Search Results

Rev. Tetteh-Annor Larbi | May 28, 2023 | Matthew 16:15-20 KEY VERSE: But what about you? He asked. “Who do you say I am? Matthew 16:15 MESSAGE Others may build opinions about our Jesus from afar. Such opinions may be based on what they have been told or what they have heard from others. Even though the bible mentions that many people followed Jesus wherever He went, He called only a few as His disciples. The bible makes us understand that, apart from the 12 whom he called to follow Him from the beginning of His ministry, there were a lot more others who followed Him around. There is, therefore, a distinction between the disciples and the followers of Jesus Christ. A disciple is expected to learn directly from the master and to know the master over time. Hence, the question Jesus asked His Disciples in verses 13 and then verse 15 - who do my followers say that I am, then who do you my disciples say that I am? These were the 2 very important questions that differentiated the experiences of the disciples and the followers of Jesus. As a disciple of Jesus, you need to get close enough to observe the master to learn his ways. It is only by this that you will be able to correctly answer the question Jesus asked His disciples – “who do you say that I am?” The Revelation of who Jesus is is a blessing to whoever receives that revelation. Your confession, your service to Jesus, and your love for Him are hinged on how much of him you have experienced and how much of Him you know. Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah… (Matthew 16:17). FEET AND HANDS OF THE MESSAGE We need an encounter with Jesus to know Him for ourselves and not only through the eyes of others. We need to be His disciples and be close enough to have firsthand knowledge of his ways and His will. Others’ perceptions and opinions about Him may be important, but what is really very important is knowing Him for ourselves. We can know Him and experience Him by relying on the Holy Spirit who reveals Jesus to us and by His leading help us to learn to become like him. Seek Him with all of you, and you will find Him. Desire to know Him and He will reveal Himself to you. He is desiring to have intimacy with you, are you yielded? PRAYER Dear Lord Jesus, I desire to know you more. Help me to be completely yielded and reveal yourself to me by your Holy Spirit. For your dear name’s sake. Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev. Tetteh-Annor Larbi | May 27, 2023 | Matthew 16:13-14 KEY VERSE: They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” Matthew 16:14 MESSAGE In our text today, Jesus gave his disciples a questionnaire to sample the views of men about Him. It was not because he did not know who he was, but rather to find out if the people he was ministering to knew who he really was. Because remember that at certain times in his ministry and in certain situations when He confronted demons, they even knew Him. The answers to the questionnaire, tell us that, there were still some people who did not really know who he was. This situation should not be surprising even in most of our congregations today. The act of following is common these days; we follow people on Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook etc. The people whom we become friends with on social media by accepting their friend requests and following on social media, can we vouch for them. Can we honestly say we know their character and accept them? The people we follow today; “Spiritual Papas”- fathers of the land, Apostles, Bishops, Prophets, Seers etc. With the many titles we give them, do we really know who they are? FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Is it important to know the person you follow? The spiritual leader you revere and are learning from, how well do you know them outside the limelight and out of the pulpit? Do you know what they represent? Is it worth emulating and following? Or do they represent “do as I say and not so as I do?” Remember, the ultimate is to be like Jesus and not your spiritual leader. Also, remember that who you follow and who follows you are very important for your spiritual growth and maturity. Do not just follow, know your leader. PRAYER Dear Lord, please help me to choose wisely who to follow in my spiritual walk and help me to be a good follower. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev. Tetteh-Annor Larbi | May 26, 2023 | Matthew 16:5-12 KEY VERSE: “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Matthew 16:6 (NIV) MESSAGE: The English Cambridge Dictionary’s meaning of “Take heed” is to pay attention to something and be careful about it. And to beware is used to warn someone to be careful about something or someone. The warning of Jesus to His disciples, therefore, was not only about the leaven (doctrine) of the Pharisees and Sadducees but also about the carriers of the doctrines themselves. So, in effect, He was telling them to pay attention to the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees and be careful about the kind of doctrine being taught by them. He was also warning them to be careful about the Pharisees and Sadducees themselves. Both the messenger and the message are important in this equation. Earlier verses and chapters lend credence to this warning, as these two groups of people in verses 1-4 had just attempted to test Jesus. Throughout the scriptures, these two sects have been known to always oppose the ministry of Jesus. Jesus after teaching His disciples discernment earlier, also had to teach them to be careful what they hear. They were assuming wrongly until Jesus gave them a word, and then they discerned and understood that He was talking about the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees and not bread. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: We are surrounded by a lot of false teachers and prophets (Jer. 14:14) propagating a lot of false doctrines (Gal 1:8-9) in our day. Are you able to know which doctrine is of God and which is not? Do you know what the Bible calls the doctrine of demons? (1 Tim 4:1). The warning of Jesus to His disciples is still relevant to us today, to “take Heed and Beware” less we be swindled into following a doctrine that is not of God. We need discernment, much more in these perilous times. We need to have the word of God to ground ourselves to discern false doctrine and false teachers. Beware of what you hear and who you hear from, your spiritual sanctity depends on it. PRAYER Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for saving me. Help me to ground myself in your word and prayer. So, I may be able to know your will for my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev. Tetteh-Annor Larbi | May 25, 2023 | Matthew 16:1-4 KEY VERSE: You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. Matthew 16:3b (NIV) MESSAGE: In our text today we see 2 sects of people who are known to be long-standing enemies come together to test Jesus. It could only mean that they saw Jesus as a very serious threat to their practices and very existence. The Master by the Spirit of God, however, knowing the thoughts and intentions of men, discerned their motives for that encounter and was able to address them appropriately. The Pharisees and Sadducees sought to see a sign from heaven, but they failed to discern the sign heaven gave them that walked on earth right in front of them. This is probably because they believed according to tradition that any sign on earth could be orchestrated by satan and therefore only a sign from heaven is directly from God himself. All the miracles and signs that Jesus had done did not appeal to them as the one sent from heaven – The Messiah. They could predict the weather but could not discern the signs of their time. We live in a world that is not so different from the days of Christ when people could be accurate in reading and predicting the happenings of things around them but could not discern the times. Our world has artificial intelligence and systems to predict all kinds of things. We can accurately predict storms, droughts, the movement of currencies, the gender of unborn babies, what transportation will be like in a few years and many more that science gets spot on. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: The Pharisees and Sadducees could not discern to know and accept the identity of Jesus as the coming Messiah sent from God. They could discern the physical things around them but were blind to spiritual things. They practised the letter but failed to engage the spirit behind the letter. Believers in this generation have no excuse, we must engage the Spirit of God that is within us to help us discern the motives and intentions of people we interact with daily as Jesus did the Pharisees and Sadducees. And we must also with the help of the same Spirit, discern the times in which we are in to know that the coming of our Lord is near and therefore live our lives to reflect that Spiritual knowledge. Are you living your life as one who has another millennium to live? Or you are making use of every minute you are graced to live? Live your life as one who has a short time on earth. Discernment is needed. PRAYER Dear Lord, teach me to number my days, teach me to know the brevity of my life, so I will gain a heart of wisdom. In your dear name’s sake. Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev. Charles Oppong-Poku | May 24, 2023 | Matthew 15:34-39 KEY VERSE: Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. Matthew 15:36 MESSAGE: The world is full of needs. Governments and states have needs. Individuals and organizations have needs. Denominations and local churches also have needs. God uses His people's generosity to supply other people's needs. Whenever we give what we have to the Lord, He blesses and multiplies it to supply some needs. Jesus had already fed more than 5,000 people (Matt. 14:13–21), with five loaves of bread and two fish. Here in a similar situation, the disciples again complained about how to get enough food to feed 4,000 men besides women and children. Like the disciples, we often forget that if God cared for us in the past, He would do the same now. Remember how God cared for you when facing a difficult situation and trust Him to work faithfully again. The disciples’ limited resources of seven loaves of bread and a few fish highlight the human inadequacy in meeting overwhelming needs. It underscores the truth that we often face situations where our resources and abilities fall short, which is a reminder that our sufficiency comes from Christ alone. The disciples brought the loaves and fish to Jesus, acknowledging His authority and power to transform their meagre offering into something significant. Jesus took the limited provision, blessed it, and broke it before giving it back to the disciples to distribute. The disciples’ act of bringing the meagre provision to Jesus reveals their trust and obedience to His instructions. They didn’t hold back or doubt the outcome but willingly gave what they had. The miracle of multiplication highlights God’s abundant provision when we surrender our limited resources to Him. The abundance resulting from the multiplication of the loaves and fish allowed all the 4,000 people to eat to their satisfaction with leftovers. FEET AND HAND OF MESSAGE: What do you have, and what will you give to Jesus? Give your life to Jesus and He will bless it, keep it, and enrich it for you (John 10:10). Surrender your time, and all that you are and have to Him, believing that He can use it for His glory and the benefit of others. God can accomplish immeasurably more with your little when you surrender it to Him. As you give the little you have to Jesus, you can expect His miraculous multiplication and experience His abundant provision in your life. PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I humbly come to you today, surrendering my life, all I am, and all I have into your loving hands. I acknowledge that in my strength, I am limited but I believe in your power to work miracles and multiply what I give offer to you. Help me to surrender my resources, talents, and abilities, knowing that you can take my little and turn it into something extraordinary. Thank you for answering me for your dear name’s sake. Amen! THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev. Charles Oppong-Poku | May 23, 2023 | Matthew 15:32-33 KEY VERSE: Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way. Matthew 15:32 MESSAGE: Jesus, the King of the Kingdom, is a compassionate King. Jesus desires to do more than simply heal their diseases and wanted to meet their need of hunger as well. The text says Jesus called His disciples and told them how He had compassion for the people because they were hungry, and He did not want to send them away hungry. He did this to raise their attention and teach them by His example and accustom them to show acts of mercy and compassion to persons in any kind of want and distress. Compassion involves the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. It is the capacity to put oneself in another’s shoes, to imagine their experiences, and to feel what they are feeling. Compassion is characterized by acts of kindness and benevolence towards others. It involves extending a helping hand, offering support, and being considerate and caring. It involves taking action to alleviate the suffering of others. It can manifest through providing comfort, assistance, resources, or any form of support that helps alleviate pain, distress, or hardship. Compassionate people have eyes that see beyond the natural, hearts that feel the pains and burdens of others and hands that are ready to offer help from painful and hopeless situations. Christ, our High Priest, is a merciful one and is touched with the feeling of the infirmities of men, of every sort, both of soul and body. Jesus did not want to send them away hungry because they had been with Him for three days. This shows how diligent and committed these people were to the teachings and ministry of Jesus Christ so much so that they could forego home, friends, and food to be with Jesus. FEET HANDS OF MESSAGE: As citizens of the Kingdom, we need to trust in Jesus’ compassion and reflect on the fact that Jesus cares deeply about our physical and spiritual needs. Let us trust that He understands our circumstances and is willing and able to provide for us. We must learn to approach Jesus with our needs and concerns, knowing that He is always ready to meet us in our weakness and provide what we lack. We must emulate Jesus’ compassion because as citizens of the Kingdom, we are called to imitate His compassionate nature. Let His example inspires us to reach out to others with love and kindness, addressing both spiritual and physical needs. Jesus wants and expects His followers to be characterized by compassion in life and ministry. PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I thank you for your boundless compassion. Your love knows no limits and your care extends to every aspect of my life. I ask for grace and strength to emulate the compassion of Jesus in my own life and ministry. Help me to see others through your eyes, with a heart filled with empathy and love. Help me to recognize the needs of those around me, both physically and spiritually. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen! THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev. Charles Oppong-Poku | May 22, 2023 | Matthew 15:29-31 KEY VERSE: Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. Matthew 15:30 MESSAGE: Jesus returns to Galilee after what appears to be a pretty short trip up to Tyre and Sidon. Jesus walks up a mountain, sits down, and crowds of sick people start to ascend the mountain. You can imagine people streaming up the sides of that hill to get to Jesus at the top. Friends carrying beds with lame people. Others leading blind people around rocks and mud. Parents carrying their sick children in their arms. Lepers trying to make their way up while avoiding others. Some restrained and dragged demon-possessed people whom they cared about. Those who assisted the sick put them at Jesus’ feet. Those who brought the sick to Jesus must have cared about those they were bringing. They loved them enough to exert great effort to take them to the only place they could receive relief, that is Jesus’ feet. If they hadn’t loved them, the inconvenience would have prevented them from helping. The more we love others, the more spent our lives will be to help the spiritually sick find healing. Being at the feet of Jesus relates to the act of worship and surrender. Placing them at the feet of Jesus signifies that they acknowledged Jesus as the King of kings and surrendered to Him. At the feet of Jesus, we become recipients of His ministry. He ministers to us in Salvation, forgiveness, and cleansing. When we come to Jesus, we will not leave the same way we came. We also become recipients of His miracles. There were healings. The multitude marvelled as they saw the dumb speaking, the crippled restored, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. When Jesus heals, He heals without announcement (verse 29), He heals everybody (verse 30), and He heals completely. At the feet of Jesus, we also become recipients of His majesty (verse 31). Sitting at His feet we have an awareness of His person and holy character that must provoke worship. FEET AND HANDS OF MESSAGE: Where do you desire to be? At the feet of Jesus to experience His ministry, His miracles and behold His awesome majesty? What is your problem? Come to Jesus and place it at the feet of Jesus and you will never remain the same. Then you will be able to show some charity by bringing the blind, the deaf, and the dumb to Christ in lending eyes to those who have eyes but do not see, and those who have tongues but could neither come to Christ themselves nor speak for themselves. Every man has a tongue to speak for himself, and happy is he that has a tongue to pray and intercede for others. When we do this, many will see the love and power of our God and glorify Him. PRAYER: Dear God, thank you that there is fullness of joy in your presence. Help me to always love to be in your presence and experience your ministry and miracles in my life. Grant me the grace to demonstrate your love to others by helping them to know you and your power so that they will also glorify you as their Lord and King. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen! THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev. Charles Oppong-Poku | May 21, 2023 | Matthew 15:21-28 KEY VERSE: Then Jesus said to her, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed at that moment. Matthew 15:28 (NIV) MESSAGE: This little story is essentially built around the conversation between a Canaanite woman and Jesus. We begin with the note that Jesus withdrew far up the coast to the region of Tyre and Sidon. One would have to say that He was not simply trying to get away from difficult events in Israel, and neither was this a chance meeting. The Lord was going to this Canaanite area, to this Canaanite woman. The conversation gives the impression that Jesus was not willing to answer her request because she was a Canaanite. What is clear is that the woman was not going to give up, but kept pleading, even from her Canaanite background, so that Jesus Christ recognized her great faith. The contrast is truly striking: in Israel, Jesus was trying to convince people that He was the Messiah and was being challenged to prove it with a sign. But here in Gentile territory, He met a woman who was convinced that He was the Messiah and He could not discourage her efforts. His apparent attempt to put her off was therefore a test, and her great faith amazed the Lord. This woman was a genuine seeker and demonstrated great faith that overcame obstacles, faith that overpowered rejections and faith that obtained the favour of the Lord. This woman faced many obstacles and rejections, but she overcame them all and received her miracle. She was a woman, she was a foreigner, she was gentile - she had no right to approach Jesus. She was a Canaanite – a descendant of Israel’s enemies. How did she overcome the obstacles in her life and the needs of her child? 1. She recognized who Jesus was – “Jesus, Son of David”. Without looking for any sign, she readily accepted Jesus as the Messiah. 2. She saw the obstacles in front of her as nothing more than opportunities to press on to Jesus. FEET AND HANDS OF THE MESSAGE: What are some of the things that serve as obstacles to your trusting the Lord and holding on to your faith? Who is Jesus to you? What is your problem? Do you feel rejected? Don’t be angry and don’t be discouraged. Acknowledge Jesus as your Saviour and come to Him with genuine faith. Know that God can use the obstacles and rejections as opportunities to grow your faith in Him. Three times she called Him “Lord” (vs. 22; 25; 27), and one time “Son of David” (vs. 22). Don’t give up on your dreams, and you will finally receive favour no matter the obstacles or the rejections that may come your way. Genuine faith will always overcome obstacles, overpower rejections, and obtain favour from the Lord. PRAYER: Dear Lord, I thank you that you came and died for me. I come to you today and ask that you grant me the grace to believe in you. Have mercy on me and grant me the faith that overcomes obstacles and rejections to obtain your favour. Help me to know you as you really are and see my problems as your opportunities to grow my faith in you. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen! THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev. Charles Oppong-Poku | May 20, 2023 | Matthew 15:10-20 KEY VERSE: ¹⁹For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. ²⁰These are what defile a person, but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them. Matthew 15:19-20 MESSAGE: In our previous devotion, the Lord was asked why His disciples did not wash their hands before eating (Matt. 15:2). According to Jesus, what we put in our mouths has nothing to do with whether we are clean or unclean. Rather, it is the heart that matters. After the confrontation with the Pharisees and Scribes, Jesus called the multitude to Himself (verses 10-12). Apparently, the multitude heard the discussion he had with the Pharisees and He wanted them also to know the truth. He told them that it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person but rather it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles, and this offended the Pharisees. In today’s passage, Jesus also teaches that “every plant the Father has not planted will be uprooted” (verses 13-14). The point is that God will mete out punishment on the last day. Those who pretend to be people of God but are not will be condemned. Jesus said the Pharisees were blind leaders leading the blind, and both will fall into the ditch. They were blind because they did not know the truth, and they were leading others into error. They were ignorant of the things of God, and strangers to the spiritual nature of the divine law. Jesus says both the one who teaches error and the one following him will fall into the ditch. Just because someone is deceived by a smooth-talking false teacher does not excuse him or her from the responsibility of knowing the truth. Therefore, we must seek out the truth for ourselves. Jesus concludes His teaching with verses 15-20 and explains that it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles a person because what comes out of the mouth comes out of the heart. Matthew’s order of sins that proceed from the heart, from evil thoughts to slander, is fairly much the order of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20. Real defilement has to do with the defilement of the heart, and not the defilement of the body but the defilement of the heart is shown by the way a person talks, thinks, and behaves. FEET AND HANDS OF MESSAGE: Jesus teaches us the truth about true righteousness which the Pharisees and Scribes rejected because of their pride and self-righteousness. Jesus called the multitude to Himself to teach them the truth and so wants the citizens of His Kingdom to propagate the truth. His teaching shows that our behaviour reflects what is in our hearts. When the heart is good, your words, thoughts and actions will be good. Therefore, one needs to get his heart right by allowing God to transform the heart so that what comes out will be pleasing to God. Trying to appear nice and clean physically is not a cover-up for a defiled heart because what we say and do reflect what is in our hearts. Remember, your behaviour reveals what is in your heart. PRAYER: Dear God, I come before you today asking for a transformed heart. Please help me to examine my heart and identify any areas where I need to change. I pray that you will purify my heart and fill it with your love, joy, peace, faithfulness, and self-control. May my words reflect your love and grace, and may my thoughts be pleasing to you. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen! THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev. Charles Oppong-Poku | May 19, 2023 | Matthew 15:1-9 KEY VERSE: ⁸These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. ⁹ They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules. Matthew 15:8-9 (NIV) MESSAGE: One characteristic of the world we live in is that it is a very image-conscious world. People everywhere spend a lot of time and expense creating an impressive outward appearance as if that is all that matters in life. Here we see Jesus being confronted by the Scribes and Pharisees, the religious leaders of Israel at that time. They made sure that everyone knew how religious they were. They were quite similar to today's image-conscious world of today – pursuing outward acts of devotion and appearances of piety intensely as if that is all that matters. The Pharisees and scribes came from Jerusalem to Capernaum, a journey of about 80 to 85 miles, to ask Jesus why His disciples didn't follow the tradition of washing their hands before eating. The passage reveals three important lessons for our consideration: 1. The danger of manmade traditions (Matt. 15:1-3), 2. The danger of nullifying God’s word for the sake of traditions (Matt. 15:4-6), and 3. The hypocrisy of false religion (Matt. 15:7-9). In verses 1-3, the Pharisees and scribes were concerned with external acts of purification, such as washing hands before eating. Jesus warns us about the danger of externalism which focuses on outward appearances and traditions rather than on the inner transformation of the heart. Externalism leads to a false sense of righteousness and blind people to their spiritual needs. In verses 4-6, Jesus emphasizes the problem of making the Word of God void because of traditions. He cites the example of the Pharisees who neglected their duty to honour their parents, even though they appeared to follow the Law. Jesus teaches us that true righteousness flows from a pure heart that seeks to obey God’s commands. Finally, in verses 7-9, the passage warns about the hypocrisy of false religion. In this, Jesus exposes the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and scribes who outwardly appeared to be worshipping God, but their hearts were far away from God. False religion is characterized by hypocrisy, self-righteousness, and legalism, and it ultimately leads to spiritual blindness and moral decay. FEET AND HANDS OF MESSAGE: Whose words are more important to you? As Christians, we must be careful not to fall into the trap of externalism and false religion. We must cultivate a heart that seeks to love and obey God from the inside out. Following manmade traditions can void God's word and lead to vain and hypocritical worship. Let us focus on the inner transformation of the heart and let our external acts of piety flow from that inner transformation. Worship is not mere external rituals or ceremonies. Worship is about pleasing God and pleasing God is about obedience. So, the heart of worship is a commitment to obedience to God's Word. Always remember that the heart of true Christian worship is a matter of the heart. PRAYER: Dear God, I ask for your divine power to help me have a heart that is cleansed rather than outward physical cleansing. Give me the strength to obey your Word and follow your teachings rather than being swayed by manmade traditions that may render my worship void and hypocritical. Thank you for answering my prayer in Jesus’ name. Amen! THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev. Enoch Thompson | May 18, 2023 | Matthew 14:34-36 KEY VERSE: And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. Matthew 14:35 (NIV) MESSAGE: The Lord Jesus Christ was a busy man, so busy that at points in His ministry, He and His disciples did not have time to eat. We can see work waiting for Him in every location. And He was compassionate, gracious, and merciful to make the time every time to address the needs of the hapless, helpless people who thronged to Him. It is noteworthy that those who received the ministrations of the Lord Jesus were people who acknowledged Him for who He was presenting Himself to be, the God-man prophesied by the Hebrew scriptures, the Messiah of Israel and the total human race. When they landed ashore, we are told that the men of the place recognized the Lord, and consequently spread the news all around the surrounding vicinities. They might have recognized Him as a man they had seen before, but also as a man distinct from all other men, the miracle-working man, the man who spoke words of life, the man whose claims and utterances pointed to Him as the God of Israel come to save His people. Our thoughts and beliefs as to who Jesus Christ is have implications for our life on earth and throughout eternity. The people brought their sick people to the one who healed physical bodies to point to the fact that He had come to heal the disease of sin, and the sick all recovered. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Who is Jesus of Nazareth to you; an ordinary carpenter or a mystical miracle-worker who spoke words of wisdom for His time? He is more than that; He is God in human flesh, and you need to recognize and acknowledge Him as such to receive the blessing of eternal life starting from now. PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, I believe you are God who took on human flesh to live an exemplary life for me and to die to appease yourself for my sin and my sins. I believe in you. Help me to walk as your follower by the power of your Holy Spirit within me. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev. Enoch Thompson | May 17, 2023 | Matthew 14:25-33 KEY VERSE: But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Matthew 14:30 (NIV) MESSAGE: The Lord is gracious to us and comes into our circumstances to deliver us and set us on the exciting journey of Christian discipleship. The Christian life is a journey that demands faith in God from the beginning to the end. The Apostle Paul speaking by the Holy Spirit captures this thought this way, “⁶So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, ⁷rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Col 2:6-7 (NIV). In Galatians 3 the Apostle Paul writes to redirect the minds of the Galatian believers on the need to walk with God and find their Christian identity by faith and not by works of the law. In our text, we have a wonderful event happening, Peter walking on water, because the Lord Jesus asked him to, and he believed that word. Unfortunately, in our key verse, Matthew 14:30 (NIV), “. . . when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Peter started by faith but then he doubted; he might have doubted the sustaining power of the word of Christ, or he might have doubted the possibility that he Peter, a mere frail man, an ordinary human was living above the normal by walking on the water, or he might have doubted the reality of what was happening, and discounting the reality, etc. Whatever it was that formed the basis of his doubts, Peter doubted. And the Lord’s response? “³¹Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" Matt 14:31 (NIV). On the other hand, the Lord accepted the disciples' worship, for His miracles were intended to reveal and demonstrate His deity. The Lord reaches out and catches us, but He also scolds us for our inconsistency in faith, "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" It takes a glance at the Saviour to be saved, but we need a gaze at the Master to enjoy the life of the new birth and the life of discipleship. To the Hebrew Christians who were facing much persecution that could make them turn away from their exciting walk with Jesus, the Lord sent these words, “²Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Heb 12:2-3 (NIV) FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: No matter what goes or what comes let us make up our minds to fix our eyes on the Lord Jesus, to keep believing, to keep trusting Him and holding on, even unto death. His Word is reliable, for He is the Faithful One. PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, Master of the ocean, the winds, and the waves, thank you that by your grace and your indwelling Holy Spirit, I am able to walk on the waters of life. Thank you for the times I have seen great victories over my challenges. Please help me to keep my faith awake, and to refuse to doubt. Lord help me, for there is so much that seeks to question faith and reliance on your word. But I believe, help my unbelief. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!