Our world tells us that we are to take charge of our lives. We are in control. But over the last few months, out world’s landscape has gone through a dramatic and tragic series of changes. This COVID-19 pandemic has shaken to its core. It has demonstrated how little control we actually have over our lives. No one knows the day nor the hour in which we, someone we know or even don’t know will be stricken down by this disease that has claimed the lives of 77,000 plus people (ref. CDC.gov).

God’s word is sure, it is perfect and pure. It is the word of the Most High God and in it, he declares that life is fragile (Jam. 4:14). Since God’s word is true and perfect, how can we trust or believe in ourselves to be bigger or mightier than the world we live in? Today’s Pulpit Points message from Leroy E. Ricks, Sr, is a reminder of the need to refocus ourselves to ask the question, “Who Do You Trust”?

Joshua challenged the Israelites to examine themselves (Joshua 24) about who they were going to follow. We follow after who we trust. If we believers trust in anything or anyone other than the Lord our God, we will follow them. As a warning, God reminded his people that he is a jealous God and wants his people to trust him and therefore follow him. As an encouragement, He give gives us hope through his personal testimony as a faithful God who can be trusted.

Today’s message “Who Do You Trust?”

Not pictured but equally honored: Paula Lassiter, Shelly Baker, Tracy Pierce, Gwen Reed, Shanae Coltrane, Sheila Jordan

Everything we experience, whether it be on a daily basis or during certain seasons, we are not without hope. Some things seem to be more difficult than other and they seem to be taking its toll on us. As we hear on the news reports day in a out, we can be taken out of focus. But as Believers in the Lord our God, we have to answer the question, what do we choose?

“And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of ^[e]the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15

Joshua summons all of Israel (Jos. 24:1) to be confronted with the same question. Through Joshua, God laid out his past presence, providence and protection of them from Abraham’s father Terah, through Caanan, through the bondage of Egypt. He told of the Lord’s grace when he heard their cries and sent them a deliverer by way of Moses. Even after their constant complaining and rebellion, God saved them from war being waged against them Balak, Balaam, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And he reminded them how God had delivered them into their hand.

God encourages and challenges us to take a few minutes to look at his presence, providence and protection in our lives over the years. As with Israel, he has demonstrated himself to be the faithful God he has always been, currently is and will always be. It is imperative that we take this time to examine and balance all the things we are currently experiencing. Place them in a proper and right perspective and answer the question. God has been faithful and wants to know He can be trusted. Staying focus requires us to take in to consideration the reality of God’s love for us and balance our circumstances. God and all he is will outweigh the overwhelming daily issues and seasonal circumstances. As one member recently reminded us, “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow” Choose you this day to day focused.

:Work While You Wait” sounds like an oxymoron. Doing something that seems to be totally opposite of the other. Is it possible or even reasonable to work and wait at the same time? In today’s message, Dr. Ricks shares with us it is exactly what God wants for us. In our lives as believers, there will be times where we will find ourselves waiting for God, waiting for future spouses or for things to fall into place. We just don’t have control over as much as we want. But in the meantime, what should be our action or reaction when things are not ready to be done?

Used in the message W-O-R-K is used to practically describe some of the things we could employ. W – Worship the Lord, O – Optimize our time until our situation changes, R – Reset ourselves by making necessary changes or adjustments in our lives as the Lord reveals them to us through His word and K – Know the Lord our God better and more intimately. In knowing Him, God will reveal more of his precious word and divine plan to us as he desires. Listen along with us today and follow Dr. Ricks at drricksempowers.com

Mid-Week Bible Study Lessons – Growing by Knowing with Pastor DeWayne Cason

This week’s lesson focuses on the disciplined practice of praying, it’s process and purpose. Pastor Cason helps us understand and know what prayer is through the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus was called, master, Rabboni, teacher among many other things. His followers or disciples asked him to teach them to pray. Our lessons text takes us to Luke 11:1-4 where Pastor Cason begins Learning from the Lord’s Model Prayer

There is a technical side to prayer in which we communicate with the Lord our God in the prescribed method as was just shared by Jesus to his disciples. And then there is a practical side of prayer where we can apply regarding our personal relationship with our God

Mid-Week Study – Lesson on Growing Up In Christ

You the members of New Berean are our first concern and we want to make sure you are being looked out for. We are constantly exploring ways to minister to the people of God. And the Lord has been gracious to us as we are using the online platforms to keep you informed, encouraged and aware. We are also asking you to keep us informed and aware of the things that are important to you through the Deacon ministry and your ministry Leaders. The Prayer Warriors are always communicating to us encouraging and uplifting daily message. With so much being said and to say, let be said in prayer and with words bathed in love and intended to edify (Eph. 4:1-4)

God is In Control – In a world of so many uncertainties, we all can be left in a fog of confusion and be overwhelmed. These events can have us so captivated we lose focus. In a recent message by Pastor Ricks, he reminded us that no matter we are experiencing, the God of the bible whom we love and more so loves us is still in control as he always has and always will.

We all need to be encouraged in these times. So many of us have been impacted (either directly or indirectly) by the ills of this viral pandemic. Our encouragement to you today and everyday is to:

• Trust The Lord (Proverbs 3:5) – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not to your own understanding”. No matter the circumstance, the Lord our God wants us to place our complete trust in Him, and his ability, to sustain, rescue deliver and help us. In trusting him, he will give us a peace that completely overcomes our human comprehension.
• Be Found Faithful (I Cor. 4:2) – “Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful”. The principle applies to every aspect of our lives. From serving to giving, from treating others, praying, worshiping and ministering to following the following and obeying magistrates and those in authority we are expected to be faithful (Tit. 3:1).
• Remain Committed to The Commission of Christ Pointing Others to Jesus (Matt. 28:18-20) With all of heaven’s authority, we have been mandated to share and take the gospel to the world. We are being asked to explore and use the means of communication to tell of the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Sins of the People (verses 1-4)

Sin in its simplest form is the act of violating the established law. Israel’s history and heritage had been formed and shape by the divine wisdom of the Lord Jehovah (Ex. 13:3). God established himself early in their existence and reminded them often of who he was and their responsibility to him. For many reasons they were both prone to and susceptible to violating God’s law. In this week’s lesson, we find them in the same situation again but in his loving and character of compassion, the Lord shares with them through his prophet Isaiah, that he will redeem them.

Yet even in their rebellion against God and his word, he remained gracious and kind towards them. He reminds them that no matter how far they would stray away or how deep into the darkness of their sins, they are never too far from his reach (v 1-2). He too hears their cries even though it seems he’s not listening. . He is not willing for any of them to perish, but in his longsuffering way waits in anticipation. God explains to them the reason for the calamity (v 3). He wants them to judge themselves and return again unto himself (v 4) but no one does. If they would judge themselves, then he would not have to judge them (cf. I Cor. 11:31).

Redemptive Work of God (verses 15-21)

The love of the Lord towards his people is great. He is willing to go to great lengths to demonstrate his love. He even allows them to use his standards of righteousness to judge themselves before he exerts his own authority to judge (v 16, 17). But there was no one who would intercede and plead for them, so he becomes Zion’s Redeemer (v 16, 17). He clothes himself with all of the attributes of the righteous judge with righteousness, zeal, vengeance and salvation.

God declares what he will do to their enemies equaled to the acts or crimes committed (v 18) and the subsequent results of falling into the hands of the living God (v 19). Fear is used here in both forms of respect and terror. There times when fearing the Lord is to respect him and then there are times when terror is the proper response. But none the less, the God is to be feared by all at all times.

God promises to be the redeemer of Zion (his holy place in Israel, v 20, 21). The condition is for them to turn away from their sin and towards the holiest of their Lord. This is repentance in its truest form. And the Lord God seals his word with this covenant with his Spirit upon them and his words in their mouths.

There are many emotions we’re experiencing. We know people who are struggling from day to day with so many unknowns but God wants us to know beyond the shadow of doubt, we are loved personally with an everlasting love.

While in exile, bondage and enslavement under the strong hand of various captives, Israel experienced a full spectrum of emotion. From loneliness, to abandonment, to despair to everything else in between. God’s people were at a lost or perceived there were lost. Even though to some degree, they were in the position because of their own disobedience and rebellion, they were still loved. Jer. 31:2-4 reminds us that the Lord our God loves his people beyond they could ever imagine.

Feelings are not always indicative of truth. Our feelings will override and overwhelm at time (if allowed) but we have the assurance that no matter where we are or what state we find ourselves, we are to rest in the unshakable reality of God’s love for us. Storms will come, the bellows may rise and pandemics season will hover, but :

• We are chosen, selected and saved by God’s love (John 3:16, Romans 5:8) and
• We are sustained and kept by the love of God (Romans 8:30-38)

If you or someone you know has recently experienced overwhelming feelings, encourage yourself (as David did) and them in the reality of the everlasting love you are loved.

Good morning, we would like to thank you for joining us for another edition of Pulpit Points. Please continue to pray for one another and that we can be a greater blessing to each other. In our time of “social distancing” we are encouraging you to be considerate of those who are less fortunate, those who have lost loved ones due to this COVID-19 virus and those who are unsure where their next paycheck or meal is coming from. Pray for those who are expected to care for those are ill, in nursing homes and incarcerated. Those who keep the store shelves stocked with the supplies we need. Ask the Lord to not only guide and give wisdom to our civic leaders and medical experts but that they would listen and be open to obey His wisdom. May our tongues not be as open to criticize as they are to extend prayers. Again, thank you for your diligence in your support both in service and your financial giving to New Berean. Please be safe, take care of yourself and your family as we are stay focused of God’s desire and will for your life. Be thankful.

And now another message from Pulpit Points with Pastor Leroy Ricks, Sr…

Pray As Jabez Prayed – God cares more for us than we can ever imagine. He reminds us that, faith is what pleases Him (Heb. 11:6). He reminds us in His word, that our thoughts do not measure up to His (Isa. 55:8-9) and that we must not be double-minded (Jam 1:5-8)

In today’s message, Pastor Ricks shared with the congregation a message entitled, “Pray Like Jabez Prayed”. In the prayer Jabez offered to the Lord his God (1 Chronicles 4:9-10), he left for us a model of things we can specifically petition the Lord for things in our own life. Jabez prayed:

• Bless Me Lord – Knowing the Lord as we do, we know He is in the business of blessing his children. We ought to all be in line to talk to our heavenly Father to make our requests of blessings to him.
• Enlarge My Territory – Specifically, what are we looking for from our Father? He wants us to come to his holy throne in confidence (I John 5:14). We can go to him and lay out exactly the concerns and issues weighing heavy on our heart.
• That Your Hand Lord, Would Be With Me –
• God, Keep Me From Evil, That I May Not Cause Pain

God’s desire for us is to know we can trust Him and he cares for us. Be encouraged that just as Jabez prayed, we can go to our Lord in faith and boldly ask for grace to help in our time of need (Heb. 4:14-16)