Safe Heaven House Of Prayer

The Lord builds up Jerusalem; He gathers together the outcasts of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name. Great is our Lord, and mighty power; His understanding is infinite. The Lord lifts up the humble. Psalm 147:2-6 God desires to heal the wounded and bring them to Himself. You can trust that God is at work as you deal with a wound, a broken heart, or difficult circumstances. Have you ever looked into the night sky to find the constellations? The heavens are beautiful and overwhelming! I wish my stargazing success went beyond finding the Big and Little Dippers. Just as God designed the stars, He also knows how He designed you. He completely understands your circumstances and wants you to rely on His healing touch. You might feel small and insignificant in comparison to the stars, but the Creator of the universe wants to be involved in your life. He loves you more than all of the stars combined. Wh

"I will bring this city health and healing; I will heal them reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth...I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me. Then it shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise, and an honor before all nations of the earth, who shall hear all the good that I do to them; they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity that I provide for it." Jeremiah 33:6,8-9 The passage from Jeremiah 33 teaches that prosperity is characterized by peace and truth, cleansing from sin, and joy. Many of us tend to think of prosperity in physical terms, but every physical blessing that God provides is first and foremost for peace and truth, for joy, and for His praise and honor, so that we can bless others and bring them to peace with God. Out of great healing comes great growth. Healing can only b

"Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard." Isaiah 58:7-8 The context of today's passage from Isaiah is a discussion of true and false worship. The passage, however, suggests that our healing is not just about us, but that it's about others too. We are to feed to hungry, clothe the naked, and house the poor. We are blessed by God to be a blessing to others. Doesn't it make sense that this principle would apply to healing? As we look at Jesus, our Healer, let's first consider the most important healing Jesus offers us. Physical healing is temporary; emotional healing is fleeting; but spiritual; healing is eternal. Everyone in

On the last day, that great of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." John 7:37-38 Thirst is the body's way of telling us that we need water, and Jesus speaks to us about our thirst in His Word. He spoke to those who are suffering under the oppressive heat of sin and dying of soul dehydration. In our sin and out of sync with God, we migrate to any moisture, like the moisture, like the animals in spiritual thirst. Tormented by our need, we find ourselves dying of thirst. Jesus is the only Source of satisfaction for a soul dehydrated by sin. We need more than a casual encounter with something or someone who makes us feel good. We need to be nourished from the inside out. Jesus is the one who answers our thirst and satisfies us completely. He is the Servant who suffers for our salvation, the Sinless One who is fully

God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:5-7 Monsters come out at night. These terror-filled words grip most children when the sun's glow has slipped past the horizon. After the bedtime prayers have been said and the lamp is switched off, children's hearts may fill with fear. For them, darkness isn't good. In like manner, we should all be afraid of spiritual darkness, we live a chaotic, nightmarish life. We are the monsters in our own horror story when we aren't living in fellowship with God. The message today's verses is that God is light. He is pure, perfect, grand, and good, heavenly, and holy. He is light, and light cannot coexist with darkness. Here is the good news: Jesus came to obliterat

Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. John 8:34-36 Regardless of the color of the skies above, a slave lives in the deep darkness of defeat and despair. Regardless of the road he travels, a slave longs for the clattering chains that bind his soul to be shattered. Regardless of the songs in the air around him, a slave's soul sobs out a hymn of hopelessness. In our sins, we were slaves shackled to sorrow. But Jesus came to set us free. He tore the veil of death's dark shadows with the hope of His resurrection. He untangled our souls from the curse of sin's chain, purchasing our freedom with the price of His own death. He pours His Spirit into our hearts, constantly giving us His love. In Jesus Christ, we are no longer slaves to sin and death. We are now sons and daughters of the King. We live in the majes

Beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:8-9 Life's journey is difficult. Too often piercing winds chase away comfort, Life's journey is also filled with sadness. And life's journey is painful, like the nose numbing wind that freezes our minds and clouds our vision with stinging tears. Yet God comes alongside us during the journey of life and offers us the joy of His patient love. God, who is eternally present, sees our lives from beginning to end. God, who is forever faithful, sent Jesus to the world to thaw the wintry chill of sin and isolation with  His rescuing love. Even when we stubbornly ignore God's love, He persistently offers rescue. Even when trust inadequate ability to navigate the arctic w

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 Much of my life, I have been hard of hearing. When I was a little boy, my parents would tell me to clean my room or take out the trash, and I would respond with "Huh?" But the "Huh?" of my hearing was too often the result of my not listening well the first time. I'm still hard of hearing. When God calls me to adjust my life to better fit His will and to seek His pleasure, I respond with "Huh?" I hear, but I don't want to obey. I have a case of hard-hearted hearing, and that always means a crooked path to catastrophe where I plummet to despair and am pummeled with pain. Yet the opposite is also true. If we give ourselves hearts, souls, bodies, and minds to the Lord in absolute trust, we will experience joy. When we place our past, present, and future into the hands of the One who knows be

I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13 When I am sick, I go to the doctor. The doctor performs certain tests, examines the results, and prescribes a remedy for what ails me. During the days of the prophet Jeremiah, the nation of Israel needed a remedy for the sickness. And like Israel then, we find our souls sick today, and we long for healing. Based on the eternal purposes of His heart, God has prescribed a future for us. Like Israel in Jeremiah's day, we have caved to the pressures of sin and we rebelled against God, resulting in a whirlwind of tattered souls and scuttled dreams. Yet God's heart beats for a hope filled future for us. The future we crave is made possible because of God's merciful love: He sent Je

Above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 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. Colossians 3:14-16 Peace. It doesn't come in a pill. It can't be found in a bottle or bought. But peace is something all of us want and need. Peace is not the absence of problems, but the awareness of the presence of Jesus. He is the Peacemaker, the Peace Speaker, The Prince of Peace. Peace is part of the legacy Jesus left to His followers: "I am leaving you with a gift, peace of mind and heart!" (John 14:27).  However, we can never have the peace of God until we have the peace with God through a relationship with Jesus Christ. His peace then becomes not only a precious gift, but also a helpful guide in life. How

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling. Ephesians 4:1-4 Someone has said: To live there above with those that we love, Oh, that will be glory! But to dwell here below with those that we know, Now, that's another story. The two bars of the cross remind us of the two dimensions of the Christian life: our relationship with God and our relationship with others. The more difficult area is relating to other people. Why? Because God is perfect, but difficult area is relating to other people are not and neither are we. How can we live with others in a way that honors the name of Christ? By choosing humility, gentleness, and meekness. By quietly enduring people's quirks an

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another. Romans 12:9-10 What blood is to our physical bodies, love is to the body of Christ. Love enables all the members of the church to function in a harmonious, healthy way when this love is honest, "without hypocrisy", humble, and willing to put other people before us. Johnathan knew that as Saul's son he was rightful heir to the throne and that David was God choice as the next king. Nevertheless, Jonathan showed brotherly love to David and, despite the personal cost, respected him as Israel's future king. Never forgetting these generous actions, King David showed kindness to Johnathan's family and especially to his grandson (2 Samuel 9). "Giving preference" or stepping aside so someone else can benefit or be yourself first, thinking of yourself, protecting yourself, and promoting

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 Next to "bless this food to the nourishment of our bodies," perhaps the most repeated prayer is "Lord, be with me as I..." But why would you ask someone who is constantly with you to be with you? Maybe because you haven't yet grasped one of the most glorious realities in the Christian life: "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27). When you gave your life to Jesus Christ, you were placed in Him; and at that same moment, He gave His life to you and came to live within you. The Christian life is not your asking, "What would Jesus do if He were here?" He is here, and He lives inside of you! You are the house of God today. Your body is His holy temple, not a hotel. He did not come to visit. When you welcomed Jesus to be Lord of your life, He moved in to stay forever. He promised

Comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing. We urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves. 1 Thessalonians 5:11-13 Most companies, organizations, clubs, governments, teams almost every group in the world honors hardworking and faithful members. And we are to recognize those same qualities in the church. Scripture teaches that all Christ-followers have an obligation to encourage and build up other followers. Comforting fellow believers, though, doesn't mean we simply pat them on the head or heartily shake their hands. Instead, we are to put strength into them for their responsibilities as support them so they will grow stronger in their faith. While we must comfort and edify every believer, we must show special recognition to those among us who are our spiritual authorities, those who "labo

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Every single one of us is either in trouble, just getting out of trouble, or about to encounter trouble. Heartaches, disappointments, & sorrow, troubles like these are all part of life. "How can I avoid trouble in life?" is not a question we need to ask because we simply can't avoid it. The question should be how you will respond when trouble comes. A good fit response is to praise the Lord. Paul knew much about trouble firsthand, yet he counseled, "In everything give thanks" (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Choosing to thank our Father and praise Him in the midst of trouble helps shift our focus from ourselves and to Him, the Source of all we need. In addition to being the Source o

As for me, I will walk in my integrity; redeem me and be merciful to me. My foot stands in an even place; in the congregations I will bless the Lord. Psalms 26:11-12 As a kid I frequently visited redemption racks for glass soda bottles. My mom often let me keep the cash we received when we redeemed the bottles. Those days are long gone, but the principle of redemption is still in play. Part of walking in integrity is understanding that God is able to redeem all things. Joel 2:25 says that God can restore the years the locusts have eaten. In other words, we don't have to be prisoners of the past. We must let God forgive us for our past sins, and then watch Him redeem them. He will use our past for good. Too many people, though, miss the life that could be theirs because they let themselves remain prisoners of the past. But some of their greatest ministry in the future could come out of God redeeming their past and that is true for us too. God can redeem a painful divorce or dev

Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I cry to You all day long. Rejoice the soul of Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You. Psalms 86:3-5 Our views on the nature of God will in many ways determine the courses of our lives. Consider, for instance, the way we can let past experiences, such as being raised by an overbearing parent, color our understanding of God. If we grew up in a family like that, we may have developed the pattern of hiding our feelings for fear of a harsh response. This kind of faulty understanding of God's nature causes us to develop unhealthy spiritual patterns, such as hiding from our heavenly Father. Our Scripture passage today, however, reminds us that God is nothing like an overbearing parent. Our God is rich in mercy and willing to forgive. When we let the Scripture form our understanding of the nature of God, we transformed. Ephesians 1:8 says t

I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I forgiven if there was anything to forgive I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11 in order that Satan might bot outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes. 2 Corinthians 2:8-11 Being aware of Satan's schemes is a good thing. That awareness is, in fact, key to walking in security or, literally, in freedom. Consider, for instance, how twisted our views on sexuality and marriage are compared to God's original design. This is a direct result of the enemy's schemes, and the result is bondage, not freedom. Another problem with anything that's twisted is that it loses it's strength. When I embrace the enemy's twisted  schemes, I become twisted and weak. The perverted ways of my heart "will become known" because I won't have the stre

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 3:12-14 I am currently teaching my fifteen year old son to drive, which is a challenge. His struggle behind the wheel is rooted in his desire to take his eyes off the road and play DJ. I am constantly reminding him to keep his eyes on the road, not on the radio. Similarly, in Philippians 3, Paul challenged us to keep looking ahead spiritually, not behind. The guilt and shame from our past can keep us looking backward and rob us of our future. Paul put it this way in another letter he wrote: "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and l

Exhort the young men to be sober-minded, in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you. -Titus 2:6-8 I will never forget my first practice as a college baseball player. My coach hit ground balls to me, and he hit me ten or fifteen that I promptly fielded. It was the last hit that I'll never forget. Coach hit it several feet out of my reach. Then he walked out to me and ask what happened. "Coach, I don't have that much range" was my answer. To which he replied, "Not yet, but I'm going to stay on you until you do." We all need a coach like that, someone who helps us where we are and exhorts us to do better, to move forward, to grow. Sadly, few of us have invited someone into our lives to exhort us spiritually. In his letter to Titus, Paul talked about how God ca

Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise. -Proverbs 20:1 It's a paradigm shift, having as the greatest goal in life not avoiding sin but  pursuing Christ and His character. In our Scripture verses for today, both wine and strong drink are personified: one as a "mocker" and the other as a "brawler." In Hebrew both of these words can mean "foolish." And if one of my goals is for others to see Christ like integrity in my life, I should avoid consuming that which leads to foolishness. However, we should not judge others. Life is difficult and full of so much pain. Fear and anxiety are ever-present realities for many people. Alcohol can indeed like a shelter from the storms of life. If you are using alcohol as your shelter, have you sensed that it is inadequate? I encourage you instead to begin taking refuge in Christ. Pour your heart out to Him in prayer instead of pouring yourself another drink. What mi

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works. -Hebrews 10:22-24 I love the time of invitation at the end of our Sunday services. Every time I share the Word of God, I encourage people to respond to whatever the Holy Spirit is calling them to do. Some may believe the invitation is just for the lost to come to Christ, but Jesus continually calls out to His disciples to follow His teachings. Jesus has high expectations for how His followers live in this world as nonbelievers watch. This passage encourages the faithful to "draw near" to God. When we do, God will draw near to us and strengthen our faith. In fact, the nearer we draw to God, the greater  our  "assurance of faith." This assurance of

God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those through faith patience inherit the promises. -Hebrews 6:10-12 It is helpful to remember that much of the letter to the Hebrews was written  with concern for unbelieving Jews. The writer desired that nonbelievers would realize that their only hope the only source assurance for the end of their lives lies in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Author and Finisher of our faith. The readers of this letter were modeling well what it means to live in that hope. In this passage, the writer was very straightforward: God is not unjust. He will neither forget nor ignore His followers who put their faith in action. As the writer commended the believers wonderful and faithful ministry to all

May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble; may the name of the God of Jacob defend you; may He send you help from the sanctuary, and strengthen you out of Zion. May He grant you according to your heart's desire, and fulfill all your purpose. -Psalms 20:1-2,4 During the reign of King David, the people understood the significance of a person being God's anointed one. There was no doubt in their minds that the Lord Himself had set David apart to be their leader. They had not only heard reports of his gallant feats on the battlefield but they knew God had chosen David from among his many brothers. And God's choices were not be ignored! In this psalm of praise and petition, David called for God to send help and strength from "the sanctuary" and "out of Zion," two places symbolizing God's presence. The people who honored their king prayed to God on behalf of him. They wanted God to uphold, support, and sustain their king. They wanted God's bles