“As for Me,” says the LORD, “this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants,” says the LORD, “from this time and forevermore.” Isaiah 59: 21, NKJV. Holy God, we are so grateful that You are an unchanging God, and that Your promises are firm enough to hold up the weight of anyone who desires to stand upon them. Please keep us close to your side....

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! Serve the LORD with gladness; come before His presence with singing. Know that the LORD, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations. Psalm 100: 1-5, NKJV. Heavenly Father, we are here in Your holy presence, asking You to help us gain the victory over sadness, and...

When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream.Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with singing.  Then they said among the nation “The LORD has done great things for them.” The LORD has done great things for us and we are glad. Bring back our captivity, O LORD as the streams in the South. Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. Psalm 126: 1-6, NKJV. LORD, here we are in...

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.  .  . Matthew 16: 24, 25, NKJV. Merciful God, as we come into Your presence, we come in total gratitude for Your expressed mercy and love toward us. We ask that You will speak to our hearts through Your Word, and help us to be obedient listeners. In the name of Jesus Christ we...

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16: 15, 16, NKJV. Dear God, may we always recognize who You are, and give You the glory that is due to Your name. This is our prayer, in the precious name of Jesus Christ. Amen. One's identity is very important. When a person knows who he or she is, their behavior will show it. Children leaving home, for the first time, going off to school are often reminded by their parents,...

And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ. Matthew 16: 18-20, NKJV. Merciful God and Father, thank You for the privilege of prayer. May we be blessed as...

Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. Matthew 16: 16, 17, NKJV. Dear God, we are grateful to You for Your Word. Please bless us as we study. This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Yesterday we made mention of the different "revelations" that are found in chapter 16, of the Gospel according to Matthew. Today we will talk about the first of these revelations...

From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” Matthew 16: 21-23, NKJV. Dear God, as we...

For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him...

Now some of them from Jerusalem said, “Is this not He whom they seek to kill?  But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ? However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.” .  .  . And many of the people believed in Him, and said, “When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?” .  .  . Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly...