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Kendy Benjamin
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE SEPT/OCT 2017
FEATURES 17 America Needs Deliverance 31 In My Opinion Story Pastor K. Francis Smith 20 Cover Breaking Barriers and Advancing the Kingdom
SECTIONS 04 08 12 14 24 27 30 33 34
Editor’s Note RHEMA Testimony RHEMA Health RHEMA Family Matters RHEMA Senior Center RHEMA Spotlight RHEMA Puzzle RHEMA Showcase RHEMA Word
Disclaimer Rhema is published every other month. No part of this publication is to be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. The Magazine can not be held liable for any error in any advertisement and any liability is limited to the total cost of the advertisement in error. The publisher however reserves the right to refuse any advertisement deemed offensive or inappropriate. The views and opinions expressed in this magazine are strictly those
RHEMA MAGAZINE: SEPT/OCT 2017
of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Rhema Magazine. Rhema Magazine takes reasonable care to ensure the accuracy of the information. However we will not assume liability for the opinions or statements nor the accuracy of the authors. We also reserve the right to edit information we deem inappropriate for this magazine.
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The hot days of seasons as well. summer are coming to an The key to surviving your end. One season seasons and remaining faithful is ending and is to recognize what it really is: another will a “season.” This means that it is begin. As we transition from never a permanent situation. I the summer to the fall, there can easily bask in my good are things that we usually do to times. That is easy to do. Conprepare ourselves for the trarily, basking is not that easy upcoming season. We pack to do in my other seasons. away our summer clothes and However, I remain encouraged start dressing in clothing in my time of weeping and my more suitable for the time of mourning because We cooler temperatures. I know that my time of realize It’s life. Although laughing and dancing that in the some of us would will come. grand scheme like to hang on to of things we are the summer It’s God’s promise to nothing months a little me. without God’s mercy and grace. while longer, the fall will be here whether It is important that we we are prepared for it or recognize the seasons in not. our spiritual lives. Whatever challenges that that season In Ecclesiastes 3, the word of presents, draw closer to God. God tells us that, “to everything Remain steadfast, pray through there is a season.” Just as the it and remember that, “He hath seasons change in the natural made every thing beautiful in sense, we also go through His time.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). seasons in the spiritual sense. I have had my fair share of This too shall seasons: my time of weeping, pass. my time of laughing, my time of mourning, and also my time of Be blessed! dancing. A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away - I have experienced it all and I have no Valerie Brown doubt that you have had your RHEMA MAGAZINE: SEPT/OCT 2017
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RHEMA MAGAZINE: CONTRIBUTORS Rhema: "A Greek word meaning "what is said." In Christianity it is used in reference to the sayings of Jesus Christ." Matthew 4:4 states"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every (Rhema) word that proceeds from the mouth of God."
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RHEMA TESTIMONY God Proved Himself Real To Me By Rachelle Rollins I have always been an opinionated individual. When I was a teenager, like most teenagers, I thought that I knew absolutely everything. If I was given the opportuntiy, I would have told you very matter of factly, that there wasn't such a thing as God. You couldn't get me to believe otherwise. He couldn't be real, because my life was so hard. People had hurt me. I am a sexual abuse survivor. I am a suicide survivor. And every time I ever cried to God and asked, "Why me?," He had never answered me. … On the morning of July 4th, 2006, I called out of work because I wanted to stay in the city and party. I was 17 years old when my life was changed forever. The party had ended at nearly 4:00 AM on July 5th. I didn't get to see any fireworks that Independence Day, but I did see gunfire. I was shot at, kidnapped and assaulted in more than one way and could barely hold my head up because I had been punched in it so many times. I was stripped to nothing, literally. My freedom was taken from me by a gun wielding maniac. I was folded up in the fetal position behind the passenger seat of a Toyota Camry, while my captors contemplated what to do with me. I silently cried out to the Lord. I asked Him that if He was real, to help me. I begged, actually. I didn't want to die. I was sorry for every time I cursed His name. I meant it, too. "Please God forgive me. I will change my RHEMA MAGAZINE: SEPT/OCT 2017
life, I swear. If you could just let me live, I won't ever turn my back on you again. Please, please Lord just set me free, don't let them kill me God. I'm sorry." I could feel His angel touching my shoulder. I knew I wasn't going to die. I prayed for a sign. He gave me a sign. In the midst of my cries, the car collided with something. Now, by this point, we were already on our way to a destination, which I had told them to bring me to. Suffice it to say that when we entered that house, all hell broke loose. I managed to escape. I ran barefoot … I want to say July 5th, 2006 was the day I turned my life around, but I can't. It wasn't until over a decade later that I finally was willing to give my life to Christ. I hadn't had a drink in nearly two months on February 12, 2017 when I first stepped into what has now become my church. I remember the very moment I was saved, which was about a month later. I had come into Deliverance Temple Worship Center that one day in February, and I never left. On July 2, 2017 I climbed into the pool with my Bishop, Reverend Raymond Hall, and he baptized me. I celebrated Independence Day 2017 clean and sober. I am so grateful that I am in fact, "free indeed." rhemamagazine.com 8
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A Word from Students s students prepare to go back to their classes this September, let’s celebrate the work that they do. The information from this issue’s Health article is coming from the 2016-2017 sixth-grade class of the Young Achievers Math and Science Charter School in Boston. The students created posters and persuasive letters at the end of their Food and Nutrition Unit. Take a look at the pictures of their posters below and snippets from their persuasive essays. As you read and view their work, I hope that you are as awed as I am at how articulate and passionate these young minds are when speaking about community health matters. We see great potential in these students. Thank you to their teacher Ms. Roberts for sharing this information with us. Congrats to these students on their hard work and we at Rhema pray for their continued success during the new school year. “Sometimes it’s not a choice. Some people don’t have enough money so there’s no choice but to eat what you have around you. Everyone deserves to have different options of healthy food to choose from. One way to accomplish this is to get more grocery stores to provide opportunities for their consumers to sample the healthy foods that they sell. Providing customers with samples will help people to understand the nutritional benefits of eating healthy foods as well as get them to become more interested in trying new foods.” Timya Blake’s Persuasive Letter Written to Councilwoman Ayanna Presseley “In many low-income communities of color, residents are forced to eat salty, sugary and higher-fat products. For example, my neighborhood consists of African RHEMA MAGAZINE: SEPT/OCT 2017
American, Trinidadians and Haitians and our closest grocery story is America’s Food Basket, which serves fresh fruits and vegetables. However, this is the only full-service grocery store. Yes, there are two smaller supermarkets such as Morton and Apollo Market. Nevertheless, accessing healthy food is far worst in neighborhoods such as Roxbury, which has only one full-service grocery store. If there were more access to healthy food it could help to reduce diabetes rates especially for communities of color.” Tyanna Phillips’ Persuasive Letter Written to Former First Lady Michelle Obama. As a community, we have to advocate for what is right. In doing so, we need to advocate and stand up for children who are sick or in need. I know you’ve been advocating a lot for the children in our communities, and I appreciate the fact that you helped to reduce childhood obesity by creating healthier school lunches. I agree children should be given the opportunity to eat healthier at school. They deserve a healthy diet with less sodium and sugar. I disagree with Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue’s plan to make school lunches less healthy. Students shouldn’t be served foods that are high in sugar and sodium; they should be given nutritional meals at school. Even though the standards were strict, it helped to decrease the number of children who were overweight. I congratulate the “Let’s Move” movement because it affected many people in a positive way and I think we need to keep this program. Madison Williams’ Persuasive Letter written to Former First Lady Michelle Obama. rhemamagazine.com 12
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Complement or Compete By Dr. Daniel Vassell
he compassionate God created husbands and wives to complement each other, not to compete, contest or compare with each other. Marriage is a team partnership, working for the same goal. The Scripture tells us God that created the woman for the man after forming him from the ground (Gen. 2:7, 18). Eve is made from Adam’s own body, indicating both his call to love and to care for her as a partner (Gen. 2:21–22). She’s his “helper,” and wife (Gen. 2:18, 24). A wife in marriage is a necessary complementary partner. The term, “helper,” used to describe Eve is often used of God himself. [Exodus 18:4, Deuteronomy 33:7, 1 Samuel 7:12] It essentially means one who provides what is lacking, or what the other is incapable of on his or her own. Hence, a wife as a helper in the biblical text is not an assistant, or lower class citizen, but a necessary, equal and complementary partner created for a dance. Marriage was created for a holy dance! Eve’s relationship to Adam and, more generally, wives to husbands is best depicted as a partner dance. Now I have entered a body of truth that I am very naïve to. I was never good at dancing. Well, I could not and still cannot dance. But I like to dance. My wife and I took some dancing classes and what I have learnt about dancing is that both the follower and the leader are equally important to the dance. They are equal partners with distinct and complementary roles. Men and women were created by God as equal and complementary dance partners. Dancing with a partner includes cooperation between equal and complementary partners. Dancing with your spouse (or taking dance lessons together) is a great way to learn and to practice RHEMA MAGAZINE: SEPT/OCT 2017
partnership in your marriage. Marriage is not a gender-neutral laboratory. In biblical marriage, there is one man and one woman who join forces to focus on a single goal, a healthy and joy-filled marriage. Each partner: • complements each other's strengths; • provides complementary team work; • helps to complete the tasks quicker and easier. Husbands and wives are not merely interchangeable, but rather they complement each other in mutually enriching ways in building a more enjoyable marriage partnership and memories. Married couples must intentionally commit themselves to serve as complementary partners so that they can bring together the strength necessary to address their weaknesses and blind spots. Couples working and living as complementary partners learn to trust, take risk, and spur each other on to become better for the marriage. Complementarity occurs in marriage when two separate persons possess characteristics that, when combined, make them better than they were on their own. This will require both partners give a hundred percent every time. The strengths of one individual improve upon the weaknesses in the other individual and vice versa. In too many marriages, one partner tries to change the other to be more like them. No. Instead of trying to change your partner, commit to complement your partner. Your marriage will work best by following the divine design complementary wholeness!
Dr. Daniel and Jenny Vassell are the authors of “The Love Factor in Marriage for Couples and Pre-Marriage.” Email: lovefactorinmarriage@gmail.com rhemamagazine.com rhemamagazine.com1414
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America Needs Deliverance BY BISHOP-ELECT WILLIAM E. DICKERSON JR.
As we look at biblical prophecies, we can clearly see the writing on the wall. The world is coming to an end. Matthew 24 states that “there will be wars and rumors of wars.” As we see end-time events unfold, let us not be so caught up in Christ's return that we forget about reaching lost souls and spreading the gospel of the Kingdom. As we see biblical eschatology unfold before our eyes, we should be more eager to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. Within this nation there are so many people who are bound by certain demonic spirits. Therefore, we must reach out to them with the power and authority that has been invested in us as children of the Kingdom. The spirits of murder, violence, fear and various addictions have gripped our nation. America is supposed to have a rich heritage as a God-fearing nation. The American Revolution bought freedom for this nation. However, the Continental Congress who was supposedly Christian, prayed for freedom from Great Britain but still within its constitution held onto slaves for the next eighty years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.
The founding fathers of this nation are heralded as great heroes but they have never made right the wrongs that were perpetrated upon Blacks and poor people for centuries. To this very day reparations have never been given to descendants of slaves. This nation is under attack because of its moral and spiritual decay. We cannot go forward in life thinking that mass incarceration and the killing of innocent people for years is OK. Our education system is being undermined by political games. Corruption has tarnished this nation for centuries. RHEMA MAGAZINE: SEPT/OCT 2017
America is in trouble because many people have turned their backs on God. Thousands are bound by sexual promiscuity, drug addiction, alcoholism and even witchcraft. The children have gone astray because their parents have lost their spiritual focus. There was a time when many more missionaries from America went to Africa and various nations to do mission work. However, those Third World countries are now coming to America to evangelize this nation. Spiritual ailments and revival Although addictions are looked at as illnesses, they are spiritual problems. The last prophetic word of the Old Testament is in Malachi 4:5 and 6. Verse 5 says, “I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great dreadful day of the Lord comes. Verse 6 says, “He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.” The future ministry of the coming end time prophet is described in terms of putting families right with God and with each other. John the Baptizer preached this in Luke 1:17 - “He will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous to make ready a people for the Lord.” There is an end-time prophetic anointing like Elijah that will set the people straight. The purity and priority of families and children should be tantamount for the Church. Therefore, as believers we must continue to be about our Father's business. We should do all we can to advance the message of the Kingdom and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost. rhemamagazine.com 17
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RHEMA Cover
Story
Pastor of Kingdom Builders Covenant Church
Breaking Barriers and Advancing the Kingdom By David Carruthers
riefly describe your background before Christ?
license plates from Georgia. All confirmations seemed to be leading us in that way.
I was born in Boston and lived here for thirty years. I was on the rap scene and used to beat box and had rap battles. I attended West Roxbury High School. At 17 years old, I found out my mother had contracted HIV and that led me to a deeper relationship with the Lord.
We moved to Georgia in 2002 and found a house in two days. I attended a church with plans of just being in the background. I would clean the toilets. I was the church administrator and worship leader. I did everything that basically needed to be done. Then one day the Pastor asked me to preach the following Sunday because his family was falling apart. The family never mended which ended up with me taking over the church.
How did you become a Pastor? I was in Boston and my wife and I were praying about the next move in our lives. As I was talking to people, Georgia kept coming up in some conversations. Then as my wife and I would drive we began to see car RHEMA MAGAZINE: SEPT/OCT 2017
What is your educational background? I hold a Bachelor’s in Religion and rhemamagazine.com 20
two Master’s degrees, one in Divinity and Apologetics. What has your journey as Pastor of Kingdom Builders Covenant Church been like? It has been an upward, looping motion, incline. I absolutely love the journey. While it has it’s been rough, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Those challenges include the church being $80,000 in debt, but clearing it in six months. Also, I lost all of my staff, but with the coaching of Bishop Sherwood Carphen, we rebuilt our staff stronger than ever. I have mentored men and watched them change from thugs to gentlemen. I love to give. I believe strongly in the Kingdom agenda of the people of God ruling, owning and being in a place where we can make power moves. Do you have any other business outside of ministry? Yes, I have a company called Credit Restoration Company. I believe very strongly in financial education and my theory is I or the church takes too much money from people not to help them financially and to help them make money. And that is my goal, to help people overcome debt and credit.
life look like? Real Estate! God has given us dominion. Harvard University and Boston College were originally designed for Christian Education. I want to own media, TV and have a hand in what shapes the mountains of society. I want to help pastors break barriers and find their purpose. It is very important to teach Christians how to move mountains and to be people of influence. How do you feel about the current state of America? Knowledge brings responsibility. The slaves weren’t allowed to read because that kept them in bondage. Ephesians 1:18 talks about the eyes of your understanding being enlightened. Therefore, people have to be enlightened; recognize that ignorance is expensive. Once our eyes are open, racism will decrease.
What does the next season of your RHEMA MAGAZINE: SEPT/OCT 2017
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By Harriet Holder eflecting on this song that I heard in my youth at church many years ago made me think about the grace of God. This is the revelation that John Newton who was a slave trader in the 1700’s received when he was taking slaves from Africa to the Caribbean for many years. He wrote about the God’s Grace in his song called “Amazing Grace.” He realized that he did not do anything for this grace but God bestowed it to him. Newton spent his last days fighting against slave trading. The words to the song: “Amazing Grace, How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me I once was lost, but now am found T'was blind but now I see T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear And Grace, my fears relieved How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed Through many dangers, toils and snares We have already come. T'was grace that brought us safe thus far And grace will lead us home,” I just celebrated a birthday. When I look back at my life and see the grace of God through the years, I am very grateful and thankful. He delivered me from a marriage filled with domestic violence, and then made me a RHEMA MAGAZINE: SEPT/OCT 2017
Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I realized like John Newton how God’s grace brought me through many dangers, toils and snares. Grace means, “the free and unmerited favor of God manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowing of blessings of God.” Ephesians 1:8 states, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is a gift of God.” We sometimes take God’s Grace for granted. But when we to go through situations that cause us to have to rely on God’s goodness and mercy then we have what Oprah Winfrey calls “Aha” moments. We all need to reflect on our lives as we see so much turmoil, and dangers in the world. With thanksgiving in our hearts, and praise on our lips, we need to thank God for His grace and mercies that are new every morning. As John Newton and myself who see God’s Grace over the years, I hope that before this year is finished, you experience your “Aha” moment and thank your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for giving you His grace and mercies by dying on the cross for your salvation. This is the salvation that delivered you time, and time again from dangers seen and unseen. It is my hope that you will also be very grateful and thankful for this grace that is given to you by God as a gift through His son Jesus Christ. May the Lord continue to bless you and keep you in His grace and mercy throughout your days on earth. rhemamagazine.com 24
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Pastor Kendy Benjamin and Hope City Church
Restoring Hope to This Generation want to give Glory to the Most High for giving me this opportunity and Rhema Magazine for this platform to share a little bit about Hope City Church. My name is Kendy Benjamin and I am the Senior Pastor of Hope City, located in Brockton, MA. After several years in ministry as a preacher and a youth pastor, the Lord called me to start a church for a specific community of people. As one who has a passion for this generation; men; millennials; impoverished neighborhoods; the misfits; the forgotten; the rejected and people who have fallen prey to church hurt and church manipulation, the Lord has mandated me and put a burden on my heart to set the record straight. I believe what this generation is in need of is summed up in one word - hope. Why hope? Because many have lost it. They have lost hope in their government; in their leaders; in themselves; in their future; in the Church and even in God. For that reason, Hope City Church exists to bring hope to the hopeless. Our mission, inspired by God, is simply “Jesus and nothing else,” because unfortunately, it's been about everything else but Jesus. Therefore, we want to be the original church that Christ died for and not a photocopied version of what men live for. We don’t want RHEMA MAGAZINE: SEPT/OCT 2017
to be the church that takes advantage of God’s people but a church that feeds God’s people; blesses God’s people and matures God’s people. Our doors are open to anyone who is looking for the REAL Jesus, with no strings attached. We’re not looking for money, because we believe God will provide. We’re not looking for honor, because our reward is waiting for us in heaven. We’re not looking for popularity, because we don’t care what man says and we’re not looking for fame. We just want to point a lost world and backsliding people to God just like the prophets of old. At Hope City Church, our men’s ministry, “Kingship,” uplifts our brothers by teaching them their history as kings in the Lord, and our women’s ministry, “Sticks & Stones,” empowers our sisters to be rebuilt by the Lord, one word at a time. As a new ministry that has been in place for one year, our focus is on the precious people of God. We encourage the believer to keep on believing, the prodigal to come home and the world to know that God loved them so much that He gave His only son to die for them in order to be reconciled back to Him through faith. For if there is no substance where we can place our hope, then there is no FAITH, because Faith is the substance of things HOPED for. rhemamagazine.com 27
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Written by David Carruthers, Author of Kill Your Giants & REACTORS
“I have had more trouble with myself than with any other man.” - Dwight L. Moody hree of the most destructive words today are, “In my opinion …” One reason for this is that this phrase goes against proven successes and biblical principles that are universal. Our opinions are not universal. They are personal and they vary. If you ask one hundred persons their definition of love, for example, you may get one hundred different answers. This can be confusing. Yet many will hold on to their opinions and refute great counsel. What is also disturbing is when phrases become catchy and popular and people abide by them. I’ve heard people argue that the Bible was written by men, which is why they don’t follow it. Of course it was written by men, what else would be your reference point? The Ten Commandments were written by God and most don’t follow them. In 1966, the cover of Time magazine read, “Is God Dead?” Last year, one issue of Time’s cover was “Fixing God’s Mistake, The Transgender Issue.” That statement suggests strongly that you are God and are now fixing His “mistake.” So the world should come to you for all of its problems. Preposterous! There are many RHEMA MAGAZINE: SEPT/OCT 2017
scriptures that refute such blasemy. One such scripture is “Every inclination of men’s heart is evil,” Genesis 6:5 which means that there is an obvious need for God, because left alone, men will destroy or ruin that which is dear to Him. Second, the Bible states, “In the multitude of counselors there is safety,” Proverbs 11:14. When this is not followed, the family is dysfunctional and the divorce rate is steady as it has already climbed to over fifty percent of married couples. Finally, Proverbs 14:12 says “There is a way that seems right to a man but in the end, it leads to destruction.” Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people; our streets are filled with violence and it has become popular to record and to watch violence on social media. We are a nation are out of control. It is imperative that we run back to God, put Him in our lives; marriages; families; schools and government, so love; peace; unity and joy rule in our nation. Love, peace, unity and joy can rule in our nation, but we must put God back in it. However, all these things I’m saying are just my opinion. rhemamagazine.com 31
***ATTENTION READERS*** Dear Faithful Readers, Subscribers and Friends, RHEMA MAGAZINE is in need of your support. You do share with us how you appreciate our content. For this and for you we are grateful. However, we are now in need of additional ďŹ nancial support in order to continue the work that we have started. How can you help us? RHEMA MAGAZINE is seeking additional advertisers, who are both local entrepreneurs and beyond. Do you have a sound business that you would like to promote? Now may be the time to advertise with RHEMA MAGAZINE. We are also seeking sponsors and for those who are willing to sow into this sound business and good soil for additional support. Would your business like to give / sow back into the community? Now may be the time to do this through RHEMA MAGAZINE. We have many, creative ways that you can advertise with us, including our new Church Directory section, which is soon to come. Please give us a call today! RHEMA MAGAZINE / ADVERTISING (617) 322-7896 THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT RHEMA MAGAZINE: SEPT/OCT 2017
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Dick Gregory Civil rights activist, stand-up comedy, film, books & critic
Richard Claxton Gregory (October 12, 1932 – August 19, 2017)
nbcnews.com
http://www.visionaryproject.org/gregorydick/
online source
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Gregory
photo via latimes.com
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Psalm 89 1-36 NKJV Remembering the Covenant with David, and Sorrow for Lost Blessings 1 I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever; With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations. 2 For I have said, “Mercy shall be built up forever; Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens.” 3 “I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My servant David: 4 ‘Your seed I will establish forever, And build up your throne to all generations.’” Selah 5 And the heavens will praise Your wonders, O Lord; Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints. 6 For who in the heavens can be compared to the Lord? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the Lord? 7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, And to be held in reverence by all those around Him. 8 O Lord God of hosts, Who is mighty like You, O Lord? Your faithfulness also surrounds You. 9 You rule the raging of the sea; When its waves rise, You still them. 10 You have broken Rahab in pieces, as one who is slain; You have scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm. 11 The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; The world and all its fullness, You have founded them. 12 The north and the south, You have created them; Tabor and
Hermon rejoice in Your name. 13 You have a mighty arm; Strong is Your hand, and high is Your right hand. 14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face. 15 Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance. 16 In Your name they rejoice all day long, And in Your righteousness they are exalted. 17 For You are the glory of their strength, And in Your favor our horn is exalted. 18 For our shield belongs to the Lord, And our king to the Holy One of Israel. 19 Then You spoke in a vision to Your holy one, And said: “I have given help to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people. 20 I have found My servant David; With My holy oil I have anointed him, 21 With whom My hand shall be established; Also My arm shall strengthen him. 22 The enemy shall not outwit him, Nor the son of wickedness afflict him. 23 I will beat down his foes before his face, And plague those who hate him. 24 “But My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with him, And in
RHEMA MAGAZINE: SEPT/OCT 2017
My name his horn shall be exalted. 25 Also I will set his hand over the sea, And his right hand over the rivers. 26 He shall cry to Me, ‘You are my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation.’ 27 Also I will make him My firstborn, The highest of the kings of the earth. 28 My mercy I will keep for him forever, And My covenant shall stand firm with him. 29 His seed also I will make to endure forever, And his throne as the days of heaven. 30 “If his sons forsake My law And do not walk in My judgments, 31 If they break My statutes And do not keep My commandments, 32 Then I will punish their transgression with the rod, And their iniquity with stripes. 33 Nevertheless My lovingkindness I will not utterly take from him, Nor allow My faithfulness to fail. 34 My covenant I will not break, Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips. 35 Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David: 36 His seed shall endure forever, And his throne as the sun before Me; rhemamagazine.com 34
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