He is not here.  He is risen!

 Luke 24:6

Welcome

to the

Church of the Holy Spirit

 Current Sunday Scriptures below!

 Archived Scriptures in The Family Room!

Embracing understanding with open arms...so all may become one.

We welcome and embrace you, loved ones,

throughout the world!

Hello....Africa, France, Germany, is it Denmark (?), and Cuba!

We welcome back our friends in the ... is it

the Angola Basin or Guinea Basin?!

Hey, USA, hi!

I am humbled....and gladdened. 

You all help to make my spirit bright....thank you.

My site map is not detailed, so, if I've missed someone, or misplaced someone,

let us hear from you via email! 

   Who We Are 

The Church of the Holy Spirit is a Christian church.

We believe in God the Father, Jesus the Son
and
Holy Spirit the Comforter and Teacher.

We believe that God made the heavens and the earth,
 and gave all creatures His son, Jesus,
who died on the cross to forgive our sins
 and
to give us eternal life.

We believe Jesus went to heaven, he is now seated at God’s right hand,
 and
that God gave us Holy Spirit to teach, comfort, and guide us.
 
We believe the Bible is the inspired word of God.

***

Who are God, Jesus and Holy Spirit?

God is our heavenly Father who created heaven and earth.  He gave us His Son, who died on a cross to allow our sins to be forgiven and give us eternal life becoming our Lord and Savior.  When Jesus died, Holy Spirit was made available to us to comfort, teach and guide us.

God in the beginning:  Genesis 1:1
Jesus:  Matthew 1, 2 & 3
Holy Spirit:  John 15:26

Are you one with God, Jesus and Holy Spirit?

If you have not accepted the Trinity into your life and you would like to, pray this prayer or use your own words from your heart:

“Dear Heavenly Father God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, please forgive me of my sins known and unknown.  Please come into my life, heal me and make me whole.  Give me a new life in and with you.  I wish to receive all that you have to give.  Baptize me in the fullness of your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn all I can about you to love you, and others, as you love me.  So I can love myself.  Thank you for giving me this new life.  Please send other Christians to surround me to help me grow and be strong to defeat Satan and the things of the world.  Help me to be worthy of your love.  Thank you God, Jesus and Holy Spirit.  In Jesus name I pray by and with the power of the Holy Spirit, dear Heavenly Father God.  Amen.” 

***

If you have prayed this prayer, please email us at TrinityMissions@msn.com, so we can agree with you in prayer, praise God, and uplift you with prayer support.  We are thrilled to welcome you into the family of believers and encourage you to find a church home nearby where you can study, grow and fellowship with others.  Someone may need your support as much as you need them.  We are commanded to come together in fellowship to worship His majesty.

If you choose to fellowship with us via the web, we are honored to welcome you to the Church of the Holy Spirit.  We pray you will be enriched and uplifted in the fullness of the Trinity to their glory.  Stay in touch and let us know how you are doing from time to time.  As the website grows, we will have a special page for this purpose, and, you will be able to list prayers for all to see, so that we may come together as a body of believers, for ‘wherever two or more shall gather, there will I be.’   Don’t forget to send prayers of thanksgiving, as well as petitions of tears.  

***

You are who I call ‘The Promise Children’, as in Romans 9:25-26 NLT:

“Those who were not my people, I will now call my people.  And I will love those whom I did not love before.  And, once they were told, ‘You are not my people.’  But now he will say, ‘You are children of the living God.”

***

“The Kingdom of God is near you now.”

***

The Apostle Paul gave us a “Prayer for Spiritual Empowerment” in Ephesians 3:14-21 NLT.  It reads

“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.”  

Jesus told us to remain in his love in John 15:9-13 NLT:

“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me.  Remain in my love.  When you obey me, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father and remain in his love.  I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy.  Yes, your joy will overflow!  I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you.  And here is how to measure it - the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends." 

***

January 30, 2011

 Matthew 25: 31-46 

 Will You Endure & Be Saved? - Part 2 

Matthew

The Final Judgment

But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne.  All the nations will be gathered in his presence and he will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.  Then the King will say to those on the right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  For I was hungry, and you fed me.  I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink.  I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.  I was naked, and you gave me clothing.  I was sick, and you cared for me.  I was in prison, and you visited me.'

"Then these righteous ones will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you?  Or thirsty and give you something to drink?  Or a stranger and show you hospitality?  Or naked and give you clothing?  When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?'  And the King will tell them, 'I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my bothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!'

"Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, 'Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his demons!  For I was hungry and you didn't feed me, I was thirsty, and you didn't give me anything to drink.  I was a stranger, and you didn't invite me into your home.  I was naked, and you gave me no clothing.  I was sick and in prison, and you didn't visit me.'

"Then they will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?'  And he will answer, 'I assure you, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.'  And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life."

***

Thoughts.....

First of all I must say good morning, and then I must apologize, because you may receive this later than intended.  I actually overslept this morning and so I am getting a late start.  Please forgive me.  I am guessing were I to be a pastor with a church on the ground again, that my door would have been knocked on long ago.  As it is, I have a couple sick 4 legged fuzzies that need me in the middle of the night, and their needs take precedence over my sleep.  I am blessed to be able to minister to all of you. 

So last week the topic was about whether you will endure and be saved.  Enter Part 2 as we continue our journey in Matthew.

I'm going to retype the above scripture reference with my thoughts in brackets and then we'll go on from there.

But when [when] the Son of Man [the SON of MAN!] comes[he surely will] in his [his] glory [Will he be in your heart?], and all the angels with him [blessings], then he [he] will [will] sit upon his [his] glorious throne. All [All] the nations [those of us accepting Christ as Lord and Savior] will be gathered in his presence [glory!], and he will [will] separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats [oh-oh...are you ready for this?].  He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.  ['Makes me want to sit on the other side of the church.]  Then the King [Jesus] will [will] say to those on the right[right], 'Come, you who are blessed [blessed!]by my Father, inherit [inherit!] the Kingdom prepared [prepared] for you [YOU!] [THE KINGDOM PREPARED FOR YOU!] from the foundation of the world [Wow...for me....and you!].  For I was hungry, and you fed me [Did you?].  I was thristy, and you gave me a drink [When?].  I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home [Have you?].  I was naked, and you gave me clothing [I hope you will consider this, if you have not.].  I was sick, and you cared for me [So many need you in his name.].  I was in prison, and you visited me [There are so many prisons:  governmental, emotional, physical, spiritual, mental, financial.  Look around you and see who you can help today and how.  Do you need help?  Find a true church, a true Christian, and ask for help today.  Don't know where to look....just start asking.  The one that says 'yes', is the true Christian....a righteous one.] 

"Then these righteous ones will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? [It comes natural to those who are of him.]  Or thirsty and give you something to drink?  Or a stranger and show you hospitality?  Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?'  [Think back over your life....what have you done?  Do you remember?  Can you call out the names, or see the faces, or behold the glory for the Father, having done so in his name?]  And the King [Jesus] will tell them. 'I assure you, when you did it to the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!'  [To HIM!]  [Who do you consider the least?  When you think of 'the least', is it with sorrow for them, compassion upon them you feel, or do you consider the least beneath you, those not worthy of you?  Do you manipulate and take advantage of others, or turn your back on them and count them as not worthy?  Oh, that's not good.]   

"Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, 'Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his demons!  [Lo, he clearly indicates you are either with him or against him...there is no lukewarm for the Lord God.  And against him will cause you a lot of pain in the end.]  For I was hungry and you didn't feed me, I was thirsty, and you didn't give me anything to drink.  I was a stranger, and you didn't invite me into your home.  I was naked, and you gave me no clothing, I was sick and in prison and you didn't visit me.'  [Have you considered your actions and what it will mean to your future?  Is hell how you want to live your eternal life, ' in outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth'?  Matt 25:30]  [Listen up!]  [Make some better choices, if you see yourself in this category.]

"Then they will reply, 'Lord , when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?'  [Are you kidding?!  Could you be the type of person he talks about here?  Are you so self absorbed, or so profoundly depressed, repressed, supressed, etc., that you seriously do not see the ill in the world?]  [Or are you so lost as to be one of the ill ones?  Reach out, call out!  There are many in the world that will listen...not of this world, but of the Lord's.  We want to listen, we care, those of us who can help, will help, and those who can't will help by praying for the workers in the fields to come to your rescue.]  And he will answer, 'I assure you, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.'  [Are you refusing?  Oh, my.  Have you overlooked, been too busy?  Have you said, later?  Later may never come.  Remember, your end time may come before the end times.  Are you in the church by your talk, but not your walk?  That's right...I'm talkin' to you.  Good news!  It's not too late.  You can be redeemed!  Just say so.  Ask Jesus to come into your heart today and ask him to forgive you of your sins.  There are no guarantees, but don't you think you should try?  ...weeping and gnashing of teeth...  ]  And they will go away into eternal punishment [A very dark darkness.], but the righteous [right...those doing right acts] will go into eternal [eternal] life [life!] [Alleluia]."

Folks, there are times, when a prayer will suffice.  When you cannot possibly take on anything else.  But have you asked God if that which you are doing is that which he wants you to do?  Or have you taken it upon yourself to plan your life and/or take on the world?  Sometimes a door will open....it does not mean we are to go through it.  We MUST ask HIM if we are to go through the door.  Many of us in the ministry want to be all things to all people.  It's a lonely and empty road sometimes.  Because we do and don't get the do-bee help back.  We give ourselves away.  And others 'expect' it of us.  Well, whether you are a minister, or a well wisher, or do-bee, we all need to ask God if the door that has opened is opened as our task, or as a test to see if we will go to him or even to use our GOD GIVEN wisdom and discernment.  When you make a decision to do something, you make a decision to NOT do something else.  How does your priority list stack up?  Who is first?  If it is not God, or something for God that you and he have agreed upon, your heart will grow cold and you will become lost on the journey to eternal life.   Don't let that happen. 

If your heart is already cold...has never been warm...perhaps now....NOW....is the time to talk to God, like you would to me or another friend who cares (forgive me for presuming I could be a friend), and tell him how you feel.  Maybe you've been hurt by someone stating they are a Christian.  Please remember no one is perfect and all fall short of the glory of God, but him.  We may not see God looking at each other, but we will see God if we look up...look to him for all our needs.  And listen.  He wants to talk to you in the inner resources of your heart and mind.  He has much to say.  He so needs you to hear him.  Read the New Testament to learn about Jesus as he walked the earth and how to live your life today.  Not sure he is the Savior?  Read the Old Testament to understand the prophecy of his coming, so the fulfillment in the New Testament can be better embraced in love and understanding....and gratitude, when you learn all he has done for you....in being born and dying on a cross.

Will you endure, will you be saved?  You can be. You just have to make the right choices.  And know that once you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, he WILL forgive you if you make a mistake.  However, God is NOT stupid.  He will be able to see right through you...he made you, remember?  So don't think you can just run around willy nilly after you've accepted him and asked him for forgiveness all the time.  You have a responsibility to perform:  Go forth in his name....HIS NAME.  You are called to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, by how you live, and what you share, and what you have to say about him and in living everyday life.  You must, MUST, are called and will be compelled to 'walk the walk', if you are going to 'talk the talk'.  Don't think you can just say, "Oh, I know Jesus.' and then hang where you shouldn't hang, speak what you shouldn't speak, do what you shouldn't do.  This is GOD....GOD...you've just given your life to, if you have.  This is not a joke, there is no reprint, second act, replay, spin over, rewrite.  This is it.  This is not a rehearsal.  This is the real thing....this thing called life and salvation.  This is not even a DRESS rehearsal....you can't get 'there' and then step back so to be 'close' and expect him to listen to you and do for you, if you are not doing for him.  Come on.  And how does your marriage look?  Your grades?  Your success quotient?  Wake up, folks.  Time to shake it up. 

As I've said before, today is the first day of the rest of your life.  How will you choose to live it, to end it?  Will it end or will you have eternal life?  The choice is yours.  Will you be a righteous one...a sheep?  Will you allow Jesus to be your shepherd to lead you, guide you, direct your life and care for you?  Surely you know by now that he loves you.  If you can love him just a little, he will prove himself worthy....he already has....when he died on a cross for you.  Won't you accept Jesus into your life today as your Lord and Savior?  You've survived til now...will you endure and be saved?  Be part of the glory when he and his angels 'will [WILL] gather together his chosen ones [chosen ones] from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven'.  Believe he WILL gather you into his arms....accept him, receive him, bow down to him, look up to him, obey him, deliver for him....be saved. 

Where will you live?  Heavy studying....have you done yours?  Stay tuned for more.....on life everlasting. 

***

Let Us Pray

Dear God, Jesus, Holy Spirit please come into my life and forgive me of my sins.  I accept you, Jesus, as my Lord and Savior.  Help me get life right....please.  Thank you.  I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word, and I shall be healed of everything that hurts emotionally, spiritually, mentally, physically.  Healed of all the pain that has been put upon me, that I've taken on over my life.  Heal me of all the hurts I've caused, and more importantly I guess, you need to heal those whom I've hurt.  I am sorry, Lord, and I humbly repent asking you forgiveness....and praying they will forgive me.  Let's start a new journey, if that's okay with you.  I haven't done so well and I think you are my answer to life and eternal life.  I will have it no other way now.  Please help me along this journey and send others to help me and be a strength to my resolve as I journey every day toward the prize of the high calling of God.  Knowing when I am doing for you, I will be doing for others and myself helps me be strong and press on.  Carry me, Lord, when the going gets tough, but as Newt Rockney said, I 'must get going'.  So here I go, Lord.  Onward and upward.  Even on the down days...but hey, I shouldn't have any more down days, because I can look up and be lifted....I will be embraced by you....receive my gratitude please.  Oh, 'there is joy joy joy joy down in my heart'. I praise you, Lord of heaven and hosts.  Alleluia.  May I always prove worthy for your love.  I love you.  Thank you.  Amen.          

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.

For Today *

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 your 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.   

For the Unemployed *

Heavenly Father, we remember before you those who suffer want and anxiety from lack of work.  Guide the people of this land so to use our public and private wealth that all may find suitable and fulfilling employment, and receive just payment for their labor; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  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. 

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

***

***

If you feel that the Church of the Holy Spirit has inspired or helped you, we'd like you to prayerfully consider tithing regularly 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

baptizing 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, 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 Rhythms 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.

***

*Prayers:  A Morning Resolve and For Today are from Forward Day By Day, as is For The Unemployed, which is from The Book of Common Prayer.

  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.

 *