ONE MESSAGE. ONE FAITH.

Luke 21:12-15 Solomon said it once: "The race is not given to the swift,  neither to the strong. Ecclesiastes 9:11. Jesus himself said that "he who endures to the end shall be saved." Matthew 10:22. The key to endurance in this race is faith in God. If we believe that He is who He says, and will therefore do what only God can do,  then it is easy to endure. Hebrews 11:6. Paul in Acts 21:13 was willing not only to be bound,  but to die for the gospels sake. He knew to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:8.  Can I make this same proclamation?  Only with enduring faith. 2 Timothy 4:7

"When praises go up blessings come down."  I searched the bible and came up a little disappointed when this verse did not appear.  While I may not have found this specific scripture in the Word, I was instead reminded  that He is enthroned in the praises of his people (it says Israel in the bible).  Psalm 22:3. In other words, when I praise it results in an abiding place for the presence of God!  I believe wholeheartedly that God's presence is the greatest of blessings, and mighty things happen in the Holy presence of God. Paul and Silas can attest to what praises can do.  Acts 16:25-26. Indeed we can conclude,  miracles are blessings as well. So instead of focusing on praising God to get blessings (which we tend to denote as material or physical in many aspects) let's praise God for, or because of,  his blessings he's already given us: the blessing of new mercies,  unfailing love,  salvation through His name, and too many more to list. Let the praises go u

Numbers 7:1-2 We  must  be careful about having the attitude of coming to God on our terms, practically daring Him to not accept us. When incense was offered to the Lord in utter defiance and disregard for God's orders,  those who offered this "strangeness" were consumed by fire. Leviticus 10:1-2. The Word declares our God is a consuming fire, and he does not change.  Hebrews 12:29, Deuteronomy 4:24. God's specifications  are safety measures put in place to protect us from being harmed by his fiery nature.  Just think,  like a fire protection suit,  our obedience clothes us. If  one's fire protection suit is not up to specs, he can count on being not fully protected. In the same manner, the tabernacle and everything in it was ready for sacrifice only after it was fully set up, ; AND  anointed, AND sanctified. It had to be up God's specifications. It's not good enough to just have the set up but no anointing.  It's not enough to have the an