Read Your Bible, Find Your Saviour.

"David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the Name of the Lord  Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46  This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47  All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give all of you into our hands”" (1 Samuel 17:45-47). What great words of faith David spoke to the Philistine. He was a facing a giant. Goliath, the giant, was convinced that he would defeat David. The possibility of defeat had never even crossed his mind. David, however, was not afraid. He knew that the Lord was with him. He knew that the Lord would give him the victory,

"Be sure to fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things He has done for you" (1 Samuel 12:24). What we do for God cannot even begin to compare with what He has done for us.  Anything that we do - fearing the Lord and serving Him faithfully - can never repay the Lord for what He has done for us. He has done more for us than we could ever do for Him.

"She named the boy Ichabod, saying, “The Glory has departed from Israel”" (1 Samuel 4:21). "Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”" (1 Samuel 7:12) Ichabod - a word of warning: The glory had departed - We must take care that this doesn't happen to us! Ebeneezer - a word of encouragement: The Lord wants to bless us - We must pray that the blessing of the Lord will increase as we give ourselves to listening to Him, learning from him and walking with Him. Ichabod and Ebeneezer - the names tell a story. Which will be the story of your life? Will it be Ichabod - The glory has departed? or Will it be Ebeneezer - Thus far the Lord has helped us?

We have come here to praise the Lord. Why do we praise the Lord? "Lord my God, You are very great." God is great in power. His power can impress us, but it will not save us until we are touched by a special power - the power of His love. God is great in holiness. His holiness (Isaiah 6:3) shows us our sin (Isaiah 6:5). It's His love that brings us salvation (Isaiah 6:7). When we see the greatness of His love, we can truly say, "Praise the Lord."

Psalm 111:1-10 Hallelujah! Jesus Christ is risen today - a celebration for Easter, and every Lord’s Day. * At the start of the Psalm - “I will praise the Lord” (Psalm 111:1). * At the end of the Psalm - “His praise endures forever” (Psalm 111:10). In our worship, there is to be both “the fear of the Lord” (Psalm 111:10) and trust in the Lord - “the Lord is gracious and compassionate... He has sent redemption to His people” (Psalm 111:4,9). We give thanks to the Lord for His love, but we must never forget that “His Name is holy and awe-inspiring” (Psalm 111:9). * The character of God: He is holy, He is love. * The message of the Gospel: In love for us, the holy God has provided a way for our sins to be forgiven. These are the truths of God’s Word which are to shape our lives, making us more holy and more loving.

"The boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favour with the Lord and with people" (1 Samuel 2:26). " The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground" (1 Samuel 3:19). Samuel was only a boy - but the hand of the Lord was upon him. God was preparing Samuel for something special. He would grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord. Then, when the time was right, he would bring the Word of the Lord to the people. As you read these words, think about your life. Does God have a special purpose for you? Is He preparing you for something special? Read the Word of the Lord. Learn from His Word. The time for sharing His Word will come. It will be a time of great blessing. You will be empowered by the Holy Spirit. Your love for Jesus will grow - and there will be opportunities to share the message of salvation. You will speak the Good News of God's love - and people will be brought to the Saviour.