Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. God wants us to come to Him with confidence (boldness). Confidence that all the mercy we need for protection and all the grace we need to sustain us is waiting at the altar of prayer. Let us flee to the prayer closet of our hearts throughout today to talk to our God who wants to hear everything we have to say. Also, let us rest in the knowledge that in His mercy and grace we will receive what is right and what is needed, every time and in every situation.

I Corinthians 13:4-7 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity is the old English word for love. Not the kind of love of most songs and scripts. But the kind of love found from the cradle to Calvary in the person and work of Christ. As our text teaches, this love is rooted in a choice (not a feeling) to live for others. We are called upon to live out Christ-like love throughout all our days and within all our relationships. Today let us live and love like Christ showed us and His word teaches us. Let our love be seen in the choices we make and the self-discipline we exercise.

Isaiah 36:6 Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him. Israel was in “a fix”. An invading army was threatening them and at the time they had no hope of being able, on their own, to defend themselves. The result was that they turned to the world (Egypt) instead of turning to God. The outcome was predictable. It did not work. In fact that which Israel trusted in would, in the end, hurt them more. Today, if we find ourselves in “a fix” let’s be careful where we turn and in whom we place our trust. Let us turn our hearts, minds and lives toward God. He and He alone can give what we need, lead us where we need to go, and sustain us in each step. Pastor Tony P.S. Thank you for your prayers last week when Karen and I were traveling.