Richard Templin Hancock

They called to the Lord, and He answered

They called to the Lord, and He answered.

Psalm 99:6-7 (BSB) "Moses and Aaron were among His priests; Samuel was among those who called on His name. They called to the LORD and He answered.

He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud; they kept His decrees and the statutes He gave them."

Reflect on that. Moses, Aaron, and Samuel knew the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God who sent Messiah Jesus. You and I have this same access to our Heavenly Father this day and this night. We have access to God because of His mercy and kindness, as He opened up a way for us to approach Him through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. We enjoy the same comforts, guidance, instruction, promises, and victories. As it reads in Hebrews 4:14-16: "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Thank God for this incredible blessing. Find comfort in your walk with your God today who loves you that much.

If you do not know the forgiveness of the Lord, then repent and seek His forgiveness now and receive the blessing of knowing God. Acts 3:19: "Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away."

A Morning Blessing

Psalm 5:3 – "In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly."

What a wonderful way to start the day with our Bibles open as we read God's precious Word. Psalm 143:8 – "Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life."

Looking heavenward, we soak up God's love. Psalm 90:14 – "Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days."

We experience God's compassion and faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22–23 – "Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

In the morning, our hope is in God's Word. Psalm 119:147–148 – "I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word. My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises."

Starting the day with God through prayer and His Word, we receive His love, guidance, and strength for the day ahead.

An Evening Feast

Psalm 23:5 (BSB)

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

As we open our Bibles in the evening, we are opening an evening feast at God's table, where He speaks to us through His word. Each turning of the page brings more treasures as we feed on His word. Jeremiah 15:16: "Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words became my joy and my heart’s delight. For I bear Your name, O LORD God of Hosts."

There is a blessing as we feast at this table. Joshua 1:8: "This Book of the Law must not depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in all you do."

There are sweet treats at God's table. Psalm 119:103 (BSB): "How sweet are Your words to my taste—sweeter than honey in my mouth!"

There are great treasures at God's table in His word. Psalm 19:10 (BSB): "They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb."

Thank God for His word as we open our Bibles tonight.

The Right Time

Romans 5:6 (BSB) For at just the right time, while we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.

I was thinking that God always has the right time for us. Recently, I had a very bad reaction to some new medication from the doctor, and it really hit me hard. I ended up in the hospital emergency room on an IV. It is taking time to bounce back, but the end of the week is better than the beginning. I rarely have an instant physical healing, but I do have one in God's time, or I have the grace to endure. I'm not saying it is easy, but I get through it with God's help. I guess I am sharing this because you might be facing some problems in your life. Have you prayed and asked for God's help? I wanted to assure you He has a perfect time for all of us. Know that you are loved and cared for. If I have to go through a problem in life, I would much rather prefer to go through it with Jesus than on my own. Here are some Bible verses I came across that I hope will be a blessing to you:

Ecclesiastes 3:1, 11 (BSB) To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom the work that God has done from beginning to end.

Psalm 31:15 (BSB) My times are in Your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me.

Lamentations 3:25-26 (BSB) The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.
It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.

I hope these Bible verses will be helpful to you.

A Life Of Watchfulness

Matthew 26:41 (BSB) “Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

As I read this this morning, I thought about how I am called to a life of watchfulness, living as an alert soldier of Christ—on guard against anything that would draw me away from living in obedience to the teachings of Jesus as revealed in the Bible. Let's face it: all believers in Jesus want to live for Him, but our flesh is so weak. We desperately need the power and help of the Holy Spirit to enable us to live this life. So, I thought this would be a good time to remind each other to seek Jesus out in prayer, ask for the Holy Spirit's help for the day's activities, and be joyful that we have the help of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Let's pray right now: Father in heaven, as we face this busy day, we look up to you and ask for your help. Thank you for the provisions you have given us to serve you. Equip us in every way for every situation to watch and pray that we will not enter into temptation. Give us direction in our jobs, ministries, school activities, and all that you have given us to live this day. And Father, thank you for Jesus. We love you. Amen.