart; try me and know what makes me anxious. If there is evil intent in my heart, lead me away from that which can kill, steal, and destroy, and lead me to life everlasting. I pray this in Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day!

e.v.

A FULL FAITHFUL LIFE

Good day dear friends.

We continue to affirm that we cannot outgive God! Here is our study guide: Thursday: In Mark 12:41-44 we find a familiar story of one poor soul and her worship of God in a setting that would have humiliated most of us. Read that story and let it speak to you of what this soul felt as she worshiped God on that day. Why are you different from this woman? What holds you back from giving unto the Lord as you know you should? Is it fear about tomorrow? What you will leave to your children? What arrangements have you made to leave a spiritual legacy to not only your family, but your church family as well?

Here is that passage from Mark 12:41 He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. 43 Then he called his disciples and said to them, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. 44 For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on."

We may have heard some in some churches say, "When we give today, be sure not to make too much noise!" meaning that the speaker wanted folks to place bills of all denominatinos in the plate rather than coins. In Jesus' day, the treasury outside the Temple was a receptacle made of brass that allowed for the money of the day, coins only, to make loud noise. The greater the offering the louder the noise. Jesus is watching a crowd including some rich people put in some large sums. What a noise they must have made! But here comes a widow, a woman whose husband had died, and in those days more than likely the only source of income for her, and she places in two small copper coins, which together are worth about a penny. In our daily use, the penny is usually that brown coin in a cup or holder next to the cash register in most stores, that is used only when the amount being charged needs a cent or so. The talk had been recently that we as a nation spend more money on minting pennies than the one cent that it's worth, so why even mint pennies any longer? The value of a penny has greatly diminished in our society.

But in Jesus' day, this gift represented all the poor woman had. This was her whole life. It is like the story of the widow visited by the prophet Elijah, who was gathering wood for what she believed to be her last meal. Such was the plight of the widow in biblical times. So, this offering was blessed for its act of faith in God. The woman loved God so much that she placed her life in God's hands. I know in my heart that this woman did not suffer as a result of her faith. Great is her place in the kingdom of God!

Yet, we who are in spiritual doubt or in a spiritual fight with God, find that we cannot bring ourselves to trust God enough to give as we should. God cannot be in first place in our lives because our faith and trust in God is not sufficient yet to put our whole lives in God's hands. This morning a dear brother shared a story about a pastor who told a church member who came for prayer about giving, to give the tithe and to bring those bills left over at the end of the 90% and that he, the pastor would pay them. The member did. The pastor asked, "How can you trust God for the salvation of your soul and yet you don't trust God with financial matters?"

How do you live your life? Trusting God with every aspect of your life, or just in some areas? Don't you feel God calling you to faithfulness in full?

PRAYER: Come, loving God into all areas of my life. I trust You with my soul, and I've trusted You to bring me all that I have, let me give as I should. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day!

e.v.

OUR DAY OF PRAYER AND PURPOSE

Good day dear friends. Today is our day of prayer and purpose.

Here is our prayer guide for today:

Wednesday: For our day of prayer and purpose, be in very reflective prayer about your life thus far. What have you done, accomplished, given? Let this be a time of renewal for you, asking God to bless you richly in the things of righteousness. Ask God to use you in ways that bring Him glory as you enjoy each day as a precious gift from God!

GOD AND MONEY

Good day dear friends.

We continue to talk about a spiritual matter that unsettles so many: God and money. We spoke on You Can't Outgive God, and here is the study guide for today:

Tuesday: If you haven’t yet taken Disciple 1 Bible study, you are missing out on a great study on the entire Old and New Testaments. One of the sections of that marvelous study deals with the Exodus and how God formed a people out of the ones who left Egypt. Read Leviticus 27:30 and you’ll get a sense of how this group supported the work of God. Read also Numbers 18:26, Deut. 14:24, and 2 Chronicles 31:5. These all have to do with the tithe. Read and discover what a spiritual blessing is ours when we joyfully return to God the tithe.

Jesus spoke more about money and possessions than He did about prayer. Why do you suppose that is? Did Jesus' Bible speak about money? Well, if you look up the above mentioned scriptures, you will see the answer. Let us look first at Lev. 27:30 "All tithes from the land, whether the seed from the ground or the fruit from the tree, are the Lord's; they are holy to the Lord." Gifts to God are holy? Anything given with love to the Lord is holy. Being obedient to God is holy. Giving the tithe, the ten percent of what we make, is holy. Let's look at Numbers 18:26 "You shall speak to the Levites, saying: When you receive from the Israelites the tithe that I have given you from them for your portion, you shall set apart an offering from it to the Lord, a tithe of the tithe." Another mention of the tithe, this as instruction to the priests. And we find more references to the tithe in Deut. and 2 Chronicles. The reality is that if we hoard our money or withhold our money, the possessions are possessing us. Instead of God being in control, our money or physical possessions is in control of us. Someone said last night, "the ones who complain about mentions of money are the ones who are in spiritual weakness." And that is true.

Ours is a spiritual life that can be lived in the fullness of God if we understand the things of God. Ours will be a sad life if we measure and try to understand things from a human perspective. God and money is a spiritual matter. Our spirit is affected by how we perceive and control our money. As the minister once said to the man who said you continue to preach on tithing, when are you going to stop; when everyone starts tithing is the day to stop preaching on it.

Where are you in your relationship with God?

PRAYER: Loving God who owns the ten thousand cattle on the hills as well as the hills, give us the mind of Christ to understand all things, especially that which pertains to the spiritual matter of money. I pray in Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day!

e.v.

GOD LOVES US!

Good day dear friends.

We continued our study of the Corinth church as this first century church faced twenty-first century problems. Yesterday, we studied a passage on generosity and giving to God. The sermon was entitled, "You Can't Outgive God!" and you can hear it on www.fumcsm.org. Here is our study guide for today:

Monday: How would you close the book on the first half of your life’s story? If you had had a tremendous life thus far and you knew that great, new things were coming, what would you say? Read Malachi 3:6-10 and then chapter 4:1-6. This closes out the Old Testament (The Hebrew Bible). It ends with a tremendous spiritual challenge to God’s people in the 3rd chapter, and then in the 4th promises some great things for the coming years. What are your thoughts on this?

That first question makes one really think. As we prepared to go into worship, Katrina Allison, our Children's Ministry Coordinator, she pointed to the study guide and said, "I really like that question." I said I didn't want to scare anyone, but that does make you think. I wonder if God is going to let me live to be 108?

But what you have done during the days that you've had thus far? In the life of The Bible, the Old Testament was a tremendous history of God's love and the struggle of God's people to stay in that love. The OT closes with Malachi. Here is that passage from Malachi 3:6 For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, have not perished. 7 Ever since the days of your ancestors you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, "How shall we return?" 8 Will anyone rob God? Yet you are robbing me! But you say, "How are we robbing you?" In your tithes and offerings! 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me—the whole nation of you! 10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing."

It's an interesting way to close out the first half of the Bible. Can you imagine a love story closing with charges of theft? The real theft has been the love due God stolen by people keeping it to themselves. Malachi's report of God's words are that the people are robbing God and the affection due God in worship by keeping the tithes and offerings for themselves. The danger is to face the wrath of God for holding back. Should the people return to God what is due Him, God says, "put me to the test...see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing."

Chapter 4:1 See, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But for you who revere my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. 3 And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts. 4 Remember the teaching of my servant Moses, the statutes and ordinances that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. 5 Lo, I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of parents to their children and the hearts of children to their parents, so that I will not come and strike the land with a curse. This passage shares the promise of God for the return of the teachings of Moses and the return of the prophet Elijah. This is accomplished in the coming of Jesus and at His Transfiguration. God never leaving us alone or withouf fulfilling His promises to us.(See Mt. 17:1-6)

What more can we say? God is with us. Are we with God? God is loving us. Are we loving God back?

PRAYER: Thank you, God of love, for your gifts of mercy. Let me this day learn to give back to You. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day.

e.v.

THE GREATEST REWARD

Good day dear friends.

As we being our morning of prayer, please lift up Bill Nicolas in prayer as he undergoes surgery this morning at 8:30 at CTMC. Also, dear friends of the Nicolas, suffered a loss in the death of Bill Kurtz. Please hold the Kurtz family in prayer as the Lord comforts them.

Here is our study guide:

Thursday: In the Book of Revelation, please find chapter 7, verses 9-17. In that passage see how accountability will pay off for those who hold true to the teachings and love of God. Note what verses 15 through 17 stress. In this image of Heaven, we are made to see how we will be the ones who will be worshiping God and glorifying Him!

Here is that passage from Rev. 7:9 After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. 10 They cried out in a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!" 11 And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 singing, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen."
13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?" 14 I said to him, "Sir, you are the one that knows." Then he said to me, "These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. 16 They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; 17 for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

The greatest blessing that comes from our faithfulness to God in being accountable to God, is that of being eternally in the presence of God. John the writer of Revelation, had the opportunity to visit realms never before known. On the Sunday morning, God's Holy Spirit took John to Heaven to see and experience that which is yet to come for us. The vision of these verses is worship and praise to God that never ends and the great fulfillment that comes to those who are there in God's presence. After suffering long and hard the trials of this earth, they've been taken to the presence of God, their robes have been washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb. Their every need from earth have not carried over. No more hunger, no more thirst, no striking from the heat of the sun; a presence before the throne where the Lord sits as our shepherd, who is guiding all to the "springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Our main job is to be faithful to God for God is faithful tous. Ours is the blessings that come from God and the least we can do is to try our best to seek to bless the Lord with our lives. In other wrods to live right, to seek to do what God would have us do. Paul's concern for the Corinth church was that they sought only to do their own will and to please thesmselves. They had no regard for God in their thinking that because Jesus had made them right once with God, they no longer had to worry about anything. And that's just not so. We must seek to serve God with complete love and devotion, knowing our eternity depends on it. But we do it not just for eternity's sake, but because it best serve God and others.

PRAYER: Loving God, make me a person of love and service to other. Let me seek to be Your person in all things. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

e.v.