“Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.” (Ephesians 6:18-20 CSB)

God’s word clearly shows that faith and prayer are essential for a sound Christian walk. First, Paul the apostle said: “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:3) Also, James said: “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith, doubting nothing, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:5-8 LSB)

And most importantly, let us remember what our Lord Jesus Christ said: “If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.” (Luke 17:6) Then Jesus later adds: “Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) Well, let’s hope and pray that he does brothers and sisters in Christ. For without faith, we cannot please God.

“And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart." (Luke 18:1 ESV)

Now first, and most importantly, I want to mention that a church should be all about prayer. For I do believe that this should take up most of our time together. For we read above that we should always pray and not lose heart. Paul the apostle said the same thing by saying: “Pray without ceasing.” (1Thessalonians 5:17). Jude as well said: “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.” (Jude 1:20-21 NASB95) And finally we have James telling us to: “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” (James 5:16 NASB95)

So, through faith and prayer we can partner with God and change not only our own lives, but the lives of others as well. But as mentioned earlier, our lacking in this can have a negative effect. We can see this to be true when the disciples asked Jesus why they couldn’t cast the devil out of a man’s son. For Jesus said: “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.” (Matthew 17:20 NASB95) However, Jesus also said: “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.” (Mark 9:29 NKJV) Therefore, the disciples could not cast the devil out because of their lacking in both faith and prayer. Thankfully, Jesus came to their rescue and delivered the man’s son.

“And he said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest’.” (Luke 10:2 ESV)

Here above, Jesus is telling us to ask God to send out fellow Christians to share the Gospel. For the world is full of lost souls who are in desperate need to know God’s saving grace. Therefore, we need to bring the message of hope to them so that they may have eternal life as well. And let us remember that Jesus himself prayed not only for his disciples, but for those who will believe their report. For he said: “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” (John 17:20-21) So again, this is a call for action on our part today as well.

Paul said to Timothy: “First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good, and it pleases God our Savior” (1 Timothy 2:1-3 CSB) So, first and foremost, we are to pray for everyone. This would not only be for loved ones and friends, but for government officials and for those who hate us and mistreat us as well. For Jesus said: “But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:44-45)

For it is true that our God is a miracle working God who can open the eyes of the most stubborn heart. Therefore, let us take the time to always be in an attitude of prayer, asking God to work and intervene not only in our own lives, but the lives of others as well. Amen.

(Below is an excerpt from: Torrey, R.A. “The Power of Prayer.”)

“You will find these seven words in James 4:2, the seven closing words of the verse, ‘Ye have not, because ye ask not.’ These seven words contain the secret of the poverty and powerlessness of the average Christian, of the average minister, and of the average church.”

“Why is it, many a Christian is asking, ‘that I make such poor progress in my Christian life? Why do I have so little victory over sin? Why do I win so few souls to Christ? Why do I grow so slowly into the likeness of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?’ And God answers in the words of the text: ‘Neglect of prayer. You have not, because you ask not.’”

“Why is it, many a minister is asking, ‘that I see so little fruit from my ministry? Why are there so few conversions? Why does my church grow so slowly? Why are the members of my church so little helped by my ministry, and built up so little in Christian knowledge and life?’ And again, God replies: ‘Neglect of prayer. You have not, because you ask not.’”

“Why is it, both ministers and churches are asking, ‘that the church of Jesus Christ is making such slow progress in the world today? Why does it make so little headway against sin, against unbelief, against error in all its forms? Why does it have so little victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil.’”

“Why is the average church member living on such a low plane of Christian living? Why does the Lord Jesus Christ get so little honor from the state of the church today? And, again, God replies: ‘Neglect of prayer. You have not, because you ask not.’”

So, that all being said, our coming together should not be about some man in a pulpit give an hour-long message, who takes our money and out the door we go. And yes, we do need leaders in each assembly to keep things in order and on track. Also, they are to expound on God’s word as well, reminding us what the scriptures have to say. However, that should not take up most of the service. For we should be both encourage one another in our walk with Christ and be spending much time in prayer as well.

However, are we really doing this? Or is it true that we rather put other church activities and agendas before a time of prayer? For according to God’s word, prayer shouldn’t be a weekly or bye weekly thing for us Christians, but a daily activity instead. For I can tell you from my own personal experience that there is nothing more important than our time in prayer. For even in my own life, I felt the results of brothers and sisters in Christ praying for me. And let us remember that it was our prayer to God that helped changed our own lives in the first place.

So, I encourage all of you to go through the bible and read for yourselves the prayers of God’s Saints such as Solomon, Daniel, Hannah, Abraham’s servant, and Nehemiah to name a few. For all of these through faith, not only impacted their own lives, but the lives of others as well. And most importantly, let’s not forget about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ: “Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 5:7-10 CSB)

Yes, it says that Jesus was heard and became victorious. And let us thank God and give him praise for that. So, if Jesus being our Lord and Messiah needed to pray to God the Father, shouldn’t we his disciples be doing the same? So, fellow Christians, let us be praying on a daily basis. This we should do, not only for our family and ourselves, but also for our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world as well (and yes, even for our worst enemies).

God bless you as you seek to do his will. Amen.

(Note: Text other than the King James Version is abbreviated after each verse. Also, they are listed below in more detail to assist you in your study of God’s word. Therefore: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” - 2 Timothy 2:15)

• CSB = Christian Standard Bible
• LSB = Litteral Standard Bible
• NASB95 = New American Standard Bible, 1995 version
• ESV = English Standard Bib
• NKJV = New King James Version 

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“Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.” (Colossians 4:15)

Some people may think that a church is the building which holds all its occupants. However, the opposite is true. For a church is an assembly of people who are gathered in one place or another. This would include a beautiful cathedral, someone’s house, a barn, a rented building, or even out in an open field. For the word church in the Greek means a “gathering” or an “assembly” of people. For we read in the book of Acts: “Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” (Acts 11:25-26)

So that word “Church” above is translated as “assembly” if you’re reading from the Young’s Literal Translation. So again, whether it’s translated as a “church” or the more understandable word “assembly,” we see that it is not a building but a gathering of God’s people.

So, anywhere us Christians are gathered, we would have a church. And I believe the ideal place for that would be in someone’s home or in a small rented building. For this would allow more interaction within the group while studying God’s word. And for those who are gifted in music, they can help get the group going in a more personal time of worship. Of course, you can always sing acapella if no musician is available. Also, personnel prayer needs can be easier met as well. Not to mention that a small rented building has a cheaper overhead with less staff and not some big mortgage to be meet. This is even more true when you are meeting in someone’s home.

Now, I do realize that there are those traditional assemblies that gather during the week in separate groups or in people’s homes. And yes, these same groups can focus on prayer and group interactions as well. However, there is still a mortgage and a staff that are relying on parishioner’s money. Also, some of these large organized churches tend to water down the truth of God’s word. I say this because for some it’s all about how big they can grow their church. So, if the truth got preached as it should, church leaders may end up not only losing a good portion of their attendees, but looking for new jobs as well.

That being said, let us make sure we’re not in a church that mimics some social club with its live band, key motivational speaker who talks for an hour, takes your money and out the door you go. And yes, there are some large Christian events which can be a blessing to attend. But that shouldn’t replace our more personnel weekly gatherings. Amen.

Below are some scriptures concerning Christian assembling in people’s homes:

• And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. (Acts 1:13-14)
• And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. (Acts 2:46-47)
• As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. (Acts 8:3 WEB)
• Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ. (Romans 16:3-5)
• Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house. (Colossians 4:15)
• Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellow laborer, And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in thy house: Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Philemon 1:1-3)
• Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. ... And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying. (Acts 12:5-7, 12)

Let us remember that our forerunner, Jesus Christ did not pull any punches when it came down to speaking the truth. For at one point his preaching drove almost all his disciples away. For he said: “Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me.” (John 6:56-57 ESV) This of course offended many, for we also read: “When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” (John 6:60 ESV) And what was the outcome? “After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you want to go away as well?’ Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.’” (John 6:66-69 ESV)

Therefore, let us make sure we are not in a church that’s more concerned about the quantity of their attendees than quality of the message being preached. For our message should not be watered down to appeal to the masses. But our message should one that will ether prick the hearts of many and turns them to repentance, or unfortunately even turn some away.

So, let us be bold and preach like the apostle Peter who said: “‘Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.’ Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’.” (Acts 2:36-38 ESV) Yes, by Peter preaching the truth, many were saved. And this should be our aim and desire as well.

Now, a church should be an active group of people who are practicing the gifts of the Spirit. Therefore, our coming together is not for musical entertainment nor to have our ears tickled. For our coming together is for the building up of our faith as the Paul the apostle said: “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-13)

So then, the church exists to equip one another with the tools and strength needed to spread the gospel to the world. This would be true even in the face of persecution and possibly even death. Because if we are not being persecuted in one form or another, then are we really living our life according to the bible (yes, I’m preaching also to myself as well)? Paul said to Timothy: “But thou didst follow my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience, persecutions, sufferings; what things befell me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: and out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:10-12 ASV)

We should also be a church that encourages each other, for apostle Paul also said: “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:15-17 NKJV)

So again, let us make sure that we as a church are not watering down the gospel to make it more appealing, comfortable, and safe. And I encourage you to read through the New Testament, especially in the book of Act. There you will find an active church who was preaching the grace of God, even when faced with persecution. Yes, even our forerunner Jesus Christ suffered persecution and even died for our salvation. For: “So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 6:17-20 ESV)

Below are a few scriptures of an active church:

• Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. (Acts 2:38-41)
• And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren. Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands. (Acts 14:1-3)
• And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. (Acts 17:2-4)

So, if you are in a church where you can get easily lost in the crowd; where you sing a few songs, hear an hour-long sermon and out the door you go. Then I would encourage you to consider finding a new Church. I say this because, THIS IS NOT the church we see proclaimed in God’s word. For Paul the apostle himself commanded: “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:1-6)

Therefore, shouldn’t our time together consist of prayer for others and ourselves as well? And no, I’m not talking about the three-minute prayers we hear before and after the service. But I’m talking about the heart felt prayers we should be lifting up to God throughout our service. And of course, there should be a few songs of worship and words of encouragement by church leaders. But these things shouldn’t take president over prayer. This way, if an unbeliever stepped into our church, they would see what a true church should look like. For by seeing us praying to God, weeping and pleading for our families, congregation, community, governing leaders, our nation and for the rest of this world, wouldn't they realize that God is alive in our hearts and in this place? I do believe so.

Some basics that we should expect from an assembly of the Saints:

• To focus mainly on prayer with some worship and reading of God’s word.
• The leaders (which should be only men) are to make sure things stay decent and in order.
• Avoid all gossip and anything that may cause discord among fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
• Never let food be the focus or reason for the gathering.
• Avoid naming your assembly which is an error of organized churches of today. If any distinction between groups is necessary to aid in location, then ether use the current address as reference or the names of the main occupants of the house.
• Allow children to be part of the reading of scriptures as well as getting involved in prayer and worship.
• Avoid talking about the things of this world such as sports or other empty pursuits of this life. For we should be encouraging each other with words that builds up our faith in God instead of getting wrapped up with the nonsense of this world. And yes, Paul did use the illustration of sports in one of his messages. However, he did it to show us that we should be running a race for an imperishable crown, opposed to the world’s pursuit of a corruptible crown. Therefore, let’s not believe the lie that says he’s encouraging us to get involved in sport activities. (Click here for the article: Sports Idolatry) 

What we should expect from one another:

• And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. (Mark 12:30-31)
• To believe that there should be unity among all true believers, here and around the world, and that without walls of division. (as found in John 17:21)
• Pray for one another to be bold in the faith in order to spread God’s word around, even in the face of persecution and death.
• Pray for needs such as sicknesses for ourselves and for family and friends. Please, avoiding being burden with worldly requests such as what car or house to buy. For let’s remember that there are brothers and sisters in the world (and maybe in your own group) that don’t have neither house or car.
• To lay hands on those who are sick, anointing them with oil as the scripture says for us to do.
• To stand on God's Word and believe that he speaks to this generation just as it did to those in the past. (as found in James 1:22)
• To never lean on our own understanding of things or get caught up in our own theology. But stand on God’s word and be led by his Spirit. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
• To believe that all the gifts of the Spirit are available for us today (1 Corinthians 12:7-11)
• To encourage each other to endure persecution and suffering. (2 Timothy 3:10-12)
• To remove anyone in the assembly who have been warned and yet are still living in sin. (1 Corinthians 5:9-11)

The bible is clear that women cannot be leaders (elder or overseer) in the assembly of the saints. For we first read: “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.” (1 Corinthians 14:34-35) Next, we read: “Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.” (1 Timothy 2:11-14 NKJV)

The bible is also clear on what should be the standard for these leaders in the Church. For we read: “It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, skillful in teaching, not overindulging in wine, not a bully, but gentle, not contentious, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into condemnation incurred by the devil.” (1 Timothy 3:1-6 NASB20)

Now, those who are leaders should keep the gatherings organized and focused on Christ. For when Christ ascended on high: “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-13 WEB). Also, leaders are to remove anyone within the assembly that refuses to put away their sin after being warned. (1 Corinthians 5:9-13). I know this may be hard to do, however it is necessary because: “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” (Galatians 5:9 ESV)

And yes, leaders should also bring us words of exhortation and encouragement from God’s word as well. However, it’s the Holy Spirit (not the church leaders) who teaches us all things. For Jesus himself said: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26 ESV) As well as: “It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Every one who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me.” (John 6:45 RSV) Also, John the apostle said: “But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie - just as it has taught you, abide in him.” (1 John 2:27 ESV)

Therefore, we are to test everything including what our church leaders say to us. This is what those of Berea did, for we read: “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:11) Pray to God that we all would be as noble as they were.

Now, many of the requirements of the Elders are to be the standard for the Deacons except for one exception. And that would be the fact that women can serve as Deacons as well. First, we read: “In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. … “Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.” (1 Timothy 3:8-10, 12 NIV) And then we read: “The women likewise must be serious, no slanderers, but temperate, faithful in all things. (1 Timothy 3:11 RSV)

(Please note: many translations read “wives” instead of women. This is because there is no specific word for wives in the Greek. Thus, this word can mean any women in general. However, because this requirement of an obedient wife is not placed upon the Elders, we have bibles that reference this to mean women Deacons in the church. This I believe is the right translation according to the word of God) And then finally we read: “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deaconess of the church at Cen'chre-ae, that you may receive her in the Lord as befits the saints, and help her in whatever she may require from you, for she has been a helper of many and of myself as well.” (Romans 16:1-2 RSV)

So, if you have not already, I hope and pray that you would find a church that would bless you. And if you are already part of a church, I hope you are in one that reflects the ones laid out for us in God’s word. For Jesus told us to: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15) Therefore, let us make sure we are in a church that encourages us to do just that. Amen.

God bless you as you seek to do his will.

(Note: Text other than the King James Version is abbreviated after each verse. Also, they are listed below in more detail to assist you in your study of God’s word. Therefore: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” - 2 Timothy 2:15)

• WEB = Webster Bible
• ESV = Englich Standard Version
• KKJV = New King James Version
• NASB20 = New American Standard Bibel. 2020 version
• RSV = Revised Standard Bible
• NIV = New International Version

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“Jehovah thy God is in the midst of thee, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love; he will joy over thee with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17 ASV)

According to the “Genesius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon and Strong’s Definitions, the Hebrew word for “he will joy” in that passage above means to get joyful, even to dance, leap for joy or to spin around. Now, we need to remember that this passage is speaking about our God and Creator. So, we must grasp the reality that God our Father does show this kind of emotion over us? Therefore, let us do away with the mentality that thinks God is some killjoy who wants to stripe us of all joy and pleasure.

Now, if God shows this kind of emotion over us, shouldn’t we be singing and getting emotional over him as well? We need to be rejoicing over the fact that he is our Awesome God and Creator. For: “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Psalm 16:11) And not only that, but we who are in Christ Jesus will be spending eternity with him in paradise. Oh, how wonderful that day will be my brothers and sisters in Christ!

“And David danced before Jehovah with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.” (2 Samuel 6:14 ASV)

So, when it comes to worshiping our God, how many of us show any kind of emotions for him? Do we really think that one must be reserved when it comes to worshiping our God? Well, not according to that passage above. We do need to be rejoicing and praising him with our whole being, for our God is so worthy. Therefore, let us truly get excited over our Awesome God and be in love with him always. For as mentioned before, God does joy over us with singing as well.

Okay, I do have to admit if you totally let loose at your next church gathering, you may be escorted out the door. However, it only takes a few people getting excited to get others going as well. So, go ahead and show a bit more excitement for God at your next assembly. Who knows, you may eventually have the whole church dancing during worship. For His joy is contagious, so let us pray that everybody would catch on it. Amen.

“Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.” (Proverbs 8:30-31)

Now, there are a few learned men who claim that this scripture above is referring to Jesus himself. So, because I may not be classified as a biblical scholar, I will only show what these learned men have to say. And just to let you know, I do agree with them as well. Below are their comments.

• For Wisdom here has personal properties and actions; and that intelligent divine person can be no other than the Son of God himself” – Matthew Henry.
• Jesus explained to the men on the road to Emmaus that everything that was written in the Psalms (Scriptures) was written about Him (cf. Luke 24:27). In Proverbs He is the wisdom of God” – Dave Shirley.
• The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old,” this is the Lord Jesus, this is Wisdom” - The Late Dr. J Vernon.

“Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me. (Isaiah 49:15-16 ESV)

Above is another passage that has more than one witness proclaiming its meaning. For there are learned men who say that this passage above is in reference to the nail scared hands of our Savior Jesus Christ. Again, I do agree with them on this as well. For our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ loved us so much that he allowed himself to be nailed to a cross. For Paul the apostle himself said: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

So, brothers and sister in Christ, let us forever be grateful that Jesus does love us. For he was sent from God for our salvation. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17)

• This: ‘I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands,’ quoted above, has obvious and beautiful fulfillment in the nail-scarred hands of Jesus. As Jesus told Thomas in a post-resurrection appearance, look at My hands. (John 20:27) When we see the nail-scarred hands of Jesus, we see how He has inscribed us on the palms of His hands. With such love, how could God ever forget His people?” Quoted by David Guzik.
• Yet, methinks, there may be a prophetic reference here to a later writing of the names, when Jesus Christ submitted his outstretched palms to those cruel graving-tools -tools, the nails. Then was it surely, when the executioner with the hammer smote the tender hands of the loving Jesus, that he engraved our names upon the palms of his hands, and to-day y when he points to those wounds, when by faith he permits us to put our fingers into the prints of the nails, he may still say to us — “Deep on the palms of both my hands I have engraved thy name.” Charles Haddon Spurgeon May 31, 1863, From: Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Volume 9

“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” (John 17:21)

Let us always remember how much God the Father loves us. And in like manner, we should be totally in love with him. Also, let us always be aware of God’s Spirit that dwells within us. “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NASB95) Amen to that.

Below are some scriptures concerning joy and being excited about our Lord.

• And David danced before Jehovah with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. (2 Samuel 6:14 ASV)
• Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye grieved; for the joy of Jehovah is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10 ASV)
• Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Psalm 16:11)
• Be glad in Jehovah, and rejoice, ye righteous; And shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart. (Psalm 32:11)
• Be glad in Jehovah, ye righteous; And give thanks to his holy memorial name. (Psalm 97:12)
• Praise ye Jehovah. Sing unto Jehovah a new song, And his praise in the assembly of the saints. Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise his name in the dance: Let them sing praises unto him with timbrel and harp. For Jehovah taketh pleasure in his people: He will beautify the meek with salvation. Let the saints exult in glory: Let them sing for joy upon their beds. (Psalm 149:1-5)
• Praise ye Jehovah. Praise God in his sanctuary: Praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: Praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with trumpet sound: Praise him with psaltery and harp. Praise him with timbrel and dance: Praise him with stringed instruments and pipe. Praise him with loud cymbals: Praise him with high sounding cymbals. Let everything that hath breath praise Jehovah. Praise ye Jehovah. (Psalm 150:1-6)
• a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; (Ecclesiastes 3:4 ASV)
• Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. (Philippians 4:4 ESV)
• The meek also shall increase their joy in Jehovah, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 29:19 ASV)
• I will greatly rejoice in Jehovah, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with a garland, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:10 ASV)
• Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow. (Jeremiah 31:13 WEB)
• Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in Jehovah your God; for he giveth you the former rain in just measure, and he causeth to come down for you the rain, the former rain and the latter rain, in the first month. (Joel 2:23 ASV)
• Yet I will rejoice in Jehovah, I will joy in the God of my salvation. (Habakkuk 3:18 ASV)
• And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine; yea, their children shall see it, and rejoice; their heart shall be glad in Jehovah. (Zechariah 10:7 ASV)

Thank you for reading this article and God bless you as you seek to do his well. Amen

(Note: Text other than the King James Version is abbreviated after each verse. Also, they are listed below in more detail to assist you in your study of God’s word. Therefore: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” - 2 Timothy 2:15)

• ESV = English Standard Version
• WEB = Websters Bible
• ESV = English standard version

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