SERMON notes
01/11/2026
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Guided Steps Pt 2
Pastor Carl Roberts
Click the link below to hear our first Worship song for this Sunday's service:
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https://youtu.be/3xOujy6eg80?si=rRTYYxipqjWiKCS3
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Click the link below for our continued Worship music (Song 2):
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https://youtu.be/ZIcijWNmozw?si=1nEQh4kWgDxkDhao
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We don’t always feel righteous. Psalm 37:3 (Amplified) The steps of a [good and righteous] man are directed and established by the LORD, And He delights in his way [and blesses his path]You are considered “righteous” because of who you appear and are in Christ. Don’t forget who you are or that you can be in right standing with Him. God delights in you. He desires a relationship with you. The likes you.
Ps 37:23 (CTPT) “When YAHWEH delights in how you live your life, he establishes your every step, and if you stumble badly you will still survive, for the Lord lifts you up with his hands establishes your steps.”
Our 2026 GM church Challenge:
Ask and allow God to Direct your steps in 2026.
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-Joyce Meyer quote -“I encourage you to confess the Word of God out loud throughout the day as the Holy Spirit prompts you. Each time a thought comes to your mind that does not agree with God’s Word, confess the truth of God’s Word out loud, and you will find the wrong thought disappearing.” God has a plan for your life that works for YOUR life. That path is yours, pursue it will satisfy you.” Psalm25:12-13” Your life will be blessed if you follow the path Genesis2:1-2 –(TPT)
Let go of the things you are comfortable with and love him daily.
The fulfillment of your destiny requires a step of faith by You. We are so comfortable, it takes something drastic to move you. It will require a ton of inconvenience to you and your life. Often, you can’t know it Is God’s direction for your life. You must take that first FAITH step,
God’s favor and protection is with you if you listen and have faith. His protection is with you, He’ll give you immediate confirmation. You’ll know it!
Our example (Carl and Theresa) Their rental business.
1. They had to take a step of faith 2. They had to be good stewards. 3. Treat the tenants fairly,
Closing Thoughts:
Practical ways to walk in guided steps
1, Start the day in scriptures Inviting the Lord to highlight the priorities in the day
2. Pause before commitments, ask God Is this something you want me to do?
Moment by moment obedience matters.
3. Failure does not need to paralyze us; even a misstep can be redirected by the Lord (see us, 21)
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Not saying we should constantly asking every step of the day. Should I eat? Should I pray? It means being in a place to hear God and sense His leading presence.
Church, again,
the GM Challenge in 2026 is
ASK AND ALLOW GOD TO DIRECT YOUR STEPS IN 2026.
01/04/2026
Guided Steps
Pastor Carl Roberts
On this 1st Sunday of January 2026, I believe it appropriate for me to take some time and “boast/brag on God.
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1) PS. 34:1-2 (KJV)
“I will bless the LORD at all times:
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul shall make her boast in the LORD:
The humble shall hear thereof and be glad.”
The writer draws a contrast between the righteous and the wicked in this portion of scripture.
2) PS. 37:20-26 (NLT)
20 “But the wicked will die.
The Lord’s enemies are like flowers in a field—
they will disappear like smoke.
21 The wicked borrow and never repay,
but the godly are generous givers.
22 Those the Lord blesses will possess the land,
but those he curses will die.”
(The Godly)
PS. 37:23-26 (NLT)
23 “The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
He delights in every detail of their lives.
24 Though they stumble, they will never fall,
for the Lord holds them by the hand.
25 Once I was young, and now I am old.
Yet I have never seen [the godly abandoned]
or their children begging for bread.
26 The godly always give generous loans to others,
and their children are a blessing.”
(Key Passage)
3) PS. 37:23 (AMP)
“The steps of a [good and righteous] man are directed and established by the Lord,
and He delights in his way [and blesses his path].
PS. 37:23 (TPT)
23 “When Yahweh delights in how you live your life,
he establishes your every step.”
I am more convinced now more than ever that our steps are ordered/guided by the Lord.
(Testimony section)
Wednesday morning Nov. 19th around 8:00 a.m. as I was standing in the kitchen I had this pain,
almost like an electrical shock that went across my chest.
I emphasize this point hoping to help other people recognize the signs. It pain was very pain.
I would say it was a 3 on a scale of 1-10. I said to myself in that moment, “that doesn’t feel right.” Soon afterwards I had slight pain in my arms, and my stomach felt a little sick. Again, to emphasize, I could have easily missed the signs they were so slight. I then said to Theresa, I hate to tell you this but I think I need to go to the emergency room. Got to the ER told them what was happening and I mean, “immediately” they took me to the back and hooked me up to an EKG. The EKG levels revealed I was indeed having a heart attack. Shortly after they took me to the Cath lab to attempt to put in a stint. I was not in there long before they recognized I had 3 blockages. 1 at 90% and 2 at 80%. All of this seemed to happen seamlessly, which is normally not the case in the ER.
PS. 37:23 (NLT)
23 “The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
He delights in every detail of their lives.
Listen to this detail. By around 1:30 that afternoon God had handpicked a surgeon for me in OKC. A room became available and my ambulance ride was ready and waiting. In other words,
Everything fell into place.
Listen Beloved, Only God can arrange things with such precision and order.
Emphasize: The entire time I had this inner peace.
Familiar scripture reminder that we often quote:
4) Romans 8:28 (NLT)
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
Romans 8:28 (TPT)
“So, we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together for good,
for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose.”
*Testimony continues:
God answered one of our prayers during my 2 & ½ day before surgery.
*During that time God reconnected the Roberts’ family household.
It was beautiful to watch God working in this way.
5) PS.37:4-5 (TPT)
“Find your delight and true pleasure in Yahweh, and he will give you what you desire the most.
5 Give God the right to direct your life, and as you trust him along the way,
you’ll find he pulled it off perfectly.
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12/21/2025
FOURTH WEEK OF ADVENT -LOVE
Grace Ministries Candlelight Service
​Click here to hear one of our Worship Songs from today's service. https://youtu.be/bjyvuf4ZFcY
Pastor Wayne Bland
The Four kinds of Love
1-Agape- friendship-neighbors
References: Luke 10:25, John 15, Luke 10:30
2-Phileo - brotherly love - example: the Church
3-Storge-family love – an enduring type of love
4-Eros-a passionate or (short lived) romantic love.
Reference: John 21:15-17 (Agape love example)
Verse16-Phileo-is used one time-
We allow Agape love to become Phileo love. It transitions our love.
I Corinthians 13:1-13 vs 1,2,3 Agape examples are through vs. 13.
Our challenge- Are You willing to love like Christ? True love starts with Agape love for others and grows. Showing love to all.
The Candlelight Service is done to look forward to all the love that Christ has for us and His Church.
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12/07/2025
​Pastor Diana Bland
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​The JOY Of Advent
Isaiah 63:7-9 “I will tell again of the faithful, gracious acts of YAHWEH and praise him for everything he has done for us the wonderful goodness, the riches of his mercy, which he has shown to the house of Israel, to us and the abundance of his endless love.For he said, "Truly, they are my loyal children who will not act deceitfully."He became our Savior.
When they suffered, he suffered with them, the Angel of His Presence saved them.Out of his enduring love and compassion he redeemed them.He lifted them up, carried them in his arms, and cared for them all the days of old.”
John 1:4-9
We are writing these things to you because we want to release to you our fullness of joy.
This is the life-giving message we heard him share and it's still ringing in our ears. We now repeat his words to you: God is pure light. You will never find even a trace of darkness in him. If we claim that we share life with him, but keep walking in the realm of darkness we're fooling ourselves and not living the truth. But if we keep living in the pure light that surrounds him, we share unbroken fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, continually cleanses us from all sin.
The spirit of joy is a crucial aspect of Advent that reminds us of the sheer delight of Christ's coming. Joy goes beyond happiness; it is a deep-seated feeling that can endure through trials because it is anchored in our relationship with God. The scriptures about joy fill our hearts as we prepare for the joyous occasion of Christ's birth and invite us to share that joy with others. In this season, we must focus on the many reasons to rejoice, knowing God is with us and celebrate the love Jesus offers us by coming close to us.
MAY THE God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 NKJV Joy is the most, significant and telling traits of an authentic person. It demonstrates and determines successful authentic living. Joy is your key to victory and a more vibrant and satisfying life. Joy heals and restores and is a powerful spiritual force. Jesus tapped into the power of joy to enable Him to endure the Cross Hebrews 12:2 TPT We look away from the natural realm and we focus our attention and expectation onto Jesus who birthed faith within us and who leads us forward into faith's perfection. His example is this: Because his heart was focused on the joy of knowing that you would be his, he endured the agony of the cross and conquered its humiliation, and now sits exalted at the right hand of the throne of God. The joy of the Lord is your strength and stronghold. Nehemiah 8:10 AMP
Jesus brings the joy of salvation then joy leads to proclamation then joy leads to praise. Jesus came at Christmas to bring us joy. Then this joy leads us to share the Good News of Jesus with others. It was great news of great Joy to all the people and earth. We want everyone to know and share in the great news. As soon as the shepherds hear the news they went to see if it was true and then they went and shared it with everyone else. We are like the shepherds we are to share the great news with everyone we know and not keep it to ourselves. Joy leads to praise. Mary's joy could not be contained so she burst out in a song of praise. Mary magnified and glorified the Lord for choosing her to be Jesus mother. She is filled with joy at God's goodness to her and her joy bubbles over into praise. There is no true joy without salvation and no true salvation without joy proclaiming to others our salvation story with love. Praise the Lord every day for your salvation. Way of the Cross-Nicaraqua has two camps Shiloh and Promise Land. They share the gospel eleven months out of the year and December they take off to spend with their families. The number of salvations they have had this year is 17,181. That is worth praising the Lord about. The Way of the Cross every year has a Big Feed in Mexico after Christmas and this year marks the 34th year. This is the second year it is in Matamoros Mexico area. They expect 8 to 10,000 people with 100 churches helping. They cook 3000# of chicken and 1500# of beans. They feed until it is all gone. Forgotten Ministries are going to Columbia, South America to win souls for the Lord. Welding Team left Friday, Dec 4th with Tristan Bradley, Tristen, Floyd and his wife Angie, and Trey who are from Virginia. Floyd and his shop have just built 15 grills for Forgotten (Ministries) for the U.S. They will be building 5 Tell-Gate Grills for Grill Walks in Columbia. They will have 15 Grill Walks in three days with 30 people per team which means translators. The Teaching team leaves December 9th with Jeremiah, Haden, a group from Meridan, MS and SJ. They have 150 to 200 Pastors involved in a town of 600,000 and 10,000 Hot Dogs. They will share the gospel with many in the not-so- nice neighborhoods. Offer food, and then you have an open door to share the gospel. They have pastors coming from Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador, Belize and Bolivia to see how they train for this and how lives are changed, to see if they want them to come to their nation. God is opening doors for people to receive the gospel. If you don't like to share the gospel, pray for those that it is their calling to do so. They need your prayers for safety and protection while they are doing God's work. Praise Him for his amazing grace. Praise Him for His great love for sending His son, Jesus, to be your savior. Praise Him for His goodness and His kindness in forgiving your sins. Praise Him that God His son took on human flesh and was born into our world as a baby. With great joy draw great buckets of praise from the great reservoir of blessings that God has given to you in your salvation.I am a child of God. God is my Father; heaven is my home; every day is one day nearer. My Savior is my brother; every Christian is my brother too. Say it over and over until you believe it deep down in your soul.I encourage each of you to prepare yourselves before you come to church, it is each one of your responsibility not to come to church as a spectator, but to come as a participator each week to church. We are to usher in God’s glory and atmosphere before we get to church each week. Permeate His glory. Give God an award for what He is doing in amongst us when we meet.
The Inn keeper had no room for Mary and Joseph to have Jesus. Will you make room for Jesus this season and for Jesus every day in your life? He is waiting on you.
Romans 15:13 Now may God, the fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with his super-abundance until you radiate with hope and joy.
-I have decided to make room for Jesus!
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​Click her to here "Our Living Hope"
Sermon 11/30/2025
Pastor AJ Bamberg
​​Advent. Week one Hope
The anticipation. There are four weeks of Advent. Four different aspects. The first one is hope. The second one is joy. The third one is peace. The fourth is love. So, we’re gonna be focusing and looking at these four different aspects over the next 4 weeks. Now, in regards to hope. I wanna throw something out there for you and for you to consider. If you think about it we all are hoping for something. Listen to your conversations. Listen to what you talk about. I hope the economy gets better… I hope my spouse is… I hope the Sooners will do better this year. I hope my friend will recover from cancer… As humans, every one of us hope for something. It’s as natural to us as breathing. It's part of the human condition. Whether you want to admit it or not we all attach our security in our peace. The question we must ask ourselves is not whether we hope because we do hope, the question is what holds your hope? What do you place your hope in? You do hope for something, even if you don't want to admit it, you do hope for something. The argument can be made that all life, the life of all humans, is propelled by hope now whether you're a little child; we saw the grandkids here running around the Church. Whether you're the little child with that toy that they saw while they were in the aisles of a store, or whether you're of a more mature person. You're hoping that your children will do well in their line of work, our grandkids, that they will be able to get into the college that they want to go to. We all hope for something, every one of us, place our hope in something or someone. We asked that object, that something, or that someone, to deliver something to us. That's a pretty profound statement right there. You always are asking for something! Now, the theology of hope is brutally simple. You can either place your hope, the hope of your life, in the hands of the creator God. You will place on creation one or the other that's kind of, scary, since man's fall from grace, we've been exchanging the truth. We’re placing our hope in our creator but instead, we’ve been worshipping or creating our hope in something else. Whether we’re hoping in the land producing the crop, or the government that they can take care of us and that it will protect us. Placing hope in the wrong place. And because of that placing our hope in things of this fallen creation, rather than the creator, it doesn't make us happy and it doesn't make us secure! Your job will not make you content. The farm is not going to make you content. Your retirement plan will not make you content. Possessions won’t satisfy your heart. Our physical health certainly won't give us inner peace. I can testify to that a back, sore knees, it doesn’t satisfy. Your friends will let you down. Sorry-that's just a brutal fact of life. Your friends will let you down. Your spouse will let you down. When your hopes disappoint, that's a pretty sure sign you put your hope in the wrong thing. What did you place your hold on your hope? The way you live, your hope will cause you to make the decisions that you make. Decisions around your hope. Now what happens to you when you experience a lack of hope? You feel stuck and you're unmotivated. Conversely when you’re building an expected hope-with hope we’re decisive! You’re courageous! A feeble hope made you timid. You know, making it decisive, you will live out your hope one way or the other. So now, based on what I’ve just said, what have you placed your hope on? Where is your hope replacing? My hope- “I’m going to be successful in doing this all the time?. No guys, I’m as human as you are. I am new, but I’m trying to realign this mindset. I’m trying to realign and establish my hope firmly on God. I’ve had the great privilege of being able to encourage some people. Some of them outside the discipline of hope. And, I have been able to encourage others in that. How do we cultivate hope. How do we cultivate hope? We meditate on God’s proven faithfulness, as I’ve said in previous messages, to meditate in the frame of the Christian faith. It’s not the focus inward like other theologies. I’d like to call that contemplating your navel, rather we focus you ruined it like a cow chewing on her cud, we ruminate on God’s word. We ruminate on God’s character. Chew it over. Think about it. Meditate on it. We also, we recall. We testify to, and we remind each other by the testimony of God’s proven faithfulness. We were in this and we testify of his mighty acts. When we testify of when he’s met our needs, well, that's what we've been doing over the past several weeks We were reminding ourselves what God has done. Over the past few weeks, we’ve been meditating and remembering. We’ve seen testimonies of God’s goodness. We can testify of the goodness of God towards Pastor Carl. thanks for Brother Crawford about his surgery. Answers. We remember this morning what is a different biblical definition of hope. A confident expectation in the promises of God. -Grounded in his character. Unlike A wish for a baby. Desire is anchored in the certainty that God will fulfill what he proclaims. Amen. The hope that we want to cultivate firmly hope that expects God to do what he has promised based on his loving and almighty character. Look at Psalms 62 verses 5 through 8. “I find my rest my hope in God alone. He is the one who gives me hope. My rock is the one that saves me. He is like a fortune. I will always be secure” I depend on God to save me and to honor me. Thank you God, there’s a statement right there- I depend on God to save me and to help me. He is the my mighty rock. He is my place of safety. Trust him at all times you people, trust him at all times, tell him of all your troubles. God is our place of safety. I want to bring to you a piece of scripture that Carl’s been feeding us on for a few weeks now. Psalms 27:13. “ I remain confident of this, I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” Man, thank you God and what encourages me though, is the next verse “Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart. Wait for the Lord he will do what he said he’s going to do.” Amen. He will do it! The timing is his not yours not mine, it’s his right? It’s hard for me to wait on God. It’s hard for me to wait. But, God has proven himself. Yes, sometimes it takes 30 years. Yeah it takes some time. It takes time, but he would do it like I said- obviously we remember the testimony of how God’s brought Carl out of the hospital so quickly. If God would do that for Carl, why would he not do that for me? Why will he not do it for Tom here on Tuesday? He will, amen? God is just as faithful to Tom as he is to Carl Roberts. He’s just as faithful to Jerry as he is to me. That display, that vision, that display of his goodness should encourage everyone! Who knows about it? To place your hope in God's providential care and remind each other, exhort each other, encourage each other with these testimonies. Now, we want to look at an exhortation that Bernadette gave for us last week John 16:13-33. “These things I’ve spoken to you, so you may have peace. In this world you will have tribulation, but take courage, I have overcome the world.” be it my own personal heart issues, I’ve had two heart issues, whether being family trauma, financial, or employment struggles, what do you do with your own personal struggles in your walk of faith? I have witnessed God’s perfect plan come through time and time again. I’ve seen it, umm, I recall these kinds of his intervention, through all these times of years provision to me, to our family, and all these times of his provision to me to our family. I recall the times that he’s intervened and provided for you guys! This I know, that I can place my hope in God. Now, in the book of Matthew chapter 6, this is one of Jesus’s early teachings. Verses 25 through 34, works better for me. “For this reason I say do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor for your body as to what you shall put on? Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing. Look at the birds of the air. They do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Yet your heavenly Father feeds them? Are you not worth much more than they? And which of you can add any thing by being anxious can add a single qubit to his lifespan? Why are you anxious about nothing? The lilies of the field grow. They do not toil they don’t spin, yet I say to you that even Solomon and all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these. But God saw the grass of the field which is alive today, and tomorrow is going to the fields. Will he not do that much more for you? In the end, oh man of little faith, do not be anxious, each day has enough trouble of its own.” I mean, there, I love it! When I can use that word because I get to sound like the apostle Paul. Therefore, because of all those promises that God has made throughout the eternity, I can look towards his promises for the future with great hope. He did what he said he was going to do. Yes, and then he did It through Jesus. Everything was completed through Jesus, so I can look forward to the promises and say he’s going to do it, and he will do it. John 14 verses 1 through 3. “ Do not let your hearts be troubled trust in God, trust also Jesus. There are many rooms in my father’s house. If this were not true, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.” Somebody ought to be shouting out, “Amen”. “If I go and do this, I will come back. I will take you to be with me, then you will also be where I am.” Amen. Amen. Amen, that’s a promise you can put your hope on. You can hang it right there, and walk on it. Paul takes it up again and encourages even more from first Thessalonians 4, “the Lord himself will come down from heaven. He will come down from heaven and we will hear a blast from God’s trumpet. Many who believe in Christ who have died already, they will rise first after that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them.” Praise God for that! Yes! We will be taken up in the clouds. We will meet the Lord in the air, and we will be with him forever.” That’s a promise right there you can take to the bank. The last one I want to look at is from the book of Revelations, “then I heard a loud voice from heaven, and it said, Now God makes his home with people. He will be their God, and they will be his people. God himself will be with him, and be with their God he will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or sadness.” Amen! “There will be no more crying, there will be no more pain, Things are no longer the way they used to be. he who was sitting on the throne said I’m making everything new.” Amen. “Then he said write this down, you can trust these words they that don’t trust them,” keep in mind and when John wrote these words down he’d been tortured most horribly and then exiled to a hellhole island, and yet God revealed this to him, and filled it with great hope. What I want to challenge you with here today with this question: Who am I placing my hope in? What are you placing your hope in? Only you can answer that. I can’t answer it. This is where I sit, this is my declaration before God and before you. Psalm 130 verse 5, “ I wait longingly for you. I’ve put my hope in his story. We're starting those who hope, and have, and I will renew their strength they will soar along as with eagles wings, they move forward when they're walking, they won't get tired in. God don’t trust. Trust in the church, because of my expectation of hope. Before we get away from here. We’d like to pray. Amen! We want to invoke the hope of God for all today. (Followed in prayer)
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A Thankfulness Questionnaire
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Questions
1. Would the people who live nearest to you characterize you as a complaining person or a thankful person?
2. When was the last time you sat down to literally count your blessings?
3. When was the last time you spent time grumbling, moaning, and complaining about life?
4. When you look at your world, are you pessimistic about everything that's going wrong?
5. When you look at your world, do you find yourself celebrating God's common grace?
6. Do you view yourself as one who has been continuously short-changed and neglected?
7. Do you view yourself as one who has been unfairly showered with blessings?
8. How often do you fill in the blank with grumbling, like "If only I had " or "I wish was different"?
9. How often do you fill in the blank with gratitude, like "I can't believe God has given me "?
10. In your relationships, are you encouraging friends and family to continue their grumbling?
11. In your relationships, are you encouraging friends and family to find reasons to give thanks to God?
12. In your relationships, do you find yourself frequently tearing others down?
13. In your relationships, do you find yourself frequently building others up?
In a couple of weeks, we celebrate Thanksgiving, a day where we communicate our gratitude in front of others.
Now, as much as I love the Thanksgiving festivities, we must admit that this response isn't typical for us. The default language of the sinners heart is grumbling.
This tension between complaint and gratitude tugs at our hearts constantly. It's a spiritual battle, and the result shapes fundamentally different responses of how we live. It's a spiritual battle, because it's rooted in radically different ways of seeing ourselves.
Did you catch that provocative statement? I'll rephrase it: the decision to complain or the decision to give thanks are both rooted in the way you think about yourself.
Complaint is an identity issue. If we place ourselves in the center of our world and reduce our concerns down to what we want and feel, we will operate with an entitled and demanding attitude.
This is a severe case of misplaced identity. The universe wasn't created-nor does it operate-to satisfy our desires. We regularly don't or can't get what we want. But because we are entitled and demanding, we seem surprised by this reality and then naturally complain.
What if we changed our perspective on our identity?
If we humbly admit that, as a sinner, we deserve nothing but God's wrath yet in an act of outrageous grace, he turned his face of mercy and kindness toward us, feelings of tremendous thankfulness will fill our heart.
If we remind ourselves that every good thing in our life is an undeserved blessing, we will find reasons to be grateful everywhere we look, rather than feeling entitled and disappointed.
This is what Thanksgiving should do for us spiritually. Use the holiday to remind yourself of who you are, what you deserve, and what God gave you instead.
This will radically shift our meditation from complaint to gratitude.
Enjoy the Thanksgiving celebration, but not merely because you get to eat a delicious meal and socialize with friends and family. Do those things without guilt, but above all, remember the beautiful and faithful mercy of God toward you.
If we do this, we will be humble, thankful, and tender.
Due to the personal nature of our Testimonies of Thanksgiving. No notes by the speakers are being published for the next 2 weeks. Thank you for honoring their lives and stories with your understanding.
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11/09/2025
Pastor Carl Roberts
Key Ingredient for Abundant Life Cont.
Pt 10
1. Salvation, (In Christ)
2. Peace, Phil. 4:6-7
3. Joy, Nehemiah 8:10 (God's joy in you)
4. Contentment
5. Faith in the middle of life’s trials
(No matter what mindset)
James 1:2-3
6. Grateful/Thankful Heart attitude
Thess. 5:12-18 (NIV)
12 ‘Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for youin the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. live in peace with each other.’
14 'And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive,encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.16 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.' 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually,18 givethanks in all circumstances:for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.'
Do you recognize ungratefulness within you?
The ‘Big’ picture- Global statistics show if you have a roof over your head and a meal on your table, you are richer than 93% of the world’s population.
Phil. 2:14 (TPT) ‘Live a cheerful life, without complaining or division among yourselves.’
Compiaining is mindset. It focuses on the negative more than on the positive.
Complaining is based on a feeling that we deserve to be treated better by God and people.
Complaining is one of the most
damaging things that a person can have in their life.
Complaining gives a voice to the accuser.
Complaining actually embeds the
negative feeling stronger in you.
[What you say with your mouth
Impacts your heart.]
WARNING!!!
When we allow an ungrateful heart
to develop within us, we find
ourselves angry at everyone and
everything around us.
WARNING!!!
Worse, that ungrateful heart actually cuts you off from the additional goodness God wants to bring into our lives.
The fastest way out of the wilderness is to be thankful, even for the wilderness.
1Thess 5:18 (NIV) Give Thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:28 TPT) ‘So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together for good, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose.’ One of the most powerful things you can do when you are discouraged, depressed, or under attack is to simply begin to thank God for what you have in your life!
One of the most powerful things you can do when you are discouraged, depressed, or under attack is to simply begin to thank God for what you have in your life.
What am I doing I’m unlocking that heart of gratefulness so I encourage you in these next few minutes: What we’re going to do the remaining days in the month of November at Grace, is I’m going to encourage you to cultivate a grateful heart I’m gonna kick it off- I’m gonna let you know what I am truly grateful for. You can work on this at home prayerfully consider it and think about it. Gratefulness, the first thing that I’m grateful for is I’m grateful for my new and improved relationship with father God. Now, the grateful deduction from this is that, I’m grateful for the the new and improved relationship that I have with God. What I mean by that is that my relationship with God is more relational and less religious. I’m so grateful for the change. The second thing that I’m grateful for is I’m grateful for my wife and our marriage relationship for 47 years. I’m grateful that God has helped us all along the way. I’m so grateful that he has given his supernatural strength and health. I”m grateful for my relationship with my grown children. I am always grateful for my grandchildren. Number 5 is I am grateful that I live in America. There is nothing I did that made me deserve being born in America. It was God’s will and I’m very grateful. Father God, thank you! I’m grateful that I wasn’t born and some third world countryreven right now. I’m grateful God watches over all of us. I want to share with you a scripture, and I want to end with this: There are many others that I could list. I’ll tell you, it will help you greatly if you will take this simple assignment. Make a gratefulness inventory, and get your heart before God. Begin to write down-Father God I am grateful for this time. Let gratefulness come up out of my heart to you, Lord. In Psalm 121, the psalmist said I looked up to the mountains and hills longing for God’s help, but then I realized that our true health and protection is only from the Lord.
I have discovered and I’m grateful for God’s protection that has watched over my family and I in 2025. He has guarded our lives! Look at what it says, ‘he will guard and guide you never letting me stumble or fall. God is my keeper. He will never forget nor ignore me. He will never slumber nor sleep. He is the guardian. God is for his people, for Israel, instead, He will watch over you. He’s always exercised to shelter you safely in his presence. He's protecting you from all danger both day and night. He will keep you from every form of evil or calamity as He continuously watches over you you will be guarded by God. You’ll be safe when you leave your home and safely you will return. He will protect you now and protect you forevermore.”.
I’m grateful that I know that God is watching over my mind. Sometimes that's not enough for us. I’m grateful that Yahweh God, you're watching over me! Our father truly we have a multitude of things to acknowledge. We are grateful for you God. I ask you that in the next couple of days and the next couple of weeks, that we open our hearts of gratefulness.
-Give daily thanks through all circumstances.
Closing song: “Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart”
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10/26/2025
Who Am I Really? Part 9
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Click this link for our opening Song: “I Am Who You Say I Am” Hillsong Worship
https://youtu.be/IcC1Bp13n_4?list=RDIcC1Bp13n_4
and
“The Stand” Marantha Music
https://youtu.be/tvXfRUNvpMU?list=RDtvXfRUNvpMU
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Who Am I Really? PART 4
I AM A LOVER OF GOD
I AM A CHILD OF GOD
-WE HAVE TO LEARN TO LIVE LIKE WE ARE A CHILD
(Gal. 4:6)
Spirit of Sonship and adoption. TPT version
“Abba, Father”
We have a revelation of God as Father of us.
John 7:37 On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38 The one who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from within you. Just like the scripture says.
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We all need to learn to pray more often from “the well” deep within us.
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OUR Challenge- Let’s all pray from the WELL of our spirit.
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Romans 8:28-27. Romans 8:26 In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings (pleadings). 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Give place to that. Let your soul speak to God. It is a deeper way to pray.
Yield to God and let your words yield against your human nature and allow your “spirit-well” speak and change the dimensions of our prayers TO HIM.
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“And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”
The Holy Spirit passionately pleads before God for US.
We then have to push and engage our “start” button to allow us to rise up and effectively pray.
Our example is our Spirit language.
There’s a level God wants to bring us into through the Spirit. God wants to stretch us into more of what He has for us to Spiritually see.
OUR Challenge- Pray from your well of Salvation, and draw out new ways to pray to our Father.
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Today we will cover:
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MY TRUE IDENTITY
We are CALLED to be a friend of God.
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James 2:23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, and he was called God’s friend.
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This friendship was a new dimension of our relationship with God.
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John 15:15 I do not call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father.
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OUR Challenge:
What kind of friendship do you want with Jesus?
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Click here for our CLOSING SONG- “What A Friend I’ve Found” Hillsong 2004 https://youtu.be/WP0LcrQzkfo
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10/19/2025
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Who Am I Really
Sermon Series
Part 3
Identity
Grace Ministries
10/19/2025
Gal. 4:6 (TPT)
“And so that we would know that we are his true children,
God released the Spirit of Sonship into our hearts moving us to cry out intimately,”
When we receive the Spirit of Sonship our relationship with God changes.
-the Spirit of Sonship also known as the Spirit of Adoption
1) The Spirit of adoption through the Holy Spirit reveals the nature of God as our Father.
2) The Spirit of Adoption/Sonship often comes to heal our wounds during times of Failure!
It happens when you feel there is no way God can love you.
Great examples of this in scripture are:
1.)Peter.
When he denied knowing Jesus at His crucifixion, perhaps his lowest point Jesus assured him.
2) Jacob. He wrestled with the angel, and his name and character were changed.
All of those unhealed wound’s bog down our spirit man so we cannot function in our true identity.
The more we grow in intimacy and the love of the Father, the more we will see into the unseen realm.
3) We have a [revelation of God as our Father] that empowers us to pray differently.
One main function of the Holy Spirit is to empower us to pray from the unction Holy Spirit provides Romans 8:26-27 (TPT)
“And in a similar way, the Holy Spirit takes hold of us in our human frailty to empower us in our weakness. For example, at times we don’t even know how to pray, or know the best things to ask for.
But the Holy Spirit rises up within us to super-intercede on our behalf,
pleading to God with emotional sighs too deep for words.
27 God, the searcher of the heart, knows fully our longings, yet he also understands the desires of the Spirit, because the Holy Spirit passionately pleads before God for us,
his holy ones, in perfect harmony with God’s plan and our destiny.”
Praying from the unction/place of the Holy Spirit is a more effective way to pray.
Gal. 4:6 (TPT) Our relationship with God changes and we then cry out
“My Father! My true Father!” “Abba Father”
Abba is about intimacy and closeness.
Father is about authority and order.
Gal. 4:7 (TPT)
“Now we’re no longer living like slaves under the law, but we enjoy being God’s very own sons and daughters!”
Gal. 4:9 (TPT)
“But now that we truly know him and are intimately known by him,”
Who Am I Really?
My True Spiritual Identity:
1) Lover of God (Gen 1:27) “made in His image.”
2) I am a Son/Daughter of God (Gal. 4:5-9).
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10/12/2025
Pastor Carl Roberts
Abundant Life Series
(cont)
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Be the person God’s made you to be.
“I believe the secret to enjoying everyday life is to enjoy the person you are.”
HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF?
HOW DOES GOD SEE YOU?
Who am I REALLY?
Our True Spiritual Identity:
Genesis 1:27 (MSG) “God created human beings; He Created them godlike, reflectingGod’s nature He created them male and female.”
I am a lover of God
II Corithians 5:17 “If anyone is on Christ, the new creation is come: the old has gone, the new is here!”
This NEW CREATION gives me “the grace to change.”This new creation of (God’s grace) is now working its way through every part of Me!
This grace enables YOU to continue to change.
We are Sons and Daughters of God.
We have the seal that says we are His children, His beloved.
He approves of YOU.
Galatians 4:5 (TPT)
“Yet all of this was SO that he would
Redeem and set free those held
Hostage to the law SO that we would free receive our freedom and a full legal adoption as his children.”
“No longer slaves to the law”, we are no longer working in a slavery mentality. That was your old reality. Now, you are an heir. A son or daughter.
We often live in our old identity. There’s been a transformative change.
We always act out of who we think we are. God says the opposite. Gal 4:5. It is important for us to understand this was a legal matter that God settled through Jesus.
It’s a legal issue.
Romans 8:15
Believe the release of the Spirit of Sonship is an experience or over a period of time several experiences that have an impact on all three dimensions: Spirit, soul, and mind.
The approval of God must be recognized.
The Sonship Seal of Approval must be received by us.
Rejection and shame are the most
powerful negative human
emotions and the most common
Strongholds of the mind.
Am I living like a slave or a son?
The legal adoption and seal of approval is in God’s hands. Your answer will tell YOU if you have received what GOD has made available!
The Abba Father transition.
Rejection and shame are the most powerful negative human emotions and the most common strongholds of the mind.
Conclusion:
Who Am I Really?
Do you desire a change in your life??
Do you need change in your life??
That change happens as we open our hearts to the grace of God. It’s by grace we are saved.
Our True Spiritual Identity:
1. Lover of God.
2. I am a Son/Daughter of God.
Click here for our closing Song “Adore-Waiting Here For You”https://youtu.be/J3OEGnH5x8g
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10/05/2025
Pastor Carl Roberts
Abundant Life - Continued
Matthew 22:37-38 (TPT)
37 "Jesus answered him, 'Love the
Lord your God with every passion of
your heart, with all the energy of your
being, and with every thought that is
within you. 38) This is the great and
supreme commandment.
1. Love God
Our First commandment
(Love even your enemy as God does)
2. Love yourself
Matt 22:39 b. In the same way you love YOURSELF
(Continued from last week) -
Item 7. Enjoy YOU! Love yourself.
You are carrying wounds in your soul.
You see yourself differently than how
People see you.
Enjoy who you are.
"Learn to tolerate yourself when you are alone." - Mike Somerfield
A healthy love of yourself is critical to your personal ministry.
You are unique for a purpose.
Gen. 1:27 God created humans in HIS image. You are made to fully experience God in His wholeness. You’ve been "carved" to love God.
Gen 1:27-YOU ARE GOD-LIKE.
-even on your worst days, it is your identity.
You need to reject theology that says you are less than anything but God’s creation, made in His likeness.
HOW DO I SEE MYSELF???
Eph 4:23-24 “to be made new in the attitude of our minds; putting on the new self.”
Eph 23:24 (MSG) “a life renewed from the inside and working it into your conduct as God accuratrately reproduces his character in you.”
Coll. 3:10 (NLT)
Are YOU ready to change?
-Prophetic Word from Chuck Pierce:
“In this time of change the Spirit of God
Is saying, ‘l am drawing out the best of
Your personality. l am drawing out the
Best of your identity…. I am calling My
Body forth to be whole at this time. Therefore, I am starting with you, and I will produce a wholeness. My people
will not meet Me with spot or wrinkle, so
I am working out and putting My people
on an ironing board. I am sending down
cleansing forces that will cleanse and
Prepare My body for what is ahead.”
Decrees from God’s Word
Who l am:
1. John 1:12 says "I am a Child of
God."
2. Jeremiah 31:3 says, "I am tenderly
loved by God. “
3. John15:15 “ I am God’s Friend.
Coll. 3:12 “I am chosen by God, holy and dearly loved.”
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Click link to hear our life application song:
https://youtu.be/CqybaIesbuA?si=4CpiXQgVsrSLGeSl
“Good, Good Father” – Chris Tomlin, Leeland
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Remember who's likeness you are made in.
click link below to hear this week's closing song.
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​https://youtu.be/HZ7EyPTOltw?si=UlggLv_HcIs5lsbI
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“THE Cross Has Made You Flawless.”
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09/28/2025
Pastor Carl Roberts
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Abundant Life
Final-Semester Review
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James 1:22 (GNT)
Doers of the Word.
"Do not deceive yourselves by just listening to his word: instead, put it into practice."
In other words, we must apply what we hear.
Today we are going to have our Semester review, pop quiz. Easy question for everyone:
1) What is the current teaching series titled? "Abundant Life Series"
2) What is the key scripture passage for this series? John 10:10b (TPT) “…life in its fullness until you overflow"
SEE KEY ingredient importance by clicking this link:
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3) This promise in John 10 was spoken by who? JESUS
4) What is the 1st key ingredient necessary to live an abundant life?
#1: Contentment,
Philippians 4:11-13 (TPT) Paul is our great example of this. 11 I'm not telling you this because I'm in need, for I have learned to be satisfied in any circumstance.
12-13 I know what it means to lack, and I know what it means to experience overwhelming abundance.
12-13 I know what it means to lack, and I know what it means to experience overwhelming abundance.
For I’m trained in the seret of overcoming all things. Whether in fullness or in hunger.And I find that the strength of Christ’s explosive power infuses me to conquer every difficulty.”
What level of contentment are you presently living ?
5) What is the 2nd key ingredient necessary to live an abundant life? # 2: Joy.
Nehemiah 8:10 (NIV) “[Do not grieve], for the Joy of the Lord is your Strength.” “The Joy of the Lord” refers to God’s own Joy (More insight on Joy) The Impact of Joy. 1) Remember: Joy is Above your circumstance. 2) When we enter into God’s joy and gladness.
The door to much of Satan’s activity slams shut in our lives.
6) The joy of serving God keeps us from Compromise. What is your honest response to this question: Am I living a cheerful life?
7) What is the 3rd key ingredient necessary to live an abundant life?
“No Matter What Mindset.” Remember our horseradish video? -(Special sauce)
Click on the link below.
https://youtu.be/rOz2XLxJV5Q?si=RVdjDx1UuJ2OBjeA
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James 1:2 (GNT) “My friends, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way,
*Let’s just pause right here and understand: This requires a Different Mindse!
James 1:3 (GNT) “for you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials. The result is the ability to endure.” (Insight on discovering our true faith level) “We never know how much faith we have until it is tested!” -Joyce Meyer
The more our faith Is tested, the stronger it becomes, until finally we become people who can truly be content in all circumstances because we trust
1)) It is rare to find an individual who can simply be content [to1 It is rare to find an individ ual wyho can simply be content to do gladly] what each day brings.
Serve the Lord with Gladness: Ps. 100:2 General will of God # 1:
2) We all desire change in certain areas of our lives.but it is important to enjoy where we are on the way to where we are going.
"We cannot or will not be happy if we are discontent every time our circumstances are less than perfect."
3)Peace and Joy are two of the most important qualities We a need to enjoy our life.
Simple insight for life: Folow Peace and Enjoy Lifc: Roy Bennett says: “Learning to distance yourself from all the negativity is one of the greatest lessons to achieve inner peace." Summary: Key Ingredients necessary to live an Abundant Life: 1) Salvation (In Christ). 2) Peace: Phil, 4:6-7
4)Contentment: Nchemiah 8:10 God's Joy in You)
5) Faith in the middle of life's trials: James 1:2-3 (The No Matter What Mindset).
6) Grateful/Thankful Heart: 1 Thess. 5:16-18 (IV) 16 "Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances:for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
Importance insight for all of us)
7) Enioy You! Love Yourself (Matt 2:39 (TPT). A great commandment. And the second is like it in importance: “You must love your friend in the same way you love yourself."
The secret to enjoying everyday life is to enjoy the person you are!
*Don't focus on your faults. Instead, focus on your good qualities and you do have good qualities. You have more good qualities than bad ones, and what you focus on will become the biggest thing to you.
Our Application question:
Have you been able to honestly answer this question:
Am living an abundant life in Christ?
What steps do I need to take to move forward in His promises of Abundant Life?
Church Challenge:
Let’s move forward towards:
Abundant Joy. Abundant Hope. Abundant Faith. And Abundant Life in Christ!
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09/21/2025
(Pastor A.J. Bamberg)
Judgements-
God Judges
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THE BIBLE PORTRAYS JUDGEMENT DIFFERENT THAN WE DO.
PSALM 98 ‘Let the rivers clap their hands in glee! Let the hills sing out their songs of joy before the LORD for he is coming to judge the earth He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with fairness.‘
The God who Judges
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GOD’S JUDGEMENT IS NEEDED
There are things in this world that are wrong. No evil will permanently prevail.
Psalm 37. “But the descendants of the wicked
will be cut off. The righteous will
inherit the land and live in it forever.
If you turn from evil and do good, you
will live safely forever.
For ADONAI loves justice and will not
abandon his faithful; they are
preserved forever.”
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GOD’S JUDGEMENT IS FAIR
Injustice is pointed out constantly. However Romansv13 says the “State” carries out judgements. However, that’s not complete. It is not Romans 2, God’s full JUSTICE.
“On the day when according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.” Romans 2:16
Only his judgements are complete.
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God’s judgement shows we matter.
-the opposite of love is indifference and not always hate.
Prov 3:12 for Adonai corrects those he loves like a father who delights in his son.”
God cares HOW we live. He loves us enough to correct us.
Gods judgement helps to make us less violent
His perfect judgements says we don’t have to seek out justice. Our imperfect justice today.
Romans 12:19 Never take your own revenge, ( beloved), but leave room for the wrath of God. “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.”
We are directed to leave vengeance and punishment to God. He sees the big picture. He is NOT vindictive.
-Unfortunately we CAN be.
We don’t need an example, we need the judgements of . This brings the kingdom of God to US on a local and national/international level.
This doesn’t mean we don’t have an opinion or exercise a certain amount of action. We need to decide are our actions justice or “the pound of flesh”?We should ask God to guide our hand, not our minds or emotions. ( i.e. Charlie Kirk situation).
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God Delivers us from Judgement
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1 Thess. 1:9-10 (CJB)
Be drenched in HIS love to be justified through His love.
Psalm 98
Sing a new song to the Lord,
for he has done wonderful deeds.
His right hand has won a mighty victory;
his holy arm has shown his saving power!
2 The Lord has announced his victory
and has revealed his righteousness to every nation!
3 He has remembered his promise to love and be faithful to Israel.
The ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
4 Shout to the Lord, all the earth;
break out in praise and sing for joy!
5 Sing your praise to the Lord with the harp,
with the harp and melodious song,
6 with trumpets and the sound of the ram’s horn.
Make a joyful symphony before the Lord, the King!
7 Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!
Let the earth and all living things join in.
8 Let the rivers clap their hands in glee!
Let the hills sing out their songs of joy
9 before the Lord,
for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with justice,
and the nations with fairness.
Conclusion: Through your life events, know God is not mad at , He’s got His hands open and reaching forward to you. Let Him lift you and let Him be the judge and giver of judgements.
HAVE YOU MADE YOUR COMIITTMENT FOR ETERNITY? HAVE YOU ENTERED INTO A LOVING RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST? PONDER THIS AND WEIGH IT OUT. GOD WANTS TO BE IN A LOVE RELATIONSHIP WITH . HE WANTS TO LOVE YOU AND DAILY COMMUNICATE WITH YOU.
Numbers 6:24-26
“The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
26 The Lord [a]lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.”
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