September 13, 2009

Matthew 3:10

Pathway To Eternal Life 

Matthew

Even now the ax of God's judgment is poised, ready to sever your roots.  Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.

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Thoughts...

Yikes!  'Woooo, strong words', as my friend Carole would say.  Let's look at the pathway to heaven. 

Forgiveness

Matthew 3: 2

John the Baptist said, "Turn from your sins and turn to God, because the Kingdom of Heaven is near." 

Matthew 6: 14-15

Jesus said:  "If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.  But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins." 

Baptism

Matthew 3:  6, 11

Matthew said, "And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan river."

John the Baptist said, "I baptize with water those who trun from their sins and turn to God.  But someone is coming soon who is far greater tnan I am--so much greater that I am not even worthy to be his slave.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire."  [It is Jesus the Christ!  And he has come!]

Be born again:  Baptism of water and of Holy Spirit

Mark 3: 3

Jesus replied, "I assure you, unless you are born again, you can never see the Kingdom of God."  Read all of Mark 3.

Obey

Matthew 7: 21 

Jesus said, "Not all people who sound religious are really godly.  They may refer to me as 'Lord', but they still won't enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  The decisive issue is whether they obey my Father in heaven.'

Matthew 5: 20

Jesus said, "But I warn you--unless you obey God better than the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees do, you can't enter the Kingdom of Heaven at all! 

Live by Holy Spirit's power (You shall know them by their fruits.)

Galatians 5: 16, 22, 23

Paul said, "So I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit."

"But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us:  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.   Here there is no conflict with the law."

Heaven

Matthew 5: 3

Jesus said, "God blesses those who realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them."

Eternal life

Matthew 25: 34b

Jesus said, "Then the king will say to those [sheep] on the right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

Fruitless consequences

Matthew 3: 10

John the Baptist said, "Even now the ax of God's judgment is poised, ready to sever your roots.  Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire."

Which path will you choose?  Will you choose the path that leads to eternal life?  Choose wisely today!

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Let Us Pray 

Lord, I come to you now seeking the right path to eternal life.  I ask you to forgive me.  I ask you to bring to my mind today all those I have not forgiven, so that I may forgive them.  I know that forgiveness is only one step to eternal life.  Let my next shower, or bath, or sprinkling of water on my forehead be a water baptism for me.  Cleanse me anew.  Baptize me with your Holy Spirit.  Fill me to overflowing.  Show me through your Word and through listening to you, what you need me to do to obey you, so to perfectly love you and worthily magnify you and your holy name.  Help me walk my new life in and with you.  And then call me to heaven, when it is time...not a moment before, for there is now much for me to do for you on earth, telling others about your wonderful love, healing power and opportunity for a new life...and about heaven and eternal life.  Purify me, refine me, so that I may share eternal life with you.  Let me not be a source for the fall of the ax.  Embrace me now, Lord...I so need you.  I know you know how hard Satan can knock at the door of life...at the heart, and mind.  Keep me safe.  You are my Lord and Shepherd now.  I will walk, and be safe, and comforted, because I have asked this of you, you will see that it is done.  I trust you and know you will answer my prayers.  Thank you.  You are good....you are God.  In Jesus name I pray, by and with the power of the one and only HOLY Spirit.  I love you, Lord.  Amen.

Psalm 23

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:  he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul:  he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:  for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:  thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:  and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.        

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 Benediction

Let us hear from Paul as he prays:  

When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.  I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resouces he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit.  And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him.  May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it.  Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Now glory be to God!  By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.  May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages.  Amen.  Ephesians 3:14-21 NLT         

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Scroll down to read Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving...'The Unforced Rythms of Grace'.

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Definition of a Christian:  Anyone who believes in God, Jesus and Holy Spirit, and accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior.  Regardless of church name or religious affiliation.  

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If you feel that the Church of the Holy Spirit has inspired or helped you, we'd like you to prayerfully consider tithing regulary to us or gifting us, so that we can further the work and carry out the will of the Father as proclaimed in Matthew 28:16 NLT

 to

 "Go and make disciples out of all the nations

baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this:

I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

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  Our NEW Current Cause

My family and I, and the church, are in crisis and could desperately use your prayers and financial support.  Due to medical concerns, employment crisis, and economic devastation,  I do not have funding to meet everyday expenses right now for the church, or family, and home, nor those necessary to keep this website afloat, for those shut-in or needing spiritual support, nor the ability to help others along the way.  But I am confident that, with your help, balance can be achieved.  As God touches your heart, I hope you will pray earnestly for the church, my family and me, and send any amount of money you can to help.  Please note 'Church and Family' on your check, and, I will see that all funds get divided appropriately.  The church, I and my family, as well as to those to whom we reach out, will be sincerely grateful for anything you can do to help.  

Please accept my sincerest thanks....and may God bless you!

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 Checks can be made out to

Church of the Holy Spirit

and sent to

Church of the Holy Spirit

P.O. Box 86076

Tucson, Arizona

85754-6076

If you have any questions, we can be reached at:

1-866-402-GIFT

10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Mountain Time

As we grow, you will have options for allocating your gifts.

In the meantime, we hope you will trust us to direct them to where the need is the greatest.

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    One last thing....

 Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving

'The Unforced Rythms of Grace'

 "Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer:  "Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth.  You've concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people.  Yes, Father, that's the way you like to work."

Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly.  "The Father has given me all these things to do and say.  This is a unique Father - Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge.  No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does.  But I'm not keeping it to myself; I'm ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen."

"Are you tired?  Worn out?  Burned out on religion?  Come to me.  Get away with me and you'll recover your life.  I'll show you how to take a real rest.  Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it.  Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.  I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn how to live freely and lightly.

  Matthew 11:  25-30

  The Message

And the people said,

"Amen."

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I now write most prayers in the position of ' I ' (first person) because most people are sitting at their computer alone, not in groups, and it allows those reading and praying to personalize the prayer as coming from them going to God.  Variations may appear on holidays when families may wish to use the prayer provided.

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996.  Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189.  All rights reserved.

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