(Psa 33:12)  Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

     America’s roots are in God and His word and because we began that way God’s hand of blessing has been upon this nation and the many who have found refuge in it and owned it as their own land. The Scripture is clear, “blessed is the nation whose God (Elohim – the all-powerful Creator of all) is the LORD (Jehovah – the self-existing One). A sign recently mistakenly read: “Blessed is the nation whose God is their Lord.” This could mean any country that worships any god – such as Arab countries or India and etc.

America’s boundaries were established by the Founders of this nation – Godly Christian men and God-fearing men – who knew that any nation is doomed that does not put the Creator God first and the truths of this Creator God into the very fabric of a country’s life. So they set boundaries to guide this infant country toward a path of blessing. Some of those boundaries involved the qualifications of those who were to serve in

1 Peter 2:5 (KJV)  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 

      Peter tells us that we, the corporate church and individuals, are designed for the purpose of offering up acceptable sacrifices to God. The animal sacrifices of the Old Testament had certain criteria that they had to meet in order to be acceptable to God. But, the sacrifices that Peter is talking about are not animal but spiritual sacrifices made acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Only as we remain in Christ are we acceptable to God and only those sacrifices made as part of our life in Him is acceptable.

      Prayer -- Our prayers are precious to Him (Rev. 8:4; 5:8). Prayer is not only a privilege to us who were once outside the family of God and actually enemies of God, but it is also a command. We are privileged to present our petitions to God as a son/daughter and have confidence He hears us. The righteous should not fear to call upon God – “The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them

(Mat 26:6-13)  Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, {7} There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. {8} But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? {9} For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. {10} When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. {11} For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. {12} For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. {13} Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

      Our text today is about a woman who did something extravagant for Jesus that He said would be a memorial for her wherever the gospel would be preached.  It was extravagant in its cost and the sacrifice

(1 Sam 1:1-2)  Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite: {2} And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

       We will look at Hannah one of many in the Bible as an example of motherhood. Booker T. Washington said, If I’ve done anything in life worth attention, I feel sure that I inherited the disposition from my mother. He recognized the great influence his mother had upon him. Mothers do not become successful by learning a 10-point lesson on raising children. Success is related to who they are more than what they accomplish. Hannah is an example of this principle.

      Hannah was a woman who desired to be a mother but was barren and she was a woman under trial.  She was grieved because she could not bear children. Too often today young girls are urged to seek a career and let motherhood be only a second thought or “secondary

Acts 1:3)  To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

      Before His crucifixion, Jesus had told the disciples that there were many things He had to tell them but they were not able yet to bear (pick up, carry) them – “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. {13} Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.” They would need the presence of God’s abiding Spirit to enable them to comprehend it. This is similar to what Jesus told Nicodemas – “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (See means to comprehend or understand).

      During those forty days Jesus was teaching, perhaps opening their understanding about the Kingdom of God and maybe even elaborating upon the numerous parables that He spoke pertaining to the kingdom. Before His death the

(Mat 28:1-7)  In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. {2} And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. {3} His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: {4} And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. {5} And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. {6} He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. {7} And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.

      In the Easter season of 1874 a Baptist minister by the name of Robert Lowry was so impressed by the passage in Luke 24:6-7 that he found himself sitting at an organ composing

(Heb 12:24)  And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

There are three references to the blood of Abel in the Bible, each indicating that the shedding of his blood by Cain was a type of the shed blood of Christ. The first mention of blood in the Bible is God’s accusation of Cain killing Abel and the blood speaking to God (Gen 4:10).

      God does not over look the shedding of innocent blood. The Bible speaks of the shed blood crying out to Him (2 Ki 9:26; Psa 9:12; 72:12-14; Heb 11:4. If an innocent person is found dead without as city, God gave instruction for an inquisition to the closest city to discover the person guilty of shedding that blood and a sacrifice was to be made in order to deliver that city from consequences from God (Deut 21:1-9). God does not want innocent blood to be shed and He made provision for the protection of a person to be kept safe from what we call an accident (Deut 19:9, 10). God also

2 Corinthians 6:17-18 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, ¹⁸ And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

      The doctrine of separation from the “unclean thing” is lost or ignored by most Christians today. There are few churches that teach or practice Biblical separation. In a technological world and work place, it is not easy to always discern our separation. In the context of the text Paul is warning about being unequally yoked together with unbelievers and urges us to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2 Cor 6:14; 7:1).

      The Bible speaks of “unclean things” in various verses and referring to different matters. Although often times they refer to literal unclean things – things that are dirty, contaminating or actual garbage or waste – they are representative of spiritual uncleanness.

      Passages dealing with uncleanness: Leviticus 5:1-2 “ . . .  if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is

(2 Tim 4:2)  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 

        Paul was writing to young Timothy from a Roman prison, where he was awaiting his execution. Though he was facing certain death, Paul was still concerned for Timothy and all others under his tutorage and desired to give guidance and instruction to them. Paul knew from experience the need for this teaching as he was first a practitioner of it before giving it to others. In the face of the incipient apostasy of the day and also in the moral and spiritual decay of today, Paul’s words are very appropriate.

      The word used here is translated several ways in different verse – be present, be at hand, come upon, to stand by. The main idea is simply “be there, doing what needs to be done at the time it is needed”. In the context, it means Christians are responsible to be there with the right words from the word of God – words of exhortation, doctrine, reproof (if needed), even words of sympathy; words given patiently, even when rebuffed by the hearer. Paul tells us that

2 Peter 1:5-8 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; ⁶ And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; ⁷ And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
⁸ For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

        Many Christians, young and older, experience doubts and uncertainty and sometimes look back to where the Lord has brought them. They experience an up and down walk with the Lord which causes more doubts and uncertainty. If the condition persists they may end up returning to their former life and become disillusioned over spiritual life.

        Peter gives instruction to help those in this type of situation of experience and says if what he instructs is followed the person will be fruitful, fulfilled and remain on the pathway to heaven. The people Peter addresses are Christian but struggling in their walk. One misunderstanding some have is to think that Christians are always up and never experience valleys in their life. Christians experience valleys but we should not

(1 John 3:19)  And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

      John tells us that we can have assurance before God, but there is a chain of reasoning with it. In the text verse he says “we shall assure our hearts before Him.” But it is the end result of his other teachings/exhortations to Christian love in action. In verse 18 he says “if we love the brethren in deed and truth”. A lack of that heart assurance condemns us – verse v20 – and if our heart does not condemn us then we have confidence toward God.

      The word for assure means to persuade and the word confidence means free speaking. Being persuaded means there is no doubt – we know that we know Him. Free speaking is to be able to say anything; this speaks of prayer. Too often Christians like to claim assurance before God without following God’s commands or even simple Christian etiquette  to be able to possess it. They profess assurance loud and long all the while their hearts are condemning them because of some interpersonal problem they have with another Christian

(2 Cor 11:1-4)  Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. {2} For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. {3} But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. {4} For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

      The Jesus of most T-shirts, bumper stickers or other “showy” things is not the Jesus of the Bible. The Baby Jesus in the manger at Christmas time or the “buddy” Jesus of Nashville singers, or the “success-counseling Jesus of prosperity/positive preachers. The popular Jesus may be the romantic Jesus of the Christian crooners, the rhythmic Jesus of Christian rock, or the reforming Jesus of liberals. But none of these are the real Jesus preached by Paul Who saves people from

(Mat 6:33)  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

      Jesus came preaching the kingdom saying, “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” The King was present and He was calling upon all to repent and prepare for God’s coming kingdom. John preceded Him preaching repentance and preparing the way for His coming to Israel. Many went out to John and were baptized of him and seeking to know what to do – “And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?” John proceeded to give them various instructions.

      Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount in which He taught many kingdom principles and exhorted His hearers to seek God’s kingdom first and foremost. In this sermon, Jesus gave possible distractions to seeking God’s kingdom and urged a continual pursuit of the kingdom.

      A first priority. Seeking God’s kingdom first means also seeking His righteous. Paul said that the Jews tried to establish their own righteousness – “For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of

(Psa 116:8)  For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.

      The Psalmist testifies to what the Lord has done for him. Verses 3 & 4 describe what he was going through at the time. We can all relate to this to one degree or another. The word sorrow means first, a cord, rope, territory, but also carries the idea of pain, travail, sorrow. The psalm has no heading to indicate that it relates to a particular time, but if David is the author, we may assume it was during a time of great trouble and perhaps danger for him. He was surrounded by these troubles and he probably felt that his death was imminent. He was experiencing all the emotions and pains that went along with his situation. Then he cried unto the Lord and sought refuge in his God.

      When we call upon the Lord for salvation, He is gracious and merciful to save us, redeeming our souls from the sorrows and pains of hell. But God does far more than just redeem our souls and save us from hell and eternal punishment. That is