PCG-Shalom Congregation

*NEW EVERY MORNING*

THEME: consequences of disobedience

TEXT: Numbers 14:28

Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very thing I heard you say. In this wilderness your bodies will fall—every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me.'

This passage in Numbers 14:28 is a solemn declaration from God to the Israelites. They had been wandering in the wilderness for some time, and despite God's miraculous deliverance from slavery in Egypt, they had begun to grumble and complain against Him.

God's response is clear and direct. He tells them that He will do to them exactly what He heard them say. Because they refused to trust and obey Him, they would face the consequences of their actions.

This passage teaches us several important lessons. First, our words have power. The Israelites' grumbling and complaining did not go unnoticed by God. He heard their words, and He responded accordingly.

Second, our actions have consequences. The Israelites' refusal to trust and obey God resulted in serious consequences. They would wander in the wilderness for forty years, and an entire generation would not enter the Promised Land.

Third, God is a God of justice and righteousness. He is a God who keeps His promises, but He is also a God who judges sin and disobedience.

So, what does this mean for us today? It means that we must be careful with our words and actions. We must learn to trust and obey God, even when it's difficult or uncomfortable.

We must also recognize that God is a God of justice and righteousness. He will not tolerate sin and disobedience forever. We must repent of our sins and turn to Him in faith.

Finally, we must remember that God is a God of mercy and forgiveness. Despite the Israelites' sin and disobedience, God did not abandon them. He continued to care for them and provide for them in the wilderness.

In the same way, God is willing to forgive and restore us when we sin. We must come to Him in humility and repentance, and He will pardon us and restore us to fellowship with Him.

May we learn from the example of the Israelites and strive to trust and obey God in all things. May we recognize the power of our words and actions, and may we seek to live in a way that honors and glorifies God.

*Prayer Points*
1. Dear Heavenly Father, forgive us for our grumbling and complaining spirits. Help us to trust and obey you, even in difficult circumstances.
2. Lord, we pray that you will help us to be mindful of our words and actions. May we speak and act in ways that honor and glorify you.
3. Father, we ask that you will give us the strength and courage to obey you, even when it's hard. May we trust in your goodness and provision.
4. Lord, we pray that you will forgive us for our sins and restore us to fellowship with you. May we experience your mercy and forgiveness.
5. Heavenly Father, help us to remember that you are a God of justice and righteousness. May we live in reverence and awe of your holiness.
6. Lord, we pray that you will give us a heart of gratitude and thanksgiving. May we focus on your blessings and provision, rather than grumbling and complaining.
7. Father, may we learn from the example of the Israelites and strive to trust and obey you in all things. May we seek to live in a way that honors and glorifies you.
8. Thank God for answered prayers Amen. 🙏

*NEW EVERY MORNING*

THEME: From Dessert to Delight

TEXT: Isaiah 62:4

No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the Lord will take delight in you, and your land will be married."

This verse is a beautiful promise from God to his people. It's a promise of hope, of restoration, and of joy.

The background of this verse is important to understand. The prophet Isaiah is writing to the Israelites who have been in exile for many years. They have been separated from their homeland, and they are feeling deserted and desolate.

But Isaiah brings them a message of hope. He tells them that God has not forgotten them, and that he is going to restore them to their homeland. He's going to make their desert bloom, and he's going to make their desolate land fertile.

The names that Isaiah uses in this verse are significant. The Israelites are no longer going to be called "Deserted" or "Desolate". Instead, they are going to be called "Hephzibah", which means "my delight is in her". And their land is going to be called "Beulah", which means "married".

These names are a picture of the intimate relationship that God wants to have with his people. He wants to delight in them, and he wants them to be married to him.

This verse is not just a promise to the Israelites, but it's also a promise to us. As followers of Jesus, we are part of God's people, and we can claim this promise for ourselves.

We all go through times of feeling deserted and desolate. We all experience times of dryness and barrenness in our spiritual lives. But this verse reminds us that God is always with us, and that he delights in us.

He wants to restore us, to revive us, and to make us fertile again. He wants to make our desert bloom, and he wants to make our desolate land fertile.

So let's hold on to this promise. Let's remember that God delights in us, and that he wants to have an intimate relationship with us. Let's ask him to restore us, to revive us, and to make us fertile again.

May we be like the Israelites, who were restored to their homeland and experienced the delight of God. May we experience the joy of being married to God, and may we always remember that he delights in us.

*Prayer Points*

1. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your promise to restore and revive me. Help me to hold on to your word and to trust in your goodness.
2. Lord, I pray that you would delight in me and take pleasure in my life. Help me to live in a way that honors you and brings joy to your heart.
3. Father, I ask that you would make my spiritual desert bloom and my desolate land fertile. Help me to experience a fresh outpouring of your Spirit and a renewed passion for your presence.
4. Lord, I pray that I would be married to you, deeply connected to your heart and intimately acquainted with your love. Help me to cultivate a deeper relationship with you and to walk in the joy and delight of your presence.
5. Thank you Father for answered prayers Amen. 🙏

*NEW EVERY MORNING*

THEME: Singing a new song to the Lord

TEXT: PSALM Psalm 96:1-2

"Sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, praise his name;
proclaim his salvation day after day."

Psalm 96 is a call to worship, a call to sing a new song to the Lord. It's a reminder that our God is a great God, worthy of our praise and adoration. As we read through this psalm, let's be encouraged to worship our God with renewed passion and enthusiasm.

The psalm begins by saying, "Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth." What does it mean to sing a new song to the Lord? It means to worship him with freshness and excitement. It means to come to him with a heart that is full of joy and gratitude.

We can get stuck in a rut in our worship, singing the same old songs and saying the same old prayers without much thought or feeling. But Psalm 96 calls us to break out of that rut and to worship God with renewed passion and enthusiasm.

The psalm goes on to say, "Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs." How do we worship the Lord with gladness? We do it by coming to him with a heart that is full of joy and gratitude.

When we worship God, we should do it with a sense of joy and celebration. We should come to him with songs and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with our hearts.

Beloved, the psalm reminds us that "the Lord reigns." What does it mean that the Lord reigns? It means that he is in control of everything. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

When we worship God, we are acknowledging his sovereignty over our lives. We are saying that he is in control, and that we trust him to guide and direct us.

As we worship our God, let's do it with freshness and excitement. Let's come to him with a heart that is full of joy and gratitude. Let's remember that the Lord reigns, and that he is in control of everything. Let's trust him to guide and direct us, and let's worship him with renewed passion and enthusiasm.

May our worship be a reflection of our love and devotion to our great God. May we sing a new song to the Lord, and may our hearts be filled with joy and gratitude as we worship him.

*Prayer Points*

1. Dear God, help me to worship you with freshness and excitement, singing a new song to you every day.
2. Lord, I pray that my heart would be filled with joy and gratitude as I come before you in worship.
3. God, remind me that you are the King of kings and the Lord of lords, and that you are in control of everything.
4. Help me, Lord, to trust you to guide and direct me, and to acknowledge your sovereignty over my life.
5. Dear God, I pray that my worship would be a reflection of my love and devotion to you, and that it would bring glory and honor to your name.
6. Lord, fill your church with a spirit of worship and praise, and may we be a people who sing a new song to you every day.
7. Thank you Lord for answered prayers Amen. 🙏