September 26, 2010

Romans 12: 1-21 

  Be Real...Be True...Be Right...Be Loving  

Romans

And  so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God.  Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind he will accept.  When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?  Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.  Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.

As God's messenger, I give each of you this warning:  Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you.   Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ's body.  We are all parts of his one body, and each of us has different work to do.  And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others. 

God has given us the ability to do certain things well.  So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you.  If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well.  If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching.  If your gift is to encourage others, do it!  If you have money, share it generously.  If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously.  And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

Don't just pretend that you love others.  Really love them.  Hate what is wrong.  Stand on the side of the good.  Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.  Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.

Be glad for all God is planning for you.

Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful.  When God's children are in need, be the one to help them out.  And get into the habit of inviting guests home for dinner or, if they need lodging, for the night.

If people persecute you because you are a Christian, don't curse them; pray that God will bless them.  When others are happy, be happy with them.  If they are sad, share their sorrow.  Live in harmony with each other.  don't try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people.  And don't think you know it all!   

Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.  Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.  Do your part to live in peace with everyone as much as possible.

Dear friends, never avenge yourselves.  Leave that to God.  For it is written, "I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it," says the Lord.  Instead, do what the Scriptures say:  "If your enemies are hungry, feed them.  If they are thirsty, give them something to drink, and they will be ashamed of what they have done to you."

Don't let evil get the best of you, but conquer evil by doing good.

***

Thoughts...

I cannot say what Paul said any better.  Take a moment right now to reread the above scriptures.  Ask yourself how you measure up to what Paul is directing all of us to do.  Have you given your bodies to God?  Are you living in such a way that your bodies are a living and holy sacrifice - the kind our LORD will accept?  As you go through the list, see where you may need to make changes, if you do.  If you do not, praise God!  You are a good and faithful servant...a promise child. 

I will be uplifting you...and myself...in the holy name of Jesus as we go through this list this week.  May we find ourselves acceptable in his sight.  And if not, I will pray we will all be willing to bow down to THE ever living ever loving God Almighty to beg his forgiveness and request help to make the changes we need to be a promise child....that our bodies will indeed become a living and holy sacrifice...the kind God will accept.  May God be with you as you go forward in his name.  And remember, be real...be true...be right...be loving.        

***

Let Us Pray

Dear Heavenly Father God, Lord Jesus, and Teacher...Comforter Holy Spirit.  I come to your presence with thanksgiving.  I am all blessed to know you love me and that you have given me the opportunity to be forgiven of my sins...if I ask, and eternal life, if I live a life of obedience and thanksgiving to you.  Please forgive me of my sins, and instill in me the desire to be a promise child.  Please Holy Spirit, come into my life fully.  Baptise me in your fullness.  Please fill me to overflowing with all those things I need by and of your grace, to be everything I need to be for you, those in the world to whom YOU send me, and for myself.  Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but say the word and I shall be healed.  Now send me forth to do all you have called me to do and be for the people that so desperately need to hear your message.  Help us all to be encouraged to live the life we have started with you.  You have given me a list to follow of how I and others are to live.  It is not complete, but it is a foundational start.  I am so grateful.  Help me to pronounce to the world who you are, that you are, and how wonderful you are, and that they can have you in their lives, too.  Help me to bring them to Holy Spirit that he might baptise them with the fullness of your love, your saving grace, your guiding grace.  Help me show this list to others that it may help them as much as me, and, for all of us to follow this list to the best of our abilities.  Let us all encourage one another.  Give me and others a new life in you.  I am so grateful that you love me and put up with me, Lord.  I bow down to you, God, and Glorious Love....Jesus.  Help me to always be real...be true...be right...be loving.  Thank you....and...Amen.         

***

More love.... 

  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 resources 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         

*** 

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

***

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.  

***

***

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 28:19-20 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."

***

  Our Current Cause

It is time to reach into the community and the world around you to see wherein lies the greatest need.  As you choose to focus on these areas, do so with a servant's heart.  Whether the need is for children, adults, or animals, or any cause in between that will help those in need, ask God how you can best serve his needs, what path you must take, and how long you should persevere.  Sometimes we are to be in the lives of others merely as stepping stones.  Sometimes we are to touch those lives forever.  Whatever journey you are called to take, whatever team you will be a member of, know this:  God is with you always...even til the end of time.  He loves you, is grateful for you, and will help you along life's way, especially if you are helping others along theirs, persevering with a servant's heart. 

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

 ***

  Checks or money orders can be made out to

Trinity Missions

or the

Church of the Holy Spirit

and sent to

Trinity Missions

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

or

TrinityMissions@msn.com

Please note Trinity Missions or CoHS in your 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.

  ***

    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."

***

***

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.

***

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.

 *