Family Focused
Pembroke First Baptist’s mission is to minister to the whole family.
And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless they bread, and thy water, and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee” (Exodus 23:25).
God had promised the children of Israel the promised land, and He told them that He will bless their “obedience.” The Canaanites had polluted the land with their idol gods, debased practices, and evil works. But God has promised the children of Israel that He would bless their service to Him. My friend, the blessings of the Lord, are endless; He will bless the food we eat and the water we drink to bring health to our bodies. Our “obedience” to the Lord as an individual believer, as a church, and as a nation directly impacts the health (sickness of our people). I pray this morning that the Lord would bless your health; I pray this morning that God would heal the sickness of our land and community based upon the obedience of His people. If we desire the blessings of God, we must show ourselves faithful to God. Heavenly Father, I pray that you would bless our readers’ obedience this morning according to Your riches in glory. Be Blessed in Jesus’ Name!
And Moses said unto the people, Fear not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever” (Exodus 14:13).
This is such a remarkable passage revealing the Power of God working on behalf of His people. I will often become impatient in situations, and I will try to work it out with human reasoning. Does that sound like you as well? Our natural reaction to a problem is much like the children of Israel as they approached the Red Sea, with the sea before them and Pharaoh’s army behind them; it seemed to human reasoning there was no hope. They began to panic and rebel against their leader; they began to doubt God. Their situation became bigger than their faith. BUT GOD, I am thankful this morning that God works beyond human reasoning; God is bigger than any problem we are facing, before us or behind us. Moses told the children of Israel to “stand still and see the salvation of the Lord”. My friend, I want to encourage you to stop fighting your battles with human reasoning, stop allowing life situations to become bigger than our faith. There are times we must stand still and watch God deliver us. Father, I pray for the deliverance of our readers this morning. I pray that you will give them complete deliverance from their past, that is, approach them from behind and any obstacles that are before them hindering them from the promises of God. Be Blessed in Jesus’ Name!
O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good; for His mercy endureth forever” (1 Chronicles 16:34).
I pray this morning that you have tasted of the “goodness of God.” I pray that you are able to reflect on the mercy God has extended to you this morning. God’s goodness and mercy have followed us all the days of our life. I know situations and times may get difficult, but I want to encourage your spirit this morning to return “Thanks unto the Lord.” I pray that you gave The Lord His day on this past Lord’s day and I want to encourage you to reflect upon the message, upon the worship, and the goodness of God as you face this week that is before us. Don’t leave Sunday worship; keep that same spirit with you throughout the week. “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel forever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praise the Lord” (v.36). Can you lift your hands and bless the Lord this morning? Can you say Amen to the goodness of God? Father, I thank you for the goodness You have shown to our readers, and I pray this morning that they would feel Your Mercy as they face this week! Be Blessed in Jesus’ Name!
“If then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14).
To teach His disciples the principle of service and submission, Jesus washed His disciple’s feet. Initially, Peter did not want Jesus to wash his feet; Peter had just confessed Jesus as “The Christ the Son of the Living God.”. Peter felt Jesus was above washing His disciple’s feet; after all, Jesus was the Son of God. But on one occasion, Jesus said, “Even as the Son of man came not to be minister unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28). My friend, we in our human flesh; still struggle with the original sin (pride); sometimes we “think of ourselves more highly than we ought,” But I thank God for the lesson of service and submission Jesus left for us (me). Jesus told Peter, “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me” (v.8). This morning I want to share with you what God has shared with me. As you submit to service for other folks, you are submitting to me (Jesus). satan is the author of pride, and pride will eventually destroy the greatest people if we do not crucify it. “Verily, Verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me” (v.20). Heavenly Father, I pray for our readers this morning, that we would focus on the teaching you have left for us in the scriptures, concerning submitting to one another and serving one another. I pray You to forgive us when we have failed and that we would submit and serve other folks better in the Name of Jesus. Be Blessed in Jesus’ Name!