Good afternoon family and friends. Just a reminder, prayer service tonight at 8:00 p.m. Dial 1-605-562-8401. Access code is 670-7270#
Please see today’s message below:
September 2, 2021
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When we woke up this morning, our focus should have been on the weather that has caused havoc over the last several days. If your roof is still on your home, you should be giving God praises. If the flooding has not caused any damage to your property, you ought to be giving God even more praises. If you are still alive, hallelujah praise is in order. Here we are in the midst of a pandemic, yet millions of people are having to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. My heart was torn when watching the devastation caused by Hurricane Ida on Sunday in Louisiana. One person described the area where he lived as one where it looked as if bombs had gone off. Can you even imagine waking up this morning and having absolutely nothing but the clothes on your back? After all is surveyed and done, the greater tragedy is the death of persons caused by the hurricane.
I think we all can agree that man and woman (meteorologist) can predict, but only God has the power to send. It is God’s power that rules even over the wind and rain.
As of yesterday, September 1, 2021, 960,000 customers were still without power in the state of Louisiana, according to PowerOutages.US. The reports become even more dismal knowing that the electricity in some parts of Louisiana will not be restored for several more weeks. On top of the destruction of property caused by wind and rain, more than half of the gas stations in Baton Rouge and New Orleans are without fuel, according to outage figures compiled by GasBuddy. Generators are needed for several reasons, but most importantly they are needed for the operation of the already overcrowded hospitals. Some of the hospitals are inundated with COVID-19 cases.
As we received weather reports throughout the day on yesterday, it was evident that our area would receive strong winds and heavy downpours of rain. Many drivers were stranded on highways due to the flooding in our area and emergency crews were called to the rescue. Our First Responders are to be commended once again for their bravery and commitment to saving lives.
Throughout last night the downgraded storm did significant damage in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, New England, and other places. So much so that New York has declared a state of emergency as the Northeast was slammed by flooding caused by the remnant of Ida. Rescuers have been removing people from flooded roadways and subways across New York City. And the saga continues.
Let us not ignore or be ignorant to what is happening. Is God still trying to tell us something, yet we continue to downplay or ignore His warnings? We have experienced a plague, fires, earthquakes, famines, locusts, droughts, etc., what else is it going to take for us to humble ourselves and know that God is seeking our devotion and commitment to Him. For He tells us, “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal the land” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
On last evening our Bible Study lesson was on Psalm 29. My take away from that lesson is that God has power and authority over the weather. God can speak and cause floods to occur as He did with Noah and the Ark.
Psalm 29:3-4 reads, “The voice of the Lord is over the waters; The God of glory thunders; The Lord is over many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.”
Some commentators believe that David was prompted to write this Psalm because he witnessed a great storm and hearing the power of thunder and associating it with the voice of God. He saw the rain and heard the wind. He saw the lightning and heard the thunder. We too need to hear and know that it is God.
Just as the storm caused David to think about God and his power, so should we. The storm started in the south, Louisiana and went through several other states as it came up the east coast. It is amazing how the winds and torrent rains impacted some areas more than others. Even in our area, Annapolis was hit harder than others. Some are probably asking, “Why is it that there are some areas that are hit harder than others?” My only response to that question is to, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding.” Proverbs 3: 5
My pondering message for today is for us to take heed to the means in which God is trying to get our attention and return to Him.
Not a sermon, just my thoughts!
Robert Earl Slade, Pastor
