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?!

Belgium....Netherlands...hello!

Folks in the area of the Phillipines...welcome! 

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

the Angola Basin or Guinea Basin?!

Hey, USA, hi!  Great to see growth!

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.

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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.” 

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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.  

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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.”

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“The Kingdom of God is near you now.”

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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." 

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February 13, 2011

 Micah 5:5 

 Why Jesus....Why Salvation? 

Lesson 2 of 4 

Micah

And he will be the source of our peace.

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Thoughts.....

Welcome!  I am always excited when Sunday morning arrives.  It means I get to share the message of Jesus Christ...that he lives, and he can live in you!  I saw a large wooden designer signboard in one of my favorite catalogs that read 'Everyday Matters'.   It's true.  It does.  Not just to the Trinity, but it should to us as well...in how we treat others, how we treat ourselves.  Most important is that 'everyday matters' in how we love God, Jesus, Holy Spirit and, equally importantly, how we show them and that we show them how much we love them.              

I talked/wrote at length a couple weeks prior to this lesson on whether you will be saved or endure.  Now I am stepping back and directing my thoughts toward the basics.  It dawned on me some may not have the basics as to why one should consider the Lord and salvation in the first place.  So for the next few weeks, I will give some prophecy, and some fulfillment, to help those who need it to better understand the reality, the truth, the history with documentation, about Jesus Christ and why salvation.  I hope you will get your Bibles out for this study and not dismiss it.  It will help you explain to others 'why Jesus'...'why salvation'.  If you do not have a Bible, you can access the scriptures on www.NewLivingTranslation.com.  The book I will be using uses the New King James Version, but in the interest of attempting to be consistent, I will use the NLT as usual, however, I may provide texts from the NKJV, but will note....providing I remember to transpose accordingly.

Some of the information I am about to provide to you is from The New Evidence That Demands A Verdict by Josh McDowell Evidence 1 & 2.  I am not including everything, but I will give you some basics.  I hope you will get a copy of this book and read it in its entirety, which may take a lot of your time, if you choose to study with intensity.

I will be breaking this study up into a total of 4 weeks.  I hope you will 'hang in there' with me.  Some of what you will be reading may be too basic for some, but if you are not utilizing what you know everyday, then you need to be reminded, so to reinforce your talk and walk, and inspire you to 'get on with it'.  Some may go over your head.  It's okay.  Go slowly through the scriptures and repeat them if necessary.  Not everyone is a scholar, but everyone should choose to read the scriptures to learn 'why Jesus...why salvation' to make a choice for yourself, and, hopefully, choosing THE Lord., will then go on to share who he is, that he is, and how wonderful he is. Remember that he will meet us where we are.  Here we go....

Prophecies Concerning His Nature 

His pre-existence

Prophecy

Micah 5:2  "But you, O Bethlehem, Ephrathah, are only a small village in Judah.  Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you; one whose origins are from the distant past."  I don't usually quote another scripture reference, but I like the wording of the reference used in the book from the New King James Version:  "But you, Bethlehem, Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting."     

Fulfillment

Colossians 1:17  "He existed before everything else began, and he holds all creation together."  The NKJV reads:  "And He is before [or, has existed prior to] all things, and in Him all things consist."  (See also John 17:5,24; Rev. 1:1-2; Rev. 1:17, 2:8; Rev 8:58; and Rev. 22:13.)  Me:  Good word:  consist.

Book notes:  Jewish source:  Targum Isaiah says, "The prophet saith to the house of David, A child has been born to us, a son has been given to us; and He has taken the law upon Himself to keep it, and His name has been called from of old, Wonderful counselor, Mighty God, He who lives forever, the Anointed one (or Messiah), in whose days peace shall increase upon us."  (Is 9:6), (Stenning, TI, 32)

Jewish source:  Targum Isaiah states, "Thus saith the Lord, the King of Israel, and his saviour the Lord of hosts; I am He, I am He that is from of old; yea, the everlasting ages are mine, and beside me there is no God' (Is. 44:6).  (Stenning, TI 148)

He Shall Be Called Lord

Prophecy

Psalm 110:1  "The Lord said to my Lord, 'Sit in honor at my right hand, until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.'"  (See also Jer. 23:6.) 

Fulfillment

Luke 2:11  "The Savior - yes, the Messiah, the Lord - has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David!

Me:  I love how this is phrased, with joy and excitement....fulfillment of prophecy....an offer of a new life..and eternal life...for all.  Praise God!  Will you accept him into your heart with joy and excitement?  Will you choose to call him Savior, Messiah, Lord today?   

Book notes:  Matthew 22:43-45  Jesus responded, "Then why does David, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, call him Lord?  For David said:  'The LORD said to my Lord, sit in honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.'  Since David called him Lord, how can he be his son at the same time?"

Verse 46:  "No one could answer him. And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions."  What is it the kids say today, "Accept it and get over it."  Meaning, I think, 'move forward'.  Will you walk the path with the Lord today?  Will you ask him what path he wants you on and then step forward in faith?

Shall Be Immanuel (God with Us)

Prophecy

Isaiah 7:14  All right then, the Lord himself will choose the sign.  Look!  The virgin will conceive a child!  She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel - 'God is with us'.  I suggest you read from verse 10-16 also.  Great stuff....this thing called a Bible....the Word of God.

Fulfillment

Matthew 1:23  "Look!  The virgin wil conceive a child!  She will give birth to a son, and he will be called Immanuel (meaning, God is with us)."  (See also Luke 7:16.)

Book notes:  Jewish source:  Targum Isaiah on Isaiah 7:14 says, "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold a damsel is with child, and shall bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel."  (Stenning, IT, 24)

Delitzsch says about Isaiah 9:6, "There is no reason why we should take El in this name of the Messiah in any other sense than in Immanu-El; not to mention the fact that EL in Isaiah is always a name of God, and that the prophet was ever strongly conscious of the antithesis between El and Adam, as ch. 31:3 (cf. Hosea 11:9) clearly shows."  (Delitzsch, BCPL, 252)

Shall Be a Prophet

Prophecy

Deuteronomy 18:18  "I will raise up a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites.  I will tell that prophet what to say, and he will tell the people everything I command him."  

Me:  You might want to read from verses 15-22.  I LOVE the affirmation of the Word of God.

Fulfillment

Matthew 21:11  And the crowds replied, "It's Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."

Me:  Are you seeing connections in all this at this point?  I hope so.

Book notes:  John 4:19  "Sir," the woman said, "you must be a prophet."

Kligerman says, "The use of the term 'prophet' by the Jews of Jesus' day shows not only that they expected the Messiah to be a prophet in accordance with the promise in Deuteronomy eighteen, but also that He who performed these miracles was indeed the Promised Prophet." (Kligerman, MPOT, 22, 23)  

Priest

Prophecy

Psalm 110:4  The LORD has taken an oath and will not break his vow:  "You are a priest forever in the line of Melchizedek."

Fulfillment

Hebrews 3:1  "And so, dear brothers and sisters who belong to God and are bound for heaven, think about this Jesus whom we declare to be God's Messenger and High Priest."  I like the NKJV reference here also:  "Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus."   Please read all of this chapter....it is not long and the truths are meant to be embraced.

Me:  DO you belong to God, and, ARE YOU bound for heaven?

Hebrews 5:5, 6  "That is why Christ did not exalt himself to become High Priest.  No, he was chosen by God, who said to him, "You are my Son. Today I have become your Father."  And in another passage God said to him, "You are a priest forever in the line of Melchizedek."

Josh McDowell's notes in the book:  "The final victory of Messiah's people over the world and Satan is...certain.  The oath of God did not accompany the Aaronic priesthood, as it does our Melchizedek - like Priest, who, "is made not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life."  After the order of Melchizedek" is explained, Heb 7:15, "after the similitude of Melchizedek."  The oath of convenant on the part of the Father to the Son is for the comfort of Messiah's people. Uzziah's punishment for his usurpation of the functions of priest shows that David cannot be the King-Priest here described (II Chron. 26:16-21).  The extraordinary oath of God shows that the King-Priesthood here is something unparalleled.  David died, but this Melchizedek - like Priest lives forever.  Zech 6:9-15, especially 13, similarly describes Messiah "He shall sit and rule upon His throne, and He shall be a Priest upon His throne." (Fausset, CCE, 347).

Me:  Are you getting all this, folks?  I pray so.

Judge

Prophecy

Isaiah 33:22  "For the LORD is our judge, our lawgiver, and our king.  He will care for us and save us."

Me:  Will he care for you and save you....?  Will you allow him?  All you have to do is ask him into your life today and ask forgiveness of your sins.  And then obey him.  It's simple, if he is really in your heart.  All the virtues of the Holy Spirit, once instilled (as outlined in Galatians 5:22), will make living a life with Christ a natural expression.  Once you've asked Jesus into your life, ask Holy Spirit to baptize you in Christ.  This is different than a water baptism, which is an outward expression of an inward confession....so others can know you are a Christian and help you along life's way.       

Fulfillment

John 5:30  "But I do nothing withou consulting the Father.  I judge as I am told.  And my judgment is absolutely just, because it is according to the will of God who sent me; it is not merely my own."  Here is the NKJV text:  "I can of Myself do nothing.  As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me."

Me:  Read the words "...because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me."  Can you say those words from your heart?  Perhaps it's time for a mini-prayer break:  Dear God, Holy Father, reach into my heart and forgive me of my sins.  Help me to not place my thoughts, and decisions, and judgments above yours or onto others.  YOU are God.  Help me to hear you...listen to you, implement what I hear, follow you, place you first and realize my place in life....YOU are God...I am NOT.  Amen.

Book notes:  Jewish source:  Targum Isaiah on Isaiah 33:22 says, "For the Lord is our judge, who brought us out of Egypt by his might; the Lord is our teacher, who gave us the instructions of his law from Sinai; the Lord is our King, he shall deliver us, and execute a righteous vengeance for us on the armies of Gog.  (Stenning, TI, 110)

"Judge...Lawgiver...King--perfect ideal of the theocracy, to be realized under Messiah alone:  the judicial, legislative, and adminstrative fundtions as King, to be exercised by Him in person (Isaiah 11:4; 32:1; James 4:12).  (Fausset, CCE, 666).

King

Prophecy

Psalm 2:6  For the LORD declares, "I have placed my chosen king on the throne in Jerusalem, my holy city." 

The NKJV reads, for those who need clarification:  "Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion."  (See also Jer. 23:5; Zech. 9.9.)

Fulfillment 

Matthew 27:37  "A signboard was fastened to the cross above Jesus' head announcing the charge against him.  It read:  "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews."

Me:  Jesus.....King of the Jews AND King for all......not just a charge.....the truth.....Amen.  

Special Anointing of Holy Spirit

Prophecy

Isaiah 11:2  "And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on him--the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowlege and the fear of the LORD."  (See also Psalm 45:7; Isaiah 42:1; and Isaiah 61:1, 2.)    

Fulfillment

Matthew 3:16, 17  "After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him.  And a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased with him."  (See also Matt. 12:17-21; Mark 1:10-11; Luke 4:15-21, 43; John 1:32.)

Me:  Hear the flourish, the drama, feel the more forceful impact in the words from the NKJV: "When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.  And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'"  I've italicized and highlighted the words for emphasis.  If this were you, would you be excited as the Spirit of God alighted upon you or would you be stunned, in shock?  Would you expect that it would be so for you, or would it be a humbling experience, as I am guessing it was for Jesus?  Words for thought.  We are to emulate...be like Jesus.  Humble is good.  

Book notes:  Jewish source:  Targum Isaiah on Isaiah 11:1-4 says, "And a king shall come forth from the sons of Jesse and an Anointed One (or Messiah) from his sons' sons shall grow up.  And there shall rest upon him a spirit from before the Lord, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord; and the Lord shall bring him to his fear; and not according to the sight of his eyes shall he judge, nor exercise judgement according to the hearing of his ears.  But he shall judge with truth the poor, and adjedge with faithfulness the needy among the people."  (Stenning, TI, 40)

His Zeal for God

Prophecy

Psalm 69:9  "Passion for your house burns within me, so those who insult you are also insulting me."

Me:  NKJV also reads emphatically:  "Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me."   You may find Psalm 69 might hit an inner cord, if you choose to read the whole thing.   Let him rescue you.  Live in joy.  Praise him.  Obey him.

Fulfillment

John 2:15-16  "Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple.  He drove out the sheep and oxen, scattered the money changers' coins over the floor, and turned over their tables.  Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, "Get these things out of here.  Don't turn my Father's house into a marketplace!

Book notes:  A. R. Fausset writes:  "For the zeal of thine house hath eathn me up--consumes me like a flame with its very intensity (Psalm 119:139).  The expansion of 'for thy sake' (Psalm 69:7): cf. John 2:17 as a specimen of Messiah's zeal for the honour of the house of God.  And the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me--in consequence of my glowing 'zeal' for thine honour, the reproaches aimed at thee fall upon me."  (Fausset, CCE, 245)   

Me:  Are you zealous about God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, and all they stand for?  Do you feel compelled to let others know you are offended when they use the Lord's name in vain?  Do you 'freak out' when you see others talking but not walking their walk?  Are you...am I...perfect.  NOOOOOO.  But should we strive to be as Christ and be zealous for all things of and for him?  Absolutely!  Should we live our lives in such a way as to be a beacon of light and a firey coal as he calls, directs, commands, as we obey?  YESSSSSSSS. 

Folks, this is your moment in time.  What say you?  How will you live your life today?  Will it be with Jesus and for him?   You've only to say the words...."Jesus, please come into my life today."  And he will.               

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Let Us Pray

God, I have decided to follow Jesus.  I thank you for bringing him into the world, so that I would have the opportunity to be saved and be forgiven for my sin.  I am sorry, Jesus, that you had to die to offer this to the world...to me, but I am thankful you have been resurrected and made whole, and sit at God's right hand.  Jesus, please come into my life today.  Please forgive me of my sins and make me whole.  Please show me how to live my life, so I might show you by my actions that I honor you by obeying you....and loving you.  Life is not easy, but you didn't come to make life easy.  But you have promised us an abundant, victorious life, if we follow you.  Some days I am not sure I want some of the abundance I am given, it does not seem real positive.  But I am sure you are there when the going gets tough.  What was it that Knute Rockne said, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going?"  Well, help me get going for and with you.  Help me make of the timber of my life a mansion.  Lemonade....'if life is filled with lemons, make lemonade'.  Works for me...I like lemonade.  Some days I wish I didn't have to drink so much of the lemons of life, but lemons are cleansing.  So I am being cleansed instead of going through the fire like a bunch of marshmallows.  Oooooo....I haven't had marshmallows in a long time.  Oh, sorry, Lord, I got a little off track there.  Striving, Lord...not there yet.  So, Holy Spirit, now that I have asked Jesus into my life....I want to make him fully Lord and Savior.  I am counting on you to help me.  Please baptize me with the fullness of you.  Fill me to overflowing.  Let's shake it up!  Let's go tell the world who you are, that you are, and how wonderful you are....all three of you and me.  I'm ready.  Let's do it!  Keep the firey arrows at bay, surround me with your love and guardian angels, and do the same for all those I love.  Keep me and them safe.  I know Satan does not like it when we 'get all fire and brimstone on him', so I can expect garbage to happen, however, I will put on my armor to fight against him.  Be my armor, Lord.  Don't leave me now.  Help me to not leave you.  After all the trials up til now, I can safely say, we are one.  And I am so grateful.  I love you, God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit.  Thank you so very much for all you've done for me and those I love, and, for all you are going to do for me and those I love.  Bowing down, Lord, but raising up with praise for you, the Almighty of the heavenly hosts.  Thank you.  I love you.  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....the Trinity!   

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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 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."

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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, 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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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 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."

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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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