The Morning Watch

1 Samuel 23:14; David stayed in strongholds in the wilderness, and remained in the mountains in the Wilderness of Ziph.  Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 5:8-11)  Proverbs 18:10; The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe. “Thank-you Lord, that we can find a refuge in you at all times!”   Psalm 46:1; God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.

Choices + Consequences   After the time that Amaziah turned away from following the LORD , they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish and killed him there. (2 Chronicles 25:27) After the time…  if only he had continued to follow the Lord! What a tragedy! “ For the wages of sin is death,  but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)  Every day we have a choice to walk with the Lord and follow Him as our Leader, or give into the sinful desires of the flesh. May we remember, and apply these words from Galatians to our daily lives! I say then: “ Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh .” (Galatians 5:16)  In contrast to Amaziah giving into his sinful desires, we have our Saviour, Jesus Christ, the only One who,  “…always did the things that pleased His Father.”  (John 8:29)  “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has...

In a world of darkness, I choose the light.  In a world of evil, I choose the good.  In times of sorrow, I choose joy.  When Satan deceives me, I choose the truth. When fears arise, I choose the Father’s peace. When religion knocks at my door, I choose a relationship with my Creator, through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for the forgiveness of my sin. When doubts arise, I choose to believe.  What or whom do you choose today?  “Today, if you will hear His (Jesus) voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” -Hebrews 3:7, 8

“ When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the LORD nor the work which He had done for Israel .” (Judges 2:10)  “ Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me, Until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come .” (Psalm 71:18)  “ You, O LORD, remain forever; Your throne from generation to generation. Turn us back to You, O LORD, and we will be restored; Renew our days as of old .” (Lamentations 5:19, 21)  “ For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep… ” (Acts 13:36)  What will be my legacy? My earnest prayer is, “Only Jesus!”  " Only Jesus " Make it count, leave a mark, build a name for yourself Dream your dreams, chase your heart, above all else Make a name the world remembers But all an empty world can sell is empty dreams I got lost in the lie that it was up to me To make a name the world reme...

Conviction or compromise ?  I love this king! It is said of him, “ Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him .” (2 Kings 23:25) What a testimony!  How can we have a heart bent toward God like Josiah? It has been said, “ You are as close to God as you choose to be.”  James 4:8 says, “ Draw near to God and He will draw near to you …”  Each of us has been given a free will by our Creator, Owner. What will we do with it in this short life we have been given? Jesus said, “ Without Me you can do nothing .” (John 15:5)  A heart bent toward God, like Josiah had, begins with a personal relationship with Him. That can only come about by trusting in Jesus Christ for the salvation of our souls! “ In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, yo...

After being on the road for three days, it feels so nice to come home! The smell of baking coming from the oven, and a time to rest before company comes again, is such a treat! I paused a moment to think about Jesus, who had no place to even lay His head!  Jesus said, “ Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head .” (Matthew 8:20)  Jesus knew He was born to die, and die He must, for the sins of the world.  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  (Romans 6:23) He had set His face like a flint until He would accomplish His Father’s will! (Isaiah 50:7) Jesus would go without a home, and without rest, so that we could find both in Him! True rest for our souls. “ Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (Romans 5:1) “Hallelujah, what a Saviour!”  My home is God Himself; Christ brought me there, And bade me dwell in Him, rejoicing there; He bore...

Hiding in Thee ! “… the king commanded Jerahmeel the king’s son, Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet,  but the LORD hid them .” (Jeremiah 36:26)  Baruch and Jeremiah were being sought after for proclaiming the word of the Lord, “ but the Lord hid them .” What hope we have in Him! He is our refuge and strength. He is a very present help in the time of trouble. He is our hiding place. In Him we can know perfect peace in-spite of the opposition all around us! (Psalm 46:1; Psalm 32:7; Psalm 119:114; Isaiah 26:3)  “ He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and b...