Pastor Bart Spencer

Here are two verses that teach a vital truth regarding our relationship to the sin in our life:

1Ki 8:33  When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house:

1Ki 8:35  When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them:

God desires fellowship with us each day of our lives. However, this fellowship will only occur on His terms. Therefore God presented to us a clear and ready way to maintain a daily walk with Him in spite of the fact we sin every day of our lives. When the Holy Spirit convicts you of sin, righteousness, and judgment to come instantly humble yourself under the mighty and merciful hand of God and repent of your conduct. Instantly you will be restored to a sweet fellowship with God. You will go from darkness to light in an instant! As quickly as you were forgiven when you received Christ that very same swiftness will restore you to a right standing with the Lord.

2Sa 15:31  And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.

2Sa 15:32  And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head:

2Sa 17:7  And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time.

God stands ready to hear and answer our prayers and to meet our needs. Here is one of many examples from the inspired Word of God to validate this truth. David, continuing to suffer for his sin with Bathsheba, has been informed that one of his confidants and spiritual leaders has betrayed him and is now working for his adversary. David is ascending the Mt of Olives when he receives the news. He instantly sends a prayer to the Lord to confound his former confidant’s counsel. By the time he reaches the summit of his climb a man comes from out of the crowd to express his devotion to David during this time of great trouble. David, ever tender to the Lord, realizes this to be a possible answer to his prayer and seizes the opportunity. His prayer would be answered as a result. I wonder how many of our prayers we assume are not answered when in reality God was answering them through circumstance and situation. Today, when you pray for a need, be sure to remain sensitive to the people and places God brings into your life as vehicles God is using to deliver the answer to your request.

2Ti 2:11  It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:

2Ti 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

2Ti 2:13  If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

It does us well to take time each day to remember just how gracious God is to us. Consider how unfaithful we are toward Him. His has given us His Word and men gave their very lives to protect and produce it. Yet, consider how little we peruse it let alone meditate on it. Yet, God loves us in spite of our casualness toward His word. Recently the news is telling us of a new religious movement headed by the rapper Kanye West. His wife stated that it should not be construed as a church service but more of a spiritual healing event for her husband. She said it does not entail any sermons or preaching of any type but is solely a music fest with a Christ theme. While I am glad for any who seek to draw near to the Lord I cannot escape the truth that people hear the gospel by way of a preacher (Rom 10:14) and that which the world considers to be foolish (preaching) is the very vehicle God selected to deliver His salvation message (1Cor 1:18,21). Never forget there are no actions or inactions that will cause God to love us either less or more. God loves us perfectly but the very fact that God abides faithful toward His unfaithful children should move His unfaithful children toward a faithful life. God has earned our love and devotion. Give Him your life today and then leave it in His hands!

1Sa 18:13  Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.  

In this passage we are introduced to a leadership principle that is essential to our success with those we influence.  You will remember that it was said of Saul that he had hid himself ‘among the stuff’ when they were looking for him to come forward as king.  In another situation, when the giant Goliath was defying the armies of Israel King Saul, who himself was head and shoulders taller than everyone else in Israel, was found in his tent.  Time and again Saul is found to be aloof from the people he was called to lead.  The responsibilities assigned to leadership in any position can pressure one to become introverted and lose focus on the social aspect of their position.  God has created us as social creatures and therefore fellowship and social interaction are essential to a balanced and successful life.  David was a man that remained in the presence of the people.  Upon returning from battles he did not hide in his tent or among his small circle of friends but placed himself amid the people, sharing with the stories of his forays into the enemy.  He shared stories of God’s grace and provision and in doing so built the faith of the people in their God.  It is important that we place ourselves in the presence of those in our circle of life.  Whether it be our spouse, children, church members, co-workers, etc., we must keep ourselves in the public forum to allow others to accept us and allow us to edify them.  Hebrews 10:25 says it this way, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”  And Solomon stated the principle this way in Proverbs 18:24, “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”

(2Cor 4:7) “…We have this treasure in earthen vessels”

Here Paul is reminding his readers of the great privilege they have in being a child of God.  The moment one repents of their sin and accepts the truth that Jesus is their ONLY HOPE for forgiveness with God a marvelous transaction occurs.  That which was spiritually dead within the person is born again.  Where we were dead in trespasses and sins we are now made alive.  That which makes us alive is none other than the Spirit of the Living God.  While there remains nothing good in us there is, at the same time, a special Treasure that we now possess.  The Holy Spirit of God takes up permanent residence within the new believer and now, though your flesh remains corrupt and decaying, yet that body is now the storehouse of Almighty God in the person of the Holy Spirit.  No matter what others may say about you, please remember that you have an unbelievable Treasure in your earthen vessel.  You are not worthless to God, you are the very temple in which He dwells!  Be encouraged, God wants to work through you today!

Ruth 2:5 “Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?”

God knows where you are!  This week as you step out to face the adversaries of the faith it will do you well to remember this precious truth.  Boaz, a type of our Blessed Lord and Saviour, was visiting His fields where His servants were repeating.  Of the dozens or hundreds working in His fields Boaz (Christ) took notice of one particular maiden.  She was not like the others but rather than dismiss her Boaz, through grace, took special note of her.  There is nothing in you nor anything done by you that merits God’s favor (grace) toward you.  He, very simply put, loves you!  That’s it…that’s all…God loves you!  He knows where you are and He knows the struggles you face.  If we have His attention we know we have His protection.  Paul said it this way, “All things work together for good to them that love God…”. There is nothing that comes into the life of a child of God that does not first pass through the loving and providential hands of our Lord.  Be encouraged, God knows Where you are and He is using you!