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Monday, August 24, 2026

PRAYING FOR RAIN

 

Monday, August 24, 2026

 

PRAYING FOR RAIN


2Ch 7:13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; 

14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 

 

          Here in Texas, we do not take rain for granted. Currently we are under a heat dome. Temperatures have been, and will continue to be, above 100 degrees for at least another ten days. Each day there is an air quality alert, extreme heat warning, and an ozone action day. In simpler terms, it is unhealthy to leave the house.

 

          Rain was essential in the Holy Land as well. Crops and sheep needed cool water and green pastures. God said that a lack of rain was an indication of His displeasure. He gave Solomon a formula for rain.

 

          Humility. If my people shall HUMBLE themselves. The word humble is kaw-nah’ which literally means “to bend the knee.”

 

          Prayer. The word PRAY is paw-lal’ not only means “to intercede” but also “to judge.” The idea is that we judge ourselves.

 

          Turn. The Hebrew word is shoob and it means “to turn back or to turn away.” The simple idea is that we should stop the wrong we are doing and return to doing the right things.

 

          God’s promised response is to HEAR, not simply to hear but to pay attention. FORGIVE, and HEAL. The word for heal is raw-faw’ and it means “to mend by stitching.”

 

Psa 23:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 

Psa 23:2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters

Psa 23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 

 

Lord, we need rain. Repair by stitching our broken fellowship. AMEN

 

Sunday, August 23, 2026

CHECK IT OUT!

 

Sunday, August 23, 2026

 

CHECK IT OUT!

 

Acts 17:10-11

10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.

11 These [the believers in Berea] were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

 

2 Tim 4:2-4

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

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

 

          Sometimes in a sermon, or a conversation with another believer, something will be said that sounds an alarm in me. Something just doesn’t fit what I’ve always read or been told. Excuse me, but I’ll have to check that out! This was the common practice of the Berean believers. Oh, they received the word with all readiness of mind but they compared teaching with the written word.

 

          Paul told Timothy the time would come when sound doctrine wouldn’t matter to those that listened. They would heap to themselves teachers who would scratch where they itched. Ultimately they would venture off into fables and pure fantasy. The remedy for this would be a meticulous adherence to written scripture.

 

          Timothy was urged to “preach the Word” and to be “instant” in season and out of season. The Greek word for “instant” is ephistemi which means “to stand by or to be present.”  To continue the military “guard duty” analogy, we can say that there must have been some marching or drilling before the soldier is ready to stand by. Constant study is the only thing that can prepare a person for any attack on the truth. Study takes time and our hurried lifestyle has filled all our appointments.

 

          Cults are full of those who have listened to someone weave a thread of pure fantasy into the fabric of reason and truth. Satan will not attack with a frontal assault but will flank you with a mixture of truth and error. You must compare what you hear with what has been written. You must check it out.

 

Dear Lord, help me to be a student of your Word that I may be able to “stand by” and to discern between truth and fables. AMEN

 

Saturday, August 22, 2026

ONLY TRUST HIM

 

Saturday, August 22, 2026

 

ONLY TRUST HIM

 

Ps 62:7-8

7 In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. 8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.

 

According to Strong’s Concordance, the word “trust” is to be found in our English Bible 134 times! It is curious to me that of the SEVEN Bible Dictionaries in my library NONE of them are willing to define the word. What, then, does it mean to trust? We don’t know – and yet we do. Trust is the X in every equation! Now, math was never my strength, but I know that X refers to the unknown. At the solving of the equation, X equals the answer sought. Generally, to trust in God is to cast our burden on the Lord when it becomes too heavy for us.

 

Ps 55:22

22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

 

Companions of trust are a holy quietness, security, and peacefulness of spirit springing from a full persuasion of our safety. We know that He CAN sustain us because He is God. We know He WILL sustain us because of His nature. He is gracious and full of mercy. Trust is also to abandon our reliance on human reasoning!

 

Prov 3:5-6

5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

 

Christianity is not occasional but constant. “Trust in Him at ALL TIMES, ye people.” Do not use God like a spare tire or a good-luck charm. He should be the constant object of our trust. Through Him we can draw water from wells that are empty, find food in pantries that are bare and gain clarity when all around is only confusion.

 

Dear Lord! I know that if I am to trust you, I must not lean upon my own understanding! Lord, help me to trust in you. AMEN