Elmont Pentecostal Church

09/02/2026

Bitter For Better
“He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot.” Proverbs 9:7

Receiving godly corrections can be like eating bitter but very nutritious vegetables, many don’t like the taste but it’s necessary and beneficial. Because most of the time, what is unhealthy can be so tasty but very dangerous. Solomon here warns about the hostile rejection of the wicked when they receive correction. The foolish and the wicked have the great propensity to lash back after receiving correction. A mocker mentioned here can be a person who is hostile towards correction and the wicked are those who are resistant. In their foolishness they cannot see the benefit behind the correction, only the bitterness. It’s true that it hurts when we are rebuked, because what it does is show us how bad and how wrong we are. Like eating healthy vegetables, the truth may hurt but it is necessary for the wellness and growth of our souls.

We must learn to respond according to Christ's humility. He is God and perfectly righteous, yet He humbled Himself when accused. We are flawed and blinded by our foolishness, barely knowing what’s good for us but God uses His church to present His truth to us, even if it hurts. He uses Godly friends to speak His truth in love, turning us away from the wayward path. Listening to correction and applying it, ultimately brings goodness and health to our soul. May we never be like the mocker and the wicked who resist correction and destroy themselves. Let’s take the bitter truth of God's wisdom and allow it to change our lives for the better.

Prayer: Lord, teach us to respond in humility and see beyond the pain that comes with correction. May we learn to swallow Your bitter truth so we may live for Your truth, bringing health to our souls. In Jesus name. Amen.

09/01/2026

Waiting On The Lord
"Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." Psalm 27:14

Often, we don't like to wait because we feel that it is a waste of time. We want things to be fast, like what we have in our apps, fast shipping, instant noodles, and many others designed to shorten the waiting time. But there are many essential things in life that we cannot just take hastily, especially when it is waiting for God's answer. We have to understand that God has His own timeline and He does not need to submit to our demands, but one thing is sure, He is always on time. Like David, we must learn to be patient as we wait upon the Lord. But if you observe in this verse, David is not just telling us to wait; he exhorts us to "be of good courage." The idea of waiting for God often needs courage for we have to give up control and often, we feel fear or worry when we don't have control over life. It can be very tempting to give in to our impatience and just do things our own way and force a solution. But we must learn to trust God and take courage, even when we cannot see what is up ahead.

Being courageous in waiting means that our confidence is placed in God's character and sovereignty, rather than trying to comprehend our circumstances. Each time we are struggling, we must be reminded that God is loving, patient, considerate, and He is always working for our good. Waiting on the Lord helps develop our faith and patience. He uses seasons of waiting to refine us and grow us in our walk with Him. When we trust in His timing we experience a quiet and calm confidence that overcomes our fears and worries, filling us with His peace.

Prayer: Lord, You know how impatient we can be when we wait. Help us to trust in Your perfect timing and that we may find strength in knowing that You are in control. Teach us patience and faith as we surrender all control to You and let Your work be done in our lives. In Jesus name. Amen.

08/31/2026

Loved and Unforsaken
"When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up." Psalm 27:10

It is sad how fragile human relationships can be. Our most important relationships, next to God, can easily break apart due to conflict, selfishness, and other relational issues. Misunderstanding and unresolved issues can easily turn any marriage downward spiral. Family feuds happen when each member loses the will to resolve and reconcile differences. Everywhere in the world, we see a lot of orphanages due to parents who cannot take on the responsibility of raising kids. Being forsaken is very painful, when the people we expect to love, protect, and nurture us, abandon us. It is a sad reality of human brokenness. David tells us in this psalm, that even though our parents, who we expect to be there, forsake us, God will never abandon but will always be there for us.

Even though we are forsaken by those closest to us, including friends, we can take hold of God's promise. We do have people who will stick with us but there are times that, no matter how good they are, they still fail in keeping their promise. Understanding this fact can help us, not just appreciate God's goodness, but also make us more patient, considerate, and forgiving of other people. Only God is unfailing in keeping His promises. When He said that He will never leave us nor forsake us, that is sure and certain. People are limited in their capacity to always provide care and support. But God's love for us is different, it is consistent, unchanging despite our faults, and unending. Such a comforting truth to know that His love is personal and compassionate. God is perfect in His love, despite our failures.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your unconditional and unfailing love. Help us to remember Your goodness whenever we feel forsaken and alone. Teach us also to be more considerate and forgiving of other people. May we live to reflect Your love and goodness. In Jesus name. Amen.

08/30/2026

Waiting On The Lord
"Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." Psalm 27:14

Often, we don't like to wait because we feel that it is a waste of time. We want things to be fast, like what we have in our apps, fast shipping, instant noodles, and many others designed to shorten the waiting time. But there are many essential things in life that we cannot just take hastily, especially when it is waiting for God's answer. We have to understand that God has His own timeline and He does not need to submit to our demands, but one thing is sure, He is always on time. Like David, we must learn to be patient as we wait upon the Lord. But if you observe in this verse, David is not just telling us to wait; he exhorts us to "be of good courage." The idea of waiting for God often needs courage for we have to give up control and often, we feel fear or worry when we don't have control over life. It can be very tempting to give in to our impatience and just do things our own way and force a solution. But we must learn to trust God and take courage, even when we cannot see what is up ahead.

Being courageous in waiting means that our confidence is placed in God's character and sovereignty, rather than trying to comprehend our circumstances. Each time we are struggling, we must be reminded that God is loving, patient, considerate, and He is always working for our good. Waiting on the Lord helps develop our faith and patience. He uses seasons of waiting to refine us and grow us in our walk with Him. When we trust in His timing we experience a quiet and calm confidence that overcomes our fears and worries, filling us with His peace.

Prayer: Lord, You know how impatient we can be when we wait. Help us to trust in Your perfect timing and that we may find strength in knowing that You are in control. Teach us patience and faith as we surrender all control to You and let Your work be done in our lives. In Jesus name. Amen.

08/29/2026

Loved and Unforsaken
"When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up." Psalm 27:10

It is sad how fragile human relationships can be. Our most important relationships, next to God, can easily break apart due to conflict, selfishness, and other relational issues. Misunderstanding and unresolved issues can easily turn any marriage downward spiral. Family feuds happen when each member loses the will to resolve and reconcile differences. Everywhere in the world, we see a lot of orphanages due to parents who cannot take on the responsibility of raising kids. Being forsaken is very painful, when the people we expect to love, protect, and nurture us, abandon us. It is a sad reality of human brokenness. David tells us in this psalm, that even though our parents, who we expect to be there, forsake us, God will never abandon but will always be there for us.

Even though we are forsaken by those closest to us, including friends, we can take hold of God's promise. We do have people who will stick with us but there are times that, no matter how good they are, they still fail in keeping their promise. Understanding this fact can help us, not just appreciate God's goodness, but also make us more patient, considerate, and forgiving of other people. Only God is unfailing in keeping His promises. When He said that He will never leave us nor forsake us, that is sure and certain. People are limited in their capacity to always provide care and support. But God's love for us is different, it is consistent, unchanging despite our faults, and unending. Such a comforting truth to know that His love is personal and compassionate. God is perfect in His love, despite our failures.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your unconditional and unfailing love. Help us to remember Your goodness whenever we feel forsaken and alone. Teach us also to be more considerate and forgiving of other people. May we live to reflect Your love and goodness. In Jesus name. Amen.

08/28/2026

08/28/2026

08/28/2026

One Desire
"One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life..." Psalm 27:4

We desire a lot of things, whether it is the immediate, in the future, or something that is recurring that makes us keep wanting more. But there is that desire we have that we long for so much that it consumes us with great passion. It can be something material, a place, a career, a promotion, a relationship, or a certain ambition. But as you read this psalm, you can see King David's greatest desire, to seek after the Lord more than anything. As a king, he could have written about pursuing power, security, or victory over his enemies as his consuming desire. But out of the overflow of his heart, he expressed his great longing to be in the Lord's presence. He wanted to be with God so badly that he asked not just to visit but to dwell in the house of the Lord. It shows how he values God with his time, not just whenever he has time or just a little of his time but he expressed, "all the days of my life." Sadly, when we don't see the value of giving God the best of our time, we tend to just give Him the leftover of our day, or even none at all.

Prioritizing God with our time doesn't mean that we have to pray and read the Word for hours. It is the heart to give Him an unhurried time to read His Word, study and pay attention to what He has to say to us, that is important. Giving time for what God values is also essential, like church worship, fellowship with other believers, and sharing the Gospel. We must stop using our busyness as an excuse that we don't have time for God and His kingdom. Jesus had the biggest excuse not to give us time because we are undeserving sinners, yet He willingly came down to earth and spent more than 30 years to be with us and gave Himself as a sacrifice for our salvation. God does not deserve the leftovers of our time but our focus and the best of our worship. He deserves our whole-hearted and lifetime devotion, not partial or short-lived.

Prayer: Lord, we are sorry for giving You leftovers or even ignoring You. Like how David values You, may we give You our whole-hearted and lifelong devotion. May Your goodness remind us and bring us back to the joy and passion of seeking after You. In Jesus name. Amen.

08/27/2026

Ultimate Guidance
"When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee." Proverbs 6:22

In our modern time, most people use the GPS system to guide us in our travels. We rely upon it to navigate through unfamiliar places or finding the fastest way to get to our destination. Just as the GPS serves as a constant source of direction, the Word of God serves as our spiritual GPS that guides us through the complexities of life. This is what Solomon is talking about in this proverb, the Lord's wisdom through His Word gives us guidance for all aspects of life. As we trust in the GPS to direct us safely, we must trust in the Bible to direct the steps we make, protect the condition of our souls in times of weakness, and speak encouragement, correction, and wisdom for godly living. In every season and all parts of our lives, whether we are awake, talking, working, or resting, God's Word provides perfect guidance. GPS-based navigation phone applications today will reroute us whenever we take the wrong turn and God's Word does the same thing to us whenever we feel lost and confused.

His Word, brings clarity and realignment when our path starts to look vague or when we start to stray. Even in our sleep, where we are most vulnerable, the promises in His Word bring security and calm down our fears and worries that we are able to have real rest under His watch. As we wake up, we are renewed and strengthened to fulfill His purpose in our lives. That is why it is essential to start and fill our day with the Word of God. He speaks to us when we are awake, protects us when we are at rest, and leads us in our journey as we walk with Him.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your Word that brings perfect guidance. Help us to always trust in Your unfailing Word as we sleep, awake, work, talk, and as we journey through life. Let Your Word saturate our whole being as we walk by faith. In Jesus name. Amen.

08/26/2026

Wisdom in Preparation
"Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, [8] Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest." Proverbs 6:7-8

It is amazing how self-organized the ant is as it works with diligence, despite the fact that it does not rely on commanders to supervise it or tell it what to do. It just instinctively does its work and does it efficiently. What is even more amazing is that it does not gather food just for its immediate need but prepares for the winter or rainy season ahead. Solomon tells us to learn from the ants to prepare our lives for the future and not just live for the immediate. Life on earth has many "winter" seasons where we experience scarcity or certain trials, and in the spiritual sense, seasons where our faith will be challenged. People prepare for the future through saving up, properly managing resources, or investing to be set for the distant future.

Beloved, in our life of faith, may we also learn to prepare our character, responses, heart, and faith for the times of testing that will come upon us. If we do not gather wisdom and understanding from the Word of God, then we cannot also hope to be ready to stand against temptations, overcome troubles, or sustain our faith in times of doubt. When certain trials come, we cannot respond right for we have not oriented ourselves with biblical responses. We must give value to prayer, and studying the Word of God, for He is the only one who can best prepare us from the challenges of life. Not only does God prepare us for life on earth but life in eternity with Him. So, let us prepare ourselves for our future in eternity with Christ as we diligently pursue Him.

Prayer: Lord thank You for giving us eternal hope and preparing us for the tough life on earth. Teach us to be diligent in preparing ourselves for the troubles that will come. May we learn to focus on Your presence, fortify our hearts and minds from life's challenges through Your Word, and rely upon You as we diligently pray. In Jesus name. Amen.