H.E.A.R. the Good News Psalm 116: 1-2,4

Quick review: H= highlight a verse, E= explain the verse A=apply to today and R= reply to the Lord

H: verses 1,2, 4…1: I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. 2: Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. 4: Then I called on the name of the Lord, “Lord, save me!”

E: The verses are self-explanatory

A: He heard my voice, he listens to us when we cry out to him! We love him because he loves us so unconditionally! He turns his ear to us! He wants us to talk to him, open our hearts to him, trust in him! He wants to hear what we have to say and he gives credence to our pleas! When we call on him in times of need, he will save us. He is our Savior in all things. No one will listen, hear, love, or save us like our Lord God Almighty! Call on him to save you! If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved! Romans 10:9.

R: Thank you Father for always being here, for always listening, for always hearing us! For saving us when we cry out to you! I LOVE YOU LORD! You are the Resurrection and the Life! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

A Prayer and A Plea!

Father God, Lord of all! The stuff that is going on in this country is maddening. As a Christian, it is hard to draw that boundary line between Christian and American and it’s hard not stepping over it into this world. I ask not only for wisdom for myself but for America and every nations’ leaders. I pray they seek godly counsel that they remember with this virus, you are in control and they are NOT! Father help me to speak my mind on what is happening, but with reverence to you first, not to man. Help me to stay humble through all of this. Help me to see what you are teaching me through this quarantine. Don’t let me slander anyone, or call names. Help me Father to use godly wisdom if I must say anything at all. Our country can’t survive this way of living, or maybe we can, but people are financially burdened by the quarantine and lives are upside down, but at the same time, lives are ending! What do we do? Have mercy on us Lord! Hear our pleas! Help us all to remember we belong to you first and everything else does too. So many have forgotten you, Lord, may they open their blinded eyes to see! In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

Who You Are In Christ

Do you know who you are in Christ? Do you know the power that comes from knowing Christ that’s in you? Do you know the Holy Spirit? Have you been born again with the Spirit of God in you? I know, that’s a lot of questions basically asking the same thing right? The reason I did it that way is because people perceive their spirituality different. They will say ” oh yes, I have my own relationship with God.” Or they may say something to the effect ” well I have been saved, I haven’t thought much about the Holy Spirit though, I’m not sure what that means.” See that was me, a long, long time ago.

I got saved when I was in my early 20s, I may have been saved as a child, I simply do not remember, but as a young wife and mother, I took my family to church and I got saved, and baptized and then, nothing. No growth, that I could tell. When I look back at that time in my life, I really didn’t understand the power of God that was in me. I didn’t study His Word, I just went to church on Sunday and Wednesday and thought there was nothing else to it. But then I quit going, and I kept being the same old person, doing whatever I pleased, my way. Well we know when we do things our way instead of God’s way, we usually make bad decisions and boy did I ever! Years later when my family was torn apart, my life and health was in a chaotic mess, I heard God call my name again. I had heard him many times and I would go back to church but I never got myself steady into THE WORD and again, I failed Him miserably. But this time, I knew without Him I wouldn’t get through what I was going through. So I set out to find a new church in a new town, one more time. I dreaded the whole meeting new people and keeping my story to myself and just trying to worship without being bothered, but this church wouldn’t let me! They loved on me and they were interested in me and they let me know how much GOD LOVED ME! They showed me through how they loved on me and I started to get it. I started to see God in them. This church is a Bible church. They teach, always teach what the Word says and they believe it, all of it. No leaving out the Holy Spirit, and I wanted to know Him too! I remember when the Spirit started coming on me, I was in a Sunday morning service and the Pastor preached from Romans. Romans 8:1, Therefore there is now NO condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. I heard that, and I didn’t just hear it, I felt it! I got it, Christ, the Holy Spirit of Christ lives in me and there is no condemnation, no shame, just love and forgiveness, mercy and grace. I tell you now, there hasn’t been a day I’ve looked back, I never want to be where I was without God again. I love my precious Father, and I love to tell the world about Him and how He changed my life. I found out that once I was filled with the Spirit, I was a new creation in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! Galatians 2:20 says I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. This life I now live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. John 3:3 says, Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” I want to see God’s kingdom! I know that being born again means I am adopted into son-ship and I am a new creation. I am holy, righteous and redeemed. HALLELUJAH! Listen, I want you all to know the freedom that comes from knowing who you are in Christ and living with the Spirit, the very Spirit of God in you. If you don’t know Christ as your personal Savior, all you have to do is say this prayer…Father God, Thank you for your mercy and grace on me, I know I am a sinner, and I humbly ask for your forgiveness. Father I am truly sorry for the things I’ve done against you and I repent from those sins. Father I want Jesus to come into my heart and make me a new creation, I want to be born again, so that I may see the kingdom of Heaven. Father I ask this of you in Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you said this prayer, my prayer is that you will seek a new life in Christ, fully and fervently. I pray you will seek a church who will teach you the Bible and teach you how to live a Christian life. Do not leave it up to yourself, it won’t work, you won’t have that strong foundation you need to grow, you need like-minded people to teach you and grow with you.

Gracious Father, I pray that whoever reads this, those who already know you will find joy in remembering when they first came to be born again and I pray that those who don’t will find comfort in knowing you love them and you will save them from this dark world if they’ll just ask. I pray that all who ask Father will dig deep into your Word so they will grow in you Father, so that the Holy Spirit will come upon them and they will know truly what it means to be born again. Send people to those who ask Lord, to help them in their new walk and I ask you to continue to walk with those of us who have already called out to you! I love you Lord, as the song says, your mercy never fails me and all my life I’ve been held in your hands. Lord, You are a shield around me, my glory, the one who lifts my head high. Psalms 3:3. Thank you Father, in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

H.E.A.R. the Good News Mark 15:3-5

H. vs 3-5 3:The Chief Priest accused Him of many things. 4: So again Pilate asked Him, ” Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of ?” 5: But Jesus made no reply and Pilate was amazed.

E. Jesus is being accused in front of Pilate and he does not deny or affirm any of it. He does not answer the accusations with any defense. He knows His role was to fulfill the Law. The prophesy was to be fulfilled so we would all be set free from death.

A. Jesus was born and then died for US! He’s God in the flesh walking around perfect knowing the torture He would endure so that we might be saved! He couldn’t stop them from killing Him or we would all die! It’s the very EPITOME of LOVE!

R. I am so humbled Lord! I pray that I can love like that one day! AGAPE love, one that here on earth we are not familiar with. You created us for love and you will make sure that all who will listen are saved from a certain death and an eternity in hell. Thank you Father for your sacrifice, your great and mighty sacrifice of your one and only Son! In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

H.E.A.R. the Good News Mark 14:18-19

H. While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, “Truly I tell you one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” 19 They were saddened and one by one they said to him,”surely you don’t mean me?”

E. During the last supper, Jesus was explaining to the 12 Disciples that He knew one would betray him to which they all denied it.

A. How many times have we betrayed Jesus? How many times have we claimed to LOVE Him but then we break His heart by sinning against Him? We all betray Jesus when we don’t put Him first. Jesus deserves all of us at all times. When we don’t trust in Him fully, it is a type of betrayal. Let’s wake up thankful and grateful for Him and tell Him so each day. He is our LORD, our KING, our SAVIOR, our MASTER!

R. Gracious Lord! I cry out to you for forgiveness for anytime I have betrayed you! Help me Father to do your will in my life and not my own, so I won’t betray you again. I am weak but you are STRONG! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

H.E.A.R. the Good News Mark 13:36-37

H. vs. 36-37: “If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone. Watch!”

E. Jesus is on the Mount of Olives talking to Peter, James, John and Andrew. He is describing the last days and the coming of the Lord. he wants them and everyone to know what will happen and he wants us to be watchful.

A. As Jesus tells us in Mark 13:32, no one knows when the day will come, only the Father himself knows. We must be watchful and sober at all times. We will know the real Messiah if we study His Word, pray to him and trust in him. On that day we will recognize him and not be deceived. We must stay vigilant in HIS WORD and KNOW HIM, not just know OF HIM.

R. Precious Father in Heaven let me know more of you so if that day comes while I still live, I will know it is you and I will be ready. I want to be filled with you Holy Spirit, come to me and enlighten me and give me the discernment to be in your will! I don’t want to miss out on that eternal life you’ve promised! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

H.E.A.R. the Good News Mark 12:17

H. Vs. 17: Then Jesus said to them, ” Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” and they were amazed at him.

E. Jesus is talking to the Pharisees and Herodians who are trying to trick him by asking him if it’s right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not.

A. We are a people of sin. We don’t like authority and taxation is huge to us. Even if we feel justified in not paying a tax we should always obey the laws of our land. Jesus would not be tricked into saying no to the question about the tax because in the Bible we are told over and over again to obey our rulers in authority, even if they don’t treat us fairly, we are to do what is right. So to give to God what is God’s, and also obey the laws of your government.

R. Father God, I pray that I would always obey the rules and the laws of my government. The rebellious spirit in me wants to speed on the highway, some see that as nothing but it is a law that I break knowingly. Put a Spirit of obedience in me Father, in all things for you, so I will do what your commands say, and not my own. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

H.E.A.R. the Good News Mark 11:25

H. And when you stand praying if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in Heaven may forgive you your sins.

E. Jesus was talking to Peter and the rest of the disciples as they walked along out of the city. He was telling them to have faith in God and to believe that what they ask for will happen, then he explained the need to ask forgiveness from their sins.

A. Carrying around unforgiveness weighs us down. When we don’t forgive, we carry bitterness and hate around with us. We can live a more peaceful life knowing we harbor no ill feelings towards others and that God is pleased with us when we forgive. We can’t expect His forgiveness if we can’t give it. When we pray and ask God for something, why would we do that if we don’t believe it will happen? Be sure of what you ask for, be sure of your Father’s faithfulness to you.

R. Father God, thank you for the mercy you show us when you forgive our sins. Forgive me for grieving you so long Father. I pray that I will always show mercy to others with the same loving-kindness that you show me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

H.E.A.R. the Good News Mark 10:44-45

H. verse 44-45 ” And whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

E. Jesus is explaining to his disciples that to become great among them, they must serve one another. The ruler over the Gentiles lords it over them, but the followers of Christ shall serve one another. Jesus served his disciples, he washed their feet and he taught them what they needed to know so they could serve others. Jesus served us all by dying on the cross at Calvary.

A. Jesus did serve us and as a testament to him we should serve others. Nothing we do will ever be as great as what Jesus did for us, but we must show our love for one another because that is what He commanded us to do. We can show our love by serving others with kindness.

R. Father God, I know I can never bear the cup you drank from but I can serve others with love and be a bright light in their lives. Help me to be a good and faithful servant to mankind and to you Lord, for your glory, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

H.E.A.R. the Good News Mark 9:19

H. verse 19: ” You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, ” how long shall I stay with you? How long should I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

E. The disciples were arguing with the teachers of the law. The disciples had been asked to drive out an evil spirit from a boy who could not speak and suffered with seizures, they could not do it and Jesus was upset that they did not have the faith to drive out the spirit.

A. We are an unbelieving generation now! We want to believe in God but not the one TRUE God of the Bible. We have faith in the wrong things, the wrong god, not the God of the Bible. The doubt that God exists is great today as more and more want Him removed from our society. A lot of people believe in God but do not believe they have the power of the Holy Spirit within them to heal and to use the gifts God gave them when they accepted Jesus as their Savior. We have been given many gifts if only we believe, trust and have faith!

R. Father, how many times have I exasperated you with my unbelief? I know I have failed you many times. I want to believe fully and trust fully and have the faith of a child, faith the size of a mustard seed or the greatest faith of all. I ask you to help my eyes to be opened fully so I can see all the wonders of the gifts you’ve given me and that I may use them for your glory Lord! You are the Great I AM! The King of Kings and Lord of lords, and the Holiest of Holy! You are the Beginning and the End! Nothing is impossible with you Lord! NOTHING! I pray to you in Jesus’ name, Amen.