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Thoughts Archived > A Quiet Harvest


15 Nov 2009

                                         

 

 November 15, 2009

 Hebrews 13: 8

  A Quiet Harvest 

 

Hebrews

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. 

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Thoughts...

 

Someone once said, "I have no yesterdays, time took them away.  I may not have tomorrow, but I have today."   It's a famous quote, but I cannot recall the author.  Another famous quote is the one above.  And the ones I will now give you, also from the book of Hebrews, telling us how to live right today and not worry for the 'morrow nor dwell on the yesterdays.  Jesus was there, is here now, and will be there...forever.

"...You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to thousands of angels in joyful assembly.  You have come to the assembly of God's firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven.  You have come to God himself, who is the judge of all people.  And you have come to the spirits of the redeemed in heaven who have now been made perfect.  You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people and to the sprinkled blood which graciously forgives instead of crying out for vengeance as the blood of Abel did.  See to it that you obey God, the one who is speaking to you.  For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the early messenger, how terrible our danger if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven!  When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise:   "Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also."  This means that the things on earth will be shaken, so that only eternal things will be left.  Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be destroyed, let us be thankful and please God by worshipping him with holy fear and awe.  For our God is a consuming fire.  Hebrews 12:  22-29

Have you come...are you his?   Listen...to him...and give thanks.

Try to live in peace with everyone, and seek to live a clean and holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.  Look after each other so that none of you will miss out on the special favor of God.  Watch out that no bitter root of unbelief rises up among you, for whenever ti springs up, many are corrupted by its poison.  Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau.  He traded his birthright as the oldest son for a single meal.  And afterward, when he wanted his father's blessing, he was rejected.  It was too late for repentance, even though he wept bitter tears.  Hebrews 12:  14-17 

Make right choices.  Don't let it be too late for you.  Be ready when God calls...live a holy life everyday. 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of wtnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially sin that so easily hinders our progress.  And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us.  We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish.  He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward.  Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God's throne in heaven.  Think about all he endured when sinful people did such terrible things to him, so that you don't become weary and give up.  Hebrews 12:  1-3

You are not alone.  All eyes are upon you and all arms outstretched for you.  Be cleansed by the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.  Let go of all the yesterdays and all that slows you down.  Look up!  Hold on.  Run.  Keep running with him.

So take a new grip with your tired hands and stand firm on your shaky legs.  Mark out a straight path for your feet.  Then those who follow you, though they are weak and lame, will not stumble and fall but will become strong.  Hebrews 12:  12-13

Let God plan your work, then work his plan.  Jesus is right there with you today, and will be with you forever.  He hasn't changed....isn't it about time you do?  He's called you.  He has placed himself on your heart.  Now share rightly what he has given you.  Show the world who you are in him, who he is in you, who you are with him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever.  So they can know who HE is, that he is, and how wonderful he is...and all he has to offer:  today and tomorrow...forever, if we but obey.     

...Afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.  Hebrews 12:  11b 

 

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Let Us Pray

 

Lord, you tell me to give it up, let it go, come together, bow down in worship, look up, hold on, so many things I need to be doing to live a right life.  Help me, Lord.  It is so hard when Satan keeps trying to beat down the door of my soul, my life, my everything and come between you and I.  Help me battle him, be forgiven, be cleansed and made whole.  Help me indeed hold on, and look up, and bow down to worship you, the one and only living God in whom I want to live and have my being.  I want so deeply to have that harvest of quiet living.  Oh....Lord....I moan in grief and pain.  I'm drowning in fear and sorrow, even tho' I know that is not of you, but of the evil one.  Heal me now.  Lift me to new heights of love with you and glory for you.  Let me be able to live to bring you glory.  Create in me a new heart, not a saddened heart.  A heart restored in the fullness of trust and faith.  Belief again in the miracles that have surrounded my life so far.  It's time for another mighty miracle, Lord.  Show the world who you are, Lord.  Manifest more miracles in my life...please...I'm ready.  Help me, so I can better help you and those you called.  I praise you and thank you in all glory and honor, as I sing a traditional song of thanksgiving:

"We gather together to ask the Lord's blessings.  He hastens and chastens his will to make known.  The wicked opressions cease him from distressing.  Sing praises to his name, he forgets not his own."  

Thank you, Lord, for listening.  I love you.  Amen                     

 

For Today

O God:  Give me strength to live another day; Let me not turn coward before its difficulties or prove recreant to its duties; Let me not lose faith in other people; Keep me sweet and sound of heart, in spite of ingratitude, treachery, or meanness; Preserve me from minding little stings or giving them; Help me to keep my heart clean, and to live so honestly and fearlessly that no outward failure can dishearten me or take away the joy of conscious integrity; Open wide the eyes of my soul that I may see good in all things; Grant me this day some new vision of thy truth; Inspire me with the spirit of joy and gladness; and make me the cup of strength to suffering souls; in the name of the strong Deliverer, our only Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.*  

 

A Morning Resolve

I will try this day to live a simple, sincere, and serene life, repelling promptly every thought of discontent, anxiety, discouragement, impurity, and self-seeking; cultivating cheerfulness, magnanimity, charity, and the habit of holy silence; exercising economy in expenditure, generosity in giving, carefulness in conversation, diligence in appointed service, fidelity to every trust, and a childlike faith in God. 

In particular I will try to be faithful in those habits of prayer, work, study, physical exercise, eating, and sleep which I believe the Holy Spirit has shown me to be right.

And as I cannot in my own strength do this, nor even with a hope of success attempt it, I look to thee, O Lord God my Father, in Jesus my Savior, and ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit.*

Amen.      

 

In other words, Lord, help me, and those who live and breathe and have their being in you, and those not of you.  So we can all live together in peace and harmony...without pain, suffering or sorrow.  Heal my hurting heart and that of others.  Forgive only those worthy.  And help us all to live with much joy and many thanksgivings!  Amen!

 

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Psalm 139

O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.  You know when I sit down or stand up.  You know my every thought when far away.  You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest.  Every moment you know where I am.  You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD.  You both precede and follow me.  You place your had of blessing on my head.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to know!  

I can never escape from your spirit!  I can never get away from your presence!  If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the place of the dead, you are there.  If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your stength will support me.  I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night--but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.  To you the night shines as bright as day.  Darkness and light are both alike to you. 

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb.  Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!  Your workmanship is marvelous--and how well I know it.  You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.  You saw me before I was born.  Every day of my life was recorded in your book.  Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. 

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God!  They are inumerable!  I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand!  And when I wake up in the morning, you are still with me! 

O, God, if only you would destroy the wicked!  Get out of mylife, you murderers!  They blaspheme you; your enemies take your name in vain.  O LORD, shouldn't I hate those who hate you?  Shouldn't I despise those who resist you?  Yes, I hate them with complete hatred for your enemies are my enemies. 

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.  Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

  

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NOTES OF HELP:  Susanna Wesley, Mother of John Wesley, founder of Methodist Church, wrote to her son on June 8, 1725 the following:

"Take this rule:  Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes off your relish of spiritual things; in short, whatever increases the strength and authority of your body over your mind, that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may be in itself." 

Therefore I advise you to "Fix your thoughts on what is true, honorable and right.  Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable, and about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.  Be considerate in all you do.  Always be full of joy...rejoicing!  Philippians 4: 8b, 4.

 

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 Benediction...Blessing

 

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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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:

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or

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Please put 'CoHS' in the subject line.

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.

 

 * Todays prayers were taken from Forward Day By Day published by Forward Movement, an agency of the Episcopal Church. 

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Bible Authors and Minister