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Year: 2025

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Having A Right Spirit

Having A Right Spirit

January 11, 2025 by NCC-Admin-1 in

 “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit in me.”

Psalm 51:10 KJV

David was Israel’s greatest king.  The Lord called him “a man after his own heart..”(1 Sam. 13:14).  Because David’s heart was fixed upon the Lord, the Lord blessed him and used him powerfully to accomplish His divine purpose for Israel. The only battle that David ever lost was the battle within his own heart.   The battle was not lost in the midst of great trial or conflict but rather in the midst of security, ease, and abundance.  (2 Sam, 11). 

Because of his success, he had become complacent in his relationship with the Lord. David had forgotten that all of his success and blessings were the result of God’s favor. He was so busy in his success that he failed to consider God in the day-to-day decisions of his life.  (Deut. 6:10-13).

 This man, who loved the Lord, allowed himself to be drawn into grievous sin!  He failed to guard his heart. (Prov. 4:23).  This happened because his spirit (his inner man – his heart) was not right with God.  David was relying upon his own wisdom instead of the wisdom of God. (Prov. 16:25).  After his great sin, he tried to ignore it, not realizing that he had deeply offended the Lord! (2 Sam. 11: 27).  His intimate fellowship with God was broken! 

Finally, God confronted David and publicly exposed his sin through Nathan the prophet.  (2 Sam. 12:7).   David’s heart was pierced!   David knew that what the prophet had said to him was true!   He could no longer try to hide it.  Thankfully David’s heart was still tender enough to be broken!   He remembered the sweet fellowship he once had with the Lord!   He remembered that the greatest joy one can have in life is to live each day knowing that our heart is right with the Lord.  In desperation, he cried out to the Lord in brokenness and repentance.   He asked for mercy and forgiveness.   David longed for his heart to be cleansed and renewed and to once again be right with the Lord!  God heard David’s cry.  He knew that David’s repentance was genuine and forgave him!  (2 Sam. 12:13). 

The good news of the Gospel is that what David experienced is now available to each of us through the Blood of Jesus!   (1 John 1:9).  May we seek to live each day with our heart being right with the Lord.  There is no better way to live!   

Rev. James W. Black 

The Importance of Remembering

The Importance of Remembering

January 4, 2025 by NCC-Admin-1 in

“Wherefore I put thee in remembrance, that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting  on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power and of  love, and of a sound mind.”

2 Tim. 1:5-6 KJV

2 Timothy is the last letter that the Apostle Paul wrote.  At that time he was in the infamous Mamertine Prison in Rome.  The Roman Caesar,  Nero,  was persecuting the Church with a vengeance.   In Paul’s final letter to  Timothy, the one whom Paul called his “son in the faith”, he was seeking to encourage him by helping him to remember! 

The word “remembrance” is translated from the Greek word “anamimensko”. It is made up of two Greek words:  “ana” (which means:  “again or to repeat”) and “mimensko” (which means: “to be reminded of something”).   When these two words are put together they mean: “to regather or to recollect memories”.  (Sparkling Gems from the Greek, Renner, page 6).   Paul knew he was facing death. He was encouraging Timothy to “remember” his calling and his gifts in the Spirit.  To not neglect them, ignore them or to be fearful of expressing his faith in  Christ, even in the face of great trial and difficulty.

While it is important for us “to forget” some things (Phil. 3:13), it is equally important that we remember some things.

For the redeemed of God, it is important to remember where Christ has brought us from and what He has called us to!  He has redeemed us from the power of sin and darkness (Rom. 6: 12-14).  He has called us unto Himself to be conformed to His image (Rom.12:2).  And He has called us to be of service to Him in His Kingdom (Eph. 2:10).  It is important to remember that the Holy One has called us to be the instruments of His Light in the darkness of this world. He has gifted each of us to do exactly that. Not all of us have the same gifts  But we all have the same calling.   To honor, glorify, and represent Christ to an unbelieving and dying world. 

Let us resolve to do just that in this new year more than ever before,  both individually and corporately as the Body of Christ.

Rev. James W. Black