October 24, 2010

Corinthians 1: 4-9 

 Thank God...Keep Strong...Receive The Prize 

1 Corinthians

I can never stop thanking God for all the generous gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus.  He has enriched your church with all the gifts of eloquence and every kind of knowledge.  This shows that what I told you about Christ is true.  Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He will keep you strong right up to the end, and he will keep you free from all blame on the great day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns.  God will surely do this for you, for he always does just what he says and he is the one who invited you into this wonderful friendship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.   

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Thoughts.....

Good morning!  I pray everyone is well and happy this fine day. 

Since I was so long winded last week, I will try and keep this weeks message shorter.  Please note that I am attempting to straighten out the font size, so there may be some irregularites as we progress over the next week or so.  Please forgive any trouble this may cause.  Ok, so let's get on with the Lord's message today.

Have you thanked God for all the generous gifts he has given you?  It's interesting that we thank the cashier at the grocery store, and we thank our friends or family members, and even strangers on the street, but do we take the time to thank the Lord....daily....hourly...moment by moment?  Ever?  For the gift of life and all those we hold dear, for his saving grace, for his love, for the opportunity to receive eternal life?  For the wonderful things he does for us, allows us, and teaches us?  For the opportunity to go forth praising him and the ability/gift to share him and all he has to give?   Sharing who he is and how wonderful he is?  Hmmmm.....now might be a good time to do this, if you have not. 

"He HAS enriched your church (you) with the gifts of eloquence and every kind of knowledge."  Are you drawing from the wellspring of all he has given you?  Where is your faith....do you BELIEVE that he HAS given you all that you need?  "The evidence of all things hoped for" comes to mind.  Where is the evidence you say?  It is in you.  YOU have to enact it by drawing it forth.  Are you walking around saying that you 'can't' and that he hasn't gifted you?  Have you attempted to speak, to share, to go forth proclaiming him?  Is fear getting in the way?  That is not from God!  Did you ask God to give you all that you need to do all you need to do for him?  Then he has gifted you.  Reread 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14.  These are the chapters that outline the gifts.  Have you asked Holy Spirit to come into your life and baptize you with all he has to give you?  Then you must believe...trust...that what you have asked for you have been given.

If you have not, what are you waiting for?  Are you concerned that once he gives you all the gifts you will have to go and share what you know?  Do you think God was not concerned about giving you the gifts?  Has he not seen how you have been making choices in the past?  Do you think it was easy for him to trust you?  Isn't it time you stepped up in life....made the right choice?  He gave you LIFE.  He breathed you into being.  He has fed you and clothed you and supported you through others for years.  I think he deserves a thank you. 

Are you not well?  Is infirmity striking you down?  Thank him!  You will see his glory manifested!  Be healed in the name of Jesus!  Joni Erickson Tada painted and praised the Lord, while she shared his mighty love for her from a wheel chair....paralyzed.  There are others like her.  There are many who are infirm, ailing, even dying who are praising the Lord and sharing his wonderful works!  And others who are poorer than poor praising the Lord.  And those who are financially sound.  But all are wealthy who praise the Lord!  They are wealthy with Holy Spirit, with Love (Jesus), with Life (God).  "This shows that what I told you about Christ is true.  Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you wait eagerly for the return our our Lord Jesus Christ." 

"He will keep you strong right up to the end and he will keep you free from all blame on the great day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns."  Most people remember the scripture that says, 'He will never give you more than you can handle/deal with', but the rest of the sentence says, "IF you keep your eyes fixed on him."  If you 'walk with him and talk with him' as the song goes, he will indeed keep you strong.  Blame free?  Let's talk about this a bit. 

There is a school of thought that says if you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior that you are just plain going to heaven, no questions asked.  And then there is the school of wisdom and knowledge that says, after reading the meat of the matter, you must MAKE him Lord and Savior, not just with words, but with actions....factually SHOW he is. You can SAY you are the Queen of Sheba or the King of England.  What do the facts say?  What are your actions?  Since you've accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, have you been blameless of all sin?  Have you TRIED to be blameless of all sin?  Have you even TRIED a LITTLE BIT?  I think you can do better.  I can, also.  No one is immune from imperfections.  Raise the bar, folks.  Cussing is out.  Pray for me....it's my main vice.  Jokes a little rank?  Did you let that car into the lane of traffic?  Maybe they needed to get to the hospital or home to a loved one?  You, too?  Didn't you ever learn to share?  Did you wave when the other person did this for you?  These are trivial matters assuredly.  But they matter to him who first loved us.  They say thank you to HIM as well.  They prove that we are one of his by our actions.  Share Jesus with others, not just in word, but in deed.  Can you help someone today?  Can you go out of your way?  Know balance, so you don't get overwhelmed, but God, Jesus and Holy Spirit are on call 24/7 for the world, and we complain about an 8 hour work day or a 12.  We really work all those hours we do not sleep.  But who are we working for and what are we doing?  Why are we doing what we do? Could we unplug the TV and have a better life? YES!  Now what to do with that time?  Start a home based business?  Clean the house?  Learn more about investing?  Wash the car?  PLAY WITH THE KIDS?  INTERACT WITH THOSE NEAR and DEAR?  LOVE ONE ANOTHER?  SHARE THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST??!! 

God will keep you stong, and will keep you free from all blame...."God will surely do this for you, for he always does just what he says, and he is the one who invited you into this wonderful friendship with his son, Jesus Christ our Lord."  Friendship....wonderful friendship.  What will you do for your friend today?

"Remember that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize.  You also must run in such a way that you will win.  All athletes practice strict self-control.  they do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize."  1 Cor. 9: 24-25  So ..."press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God."  Phil 3: 14  Jesus' arms await you....will you receive eternal life?  

Know this....Believe this....Feel this....Do this.  

And Thank God!  Keep strong as you press toward the mark to receive the prize of the high calling of God...eternal life!

Now GO....live the Gospel of Jesus Christ!  

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Rosa Parks....we look to heaven and we salute you, we embrace you, we bow down to you...we are grateful to you and all your efforts, and that of all others in the world, in helping freedom ring....true.  "We commemorate her work for a more perfect union and we commit ourselves to continue to struggle for justice......" 

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Let Us Pray

Dear Heavenly Father God, Lord Jesus, and Teacher...Comforter Holy Spirit.  Thank you....for everything.  I come to your presence with thanksgiving.  I am blessed to know you love me and that you have given me the opportunity to be forgiven of my sins...if I ask, and, that I might receive eternal life, if I live a life of obedience to you with thanksgiving.  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...or be reminded.  Help me be encouraged to live the life I have started with you.  Keep me strong.  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.  Let me encourage others...and be encouraged.  Give me and others a new life in you.  Help me and others to receive the prize of the high calling of God...eternal life.  I am so grateful that you love me. I bow down to you, God, and Glorious Love....Jesus.  Help me to always be real...be true...be right...be loving. And GO forth NOW.  Thank you....and...Amen.         

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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         

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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. 

It is not how we worship, but that we worship!   

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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 28:19-20 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."

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  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!   

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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

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or

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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.

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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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