In a continuation of his teaching series “The Anatomy of  Praise”, Dr. Lamont E. Ricks, shares today the whats and why for “Transitional Praise“. Sometimes in our walk with the Lord, we are going to be overwhelmed and it seems as through we cannot muster up enough strength to give God praise.

But in today’s message, Moses and the children are caught in the proverbial “rock and a hard place” scenario. After leaving Egypt and from under the hard taskmaster’s hand of the Pharaoh, Israel escaped only to  run into a wall know as the Red Sea. For over four hundreds year, Pharaoh handed the Israelites, task after task, lashing after lashing to build his empires. But God heard their cries and rescued them. when the came to the Red Sea, they demonstrated the attitude and mindset we are encouraged to display when we are compassed with woes on every side – Transitional Praise  

Unconditional Praise is exactly what it sounds. It is the deliberate act of expressing gratitude and honor and worship the Lord for who he is. It is demonstrating your faith and trust in the God of your salvation for things we have no control over but are yet pressing on our lives. Sometimes this pressing can take over and overwhelm us to the point where panic sets in.

But How can we trust God when we are consumed in panic? We still desire toe serve the Lord and live our life to his glory but we seemingly cannot shake these heighten levels of anxiety.

In today’s Pulpit Points message, Dr. Lamont shares from Psalm 34 the things in our life that can bring about panic and how we can experience a praise that is unconditional. Although circumstances and situations are dynamic and can me dramatic, we belong to a God who is sovereign, omnipotent who has the ability to calm us settle us and give us peace in the midst of these situations.

Paul’s Prayer for the Ephesians – One of the more blessed things the Saints can do each other is to encourage through prayer. A lot of times we will not be able to be geographically close to someone who needs our touch of love but God has permitted to pray for one another..

In today’s Pulpit Points message, Leroy E. Ricks, Sr, shares how and why Paul prayed for the congregation at Ephesus. Why, because he had heard of the their testimony of fellowship and growth. It was encouraging to him to hear of how the Lord was using them to be a blessing.

• Paul’s Preparation for Prayer (v 15)
• Paul’s Purpose for Prayer (v 16-18)
• Paul’s Expectation of Prayer (v 20-23)

The Master Teaches How to Pray, Matthew 6:9-15

This week’s Sunday Devotional has us in a class session on prayer, taught by the Master. In our every day lives we are in constant need of communicate with our heavenly Father for direction, grace understanding and forgiveness. We are to constantly and consistently consult Him to ensure we are living the life he both desires and demands. The Lord tells us through the writer of I Thessalonians (I Thess. 5:16-18) that we are to always pray. And again, we are reminded of the spiritual warfare we are engaged in and of the weapons we should equip ourselves with – prayer (Eph. 6:10-18).

The Lord was always teaching to his disciples and those who would listen. He took the time to train them in the fundamentals of the faith, the thing his Father had assigned him to included praying (Luke 11:1-3). God wants us to communicate with him but wants us to understand there is a format and a level of respect that comes along with approaching his holy throne. At the request of one of those followers, Jesus sat his disciples down and instructed them on the process of prayer.

Join us this week for our Sunday Devotional.

Our Victory Assured

Our everyday walk in the Lord is going to be met with all kinds of challenges. Some will be easy to work through and some will be not. But in his word, the Lord our has given us the assurance of victory.

In today’s Pulpit Points message, DeWayne Cason, Associate and Youth Pastor shared with the attending congregation of the great news that God has in his word.

This week’s lesson is the last installment of our lesson with King Solomon and the finished work of the Ark of God (I Kings 8:44-61)

Blessing is the act of praising or lifting up. The Ark of the Covenant being returned to it’s rightful place was not small thing. It was a means of showing the Lord, their God how important worship is to them. God’s glory is to be appreciated for the God he and the things he is able to do. King Solomon recognized the need to properly worship and praise him.

By setting up the place of worship, all Israel was ready to give God his glory through his appointed leader. Let us follow the account as the Ark is blessed.

This weeks Sunday Devotional focuses on the dedication of the Ark of the Lord back to the Lord and Solomon’s prayer. 1 Kings 8:22–30, 52, 53 . This was a grand moment and the King wanted all the people to know and appreciate all that had been done in the name of the Lord.

Worship is valuable both to the one receiving the attention and the one worshiping the Lord. For the worshiper, it is obedience at it’s highest level. God is to be glorified and has given us instructions on how we are to conduct ourselves (John 4:24 states, God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”). When we faithfully follow the Lord’s instructions He is blessed).

Let us follow King Solomon as he lead Israel in prayer and dedication of God’s house.

How do you need gas in your car? Check you display panel. How you know what your blood pressure or glucose level? You would check it. If we want to know where we are in the Lord, we are encouraged by the word of Lord to Check ourselves. In 2 Corinthians 13:5, Paul tells the saints to “examine themselves”. This type of examination is a comparison of our life to the faith we proclaim to identify the gaps of short-comings we all have. It is not a means or opportunity to judge or condemn someone else (Matthew 7:1) but for us to look at ourselves.

In today’s Pulpit Points message, Dr. Lamont, used the account of Cain and Abel (Genesis 4:1-15), to remind us how critical it is for us periodically and frequently “Check Ourselves Before You Wreck Ourselves“.

Watchnight 2019 , as we enter into a new decade we are challenge by the word of God to look at it with the right perspective – God’s perspective. Since God is perfect and sees all things perfectly, it is only right that we as his children to see things as He sees them.

In the new year to come, God wants us to see things from his perspective . We are encouraged no longer be moved or influenced by how other people view us or place move value of how we see ourselves. Dr. Ricks, uses the account of Jeroboam in I Kings 13 to help approach 2020 with a new and improved vision. 20/20 Vision.