Submitted by Pastor Tottingham on Sun, 11/19/2023 - 7:37am
Who… is saying… what? In the above verse, who is saying this???
I was fascinated when I read this recently… because I’ve read this many times before. This is one of the most familiar stories in the Bible, and it’s easy to think…
“we already know what this is about…”
And then miss what God may be saying to us right here, right now!
We may miss an incredible IMPACT!
We may miss a very personal message from a living God, and a loving God to us!
Submitted by Pastor Tottingham on Tue, 11/07/2023 - 9:52am
Jeremiah 5.22
Have you ever seen someone hold back one of the most powerful forces of nature with one of the tiniest things on earth?
Think about it… water is a powerful thing, yet it is held back by tiny grains of sand!
God claims that He did that!
The God of the Bible. The God of creation. The Lord Jesus Christ!
“But…”
“But…” nobody really cared…
“But…” people thought it was funny for God to “go on and on about who He was and what He did”…
Submitted by Pastor Tottingham on Sat, 11/04/2023 - 10:38am
Genesis 12.3
This is God speaking to the first Jew, Abraham. Below is more of what the Lord said to Abraham.
“And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” Genesis 12:2-3
Submitted by Pastor Tottingham on Fri, 10/20/2023 - 7:19am
Job 40.7
(from our church bulletin October 2022)
Please forgive my paraphrase.
God says, “You’ve been talking long enough, it’s my turn.”
We are shocked and we say, “Of course. I’ll shut my mouth.”
God says, “I’ve made some decisions about your life. And now you’re telling everyone that I’m wrong… and you’re right? You’re saying that you know better than me? Are you sure about that? Are you sure you want to stick with that sort of thinking?”
We say, (we should say) “No Lord, I’m sorry. I am so wrong. Please forgive me.”
Submitted by colin.mcdowell on Sat, 10/14/2023 - 9:17am
Luke 15.17
"And when he came to himself".
There are some crucial points in this story that we would do well to examine.
First the phrase about coming to himself, indicates that this young man was not in his right mind.
Sin will do that to a person. Sin makes us think that we are normal, that there is not a problem; however much we are deluded, not in our right mind. Remember the man in the "tombs"? When he experiences "grace" he is found clothed and in his right mind. (Mark 5.15)
Submitted by Pastor Tottingham on Mon, 10/02/2023 - 10:19am
God
Job 40:8
Of course I will!
I will say that it is Your fault God when things don’t go MY WAY!
I will disagree with Your decisions, and I will try to ignore the things that You have decided to do in MY LIFE because it’s NOT FAIR and I don’t think what You have done suits my life!!!
“Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?” Job 40:8
Yes, I will, and yes, I do…
And… I am… so sorry.
I am so very sorry Lord.
Submitted by Pastor Tottingham on Mon, 09/25/2023 - 3:32pm
Psalms 40:12
Please read that verse again slowly and think about it.
Our sinfulness should be shocking to us sometimes! To honestly accept how wicked we are, is so important if we want to know the Lord better.
It’s true, that when I acknowledge and “own” my sin, when I admit that I can be so selfish, self-centred, among many things, “my heart faileth me”
It’s depressing and discouraging! It would be very hard for us if this verse was all by itself here in Psalm 40…
“…mine iniquities have taken hold upon me…
Submitted by Pastor Tottingham on Mon, 09/18/2023 - 4:49pm
Hosea 7.14
What a most interesting picture this verse gives us!
“And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds:”
It reminds me of the time wicked King Ahab didn’t get his way, so he went home and went to bed pouting!
“...when they howled upon their beds:”
The thing is, God is saying, in so many words, for all of their “carrying on”, for all of their “weeping and wailing”, they never once turned to the Lord in repentance and cried out to Him!!!
Submitted by Pastor Tottingham on Wed, 09/13/2023 - 10:10am
Psalm 143.1
Here are five words – a prayer to God! Sometimes I am praying just a short prayer like this! “Hear my prayer, O LORD” and it helps the rest of my prayers. It reminds me of how important it is to just get started, and pray… “if ye seek him, he will be found of you” 2 Chronicles 15:2
“Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.” Psalms 143:1
Submitted by Pastor Tottingham on Wed, 09/06/2023 - 9:43am
Matthew 3.17
How often are we reminded that we have a heavenly Father?
Probably not often enough.
Whatever our relationship with our earthly father was or is – there is a heavenly Father who seeks to guide us, help us, and fellowship with us. Our heavenly Father who wants to say, “This is my beloved (child) in whom I am well pleased.”
