"The picture of God's lamp shining on Job's head symbolized divine blessing and success." - Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary

"Those that have the brightest sun-shine of outward prosperity must yet expect some moments of darkness. They are sometimes crossed, sometimes at a loss, sometimes melancholy. But those that are interested in the favour of God, and know how to value it, can, by the light of that, walk cheerfully and comfortably through all the darkness of this vale of tears. That puts gladness into the heart enough to counterbalance all the grievances of this present time." - Matthew Henry

With the start of a New Year right around the corner, many are wondering, - "What will 2010 bring me - as far as 'good times' or 'bad times' goes?"

Many are desperately hoping for "change" in their circumstances, relationships, position, outlook, etc.

In this message, we would like to closely examine a particular verse of Scripture and glean great...

2010 - A Brand New Year! Irregardless of what 2009 represented for you and your family, this is a New Year that you are facing with new adventures, breakthroughs, and opportunities.

There is just something so special about starting anew. There is Hope and Expectancy involved. You are going to a place where you've never been before.

Just be sure of One Thing - don't carry your worries, fears, failures, and regrets into the New Year. Learn from your mistakes and then go on. The fact that you are still alive at the start of 2010 is an indication that God isn't finished with you yet. He has Great Plans for you.

Never Forget - God is the God of a Second Chance. 2010 is for some - "a second chance" - to fulfill the call on your life, make amends for past wrongdoings, do things God's way rather than your own, etc.

We at Walking In Truth Ministry are cheering you on. The Best is yet to come! We are totally confident that you will succeed and meet your...

"I am Thine. Thy enemies wish to destroy me! Lord, look to Thy servant; Thy servant looks to Thee. O how sovereign is such a word against all the evils of life! I am Thine! therefore save Thine Own!" - Adam Clarke
"Consecration is a good plea for preservation. If we are conscious that we are the Lord's, we may be confident that He will save us." - Charles Spurgeon

"I am Thy servant" - What an effective plea for favor, help, and deliverance from God.

Can you say that today?

Can you - with all confidence - go before the "Throne of grace" and petition the Lord using this argument - "I am Thy servant"?

Who are the true "servants of God"?

Genesis 26:24 mentions Abraham as - "My servant." Genesis 32:10 refers to Jacob as - "Thy servant." Exodus 4:10 says of Moses - "Spoken unto Thy servant." 1 Kings 3:7 says of Solomon - "Made Thy servant King." In 1 Kings 18:36, Elijah claims before God - "I am Thy servant." In Psalm 69:17, David prays -...

Like Noah, we can be perfect in our generation.
We can -
...remain undefiled if we will simply pursue holiness in all that we say and do
...be without blemish if we will fill our hearts and minds with God's Word.
...be upright if we keep ourselves in the love of Jesus.

Genesis 6:9 says - "...Noah was...perfect in his generations..."

That word perfect means "undefiled, without blemish, and upright." So, in other words, we can say that Noah was undefiled in his generation. He was without blemish and upright.

What kind of generation did Noah live in? One where "the wickedness of man was great" and "every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Genesis 6:5) - a generation that "was filled with violence" (Genesis 6:11).

Sounds like the one that we are presently in, doesn't it?

Jesus told us that the generation before His Second Coming would be just like that of Noah's day. We are that generation,...

"If it pleases God to sustain by other means than bread, it will be done. His word can be trusted. God fed Israel with manna, sent by His word, and we can trust His promises." - People's New Testament

Matthew 4:4 says - "But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."
Hebrew 11:6 says - "But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."

Look with us for a moment at the account of Hagar and Ishmael in Genesis 21:14-20 which says - "And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. And she went, and sat...

"They have no reason to fear that have God with them."
"Nothing is more effectual to embolden men, and put spirit into them, than to be sure that God is with them and fights for them."
"A believing confidence in God will raise us above the prevailing fear of man."
"We reproach our leader if we follow Him trembling." - all of the above quotes from Matthew Henry

"What God had promised. The Lord your God He shall fight for you; and that cause cannot but be victorious which the Lord of hosts fights for. If God be for us, who can be against us so as to prevail? "

"Let the good subjects and soldiers of Jesus Christ rest thus upon His word, and boldly say, Since God is for us, who can be against us?"
- both quotes from Matthew Henry

Deuteronomy 20:2-4 says - "And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people, And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle...

"The character of a man's step is often an index to the state of his soul." - Biblical Illustrator

"God will dwell with those that prepare Him a habitation." - Matthew Henry

"Though we are at all times in His presence, His house is the place in which we entreat Him to manifest Himself to His congregated people. Yet, though we know that - the place and the purpose of our frequenting it are of the most holy and solemn nature, it is only by a strong effort that we can maintain the frame of mind we should be in when we wait upon God in His house. It is only by resolutely determining so to do that we can control our wandering thoughts, suppress frivolous and sinful imaginations, and divest ourselves of the secular cares and anxieties which occupy only too much of our attention in the world outside the sanctuary." - Pulpit Commentary

Oh, how wonderful to read in the Bible of times when God came down and took possession of the "meeting place" prepared for Him by...

"Instability is the ruin of men's excellency." - Matthew Henry

"The great secret of excellence lies in steadiness & perseverance." - Biblical Illustrator

"It is related of Alexander the Great, that, being asked how it was that he had conquered the world, he replied, "By not wavering.' " - Biblical Illustrator

"God's power and promise are a rock that is higher than we." - Matthew Henry

In the book of Genesis, we find a man by the name of Reuben who had great potential. He was the firstborn among eleven brothers and one sister. That meant that he was entitled to the highest of dignity - a double-portion of the inheritance as well as pre-eminence, power, and authority over his brethren. His tribe was also entitled to leadership over the other tribes.

In Genesis 49:1-2, it is recorded that, before his death, Jacob called his twelve sons to his bedside and spoke prophetically over their lives - "And Jacob called unto his sons; and said,...