Encouragement for Today (5/17/24)

​Good day sister saints!

I hope you are having a joyous day in the Lord.

Psalm 96:1-4 
O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth. [2] Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day. [3] Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people. [4] For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.

Let's praise the Lord today!  I love that part about declaring His name among the heathen as that's what we do when we preach Christ crucified and call people to repentance, as well as our witness of a godly life!

Yesterday I posted this picture in my slideshow and forgot to put the reason.  We had a parking spot by this movie theater and when taking a walk, brother Tupos mentioned how it looked like a Mayan temple.  Just another way people love the things of the world and satan incorporates such things right before their blind eyes.  Let us shine our lights brightly (through word of the gospel and deed) that the lost might see and be found.  

We woke up in an awesome spot today, a park.  It was so quiet last night (except for the peaceful frogs:) and this morning (birds singing) we had time to work online before we left so I made that video for you to see.  

Yesterday when we were flying gospel signs, an older woman stopped and said she only had a minute and could brother Tupos 'quickly' tell her why churches lie.  I was across the street and had just walked up and was going to go through the gospel and show her where they are lying and she walked off angry part way through it.  It made me think of how many people come up to us (those will ill motives) want to know in brief, in short, quickly or just a fast response from us, why our signs say what they do about the churches lying, satan runs the world etc. First off, there's so much wrong with churchianity that we con't do it quickly and second, why do we need to rush through the things of God?  If someone is a seeker and they have an appointment or something, they can email, if not then they can stand and hear the whole council of God's word. (They take time to watch their tv or go to work or take a vacation....)  I was thinking about some examples in scriptures where things take time and thought I'd share them here. 

First off, how about the prophesies in the old testament calling for Christ who comes in the new and then look at Revelation where He's coming back.  That all takes time! Reading the bible and finding truth takes time!!!

Mark 8:2 
I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat:

Note, the people listened to Jesus for 3 days!!!
​So much for making a ministry feeding the beggars today...the best food they can get from us is the bread of life and the living waters.  Of course we can offer food to someone who is physically hungry but spiritual hunger is most important.  Get this, oftentimes the beggars are the ones who stand and listen but the church people have to rush off. 

Acts 20:7-8 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. [8] And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.

Once again, so much for quick and brief talks.  

Acts 17:2 
And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,

Three sabbath days, not just one minute.
Let's look at an example of God giving Israel a message (after giving many to them with no repentance) and stretching it out long...

Ezekiel 4:4-6 
Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it: according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity. [5] For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. [6] And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.

Obviously God wanted this all to bear out over time.  (You can go read the entire context of it.)  

There are more examples and maybe you want to look them up to edify yourself but I'll move on to say that the things of God are not to be taken quickly like the mindset of our culture today (everything fast from high speed limits to fast food to instant internet information).  We are to take time to ponder and meditate on His word.  

Psalm 63:6 
When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.

Psalm 119:15 
I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.

Luke 2:19 
But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

We're heading down the gospel road again today, getting closer to a couple preaches for the weekend Lord willing but until then, let's see what happens in the Lord's will. 

Love to you all, in Christ Jesus who is the truth!
​Sister Aman