December 25, 2011

It's Only The Beginning

Luke 2: 1 - 20 

Luke

At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire.  (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.)  All returned to their own towns to register for this census.  And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David's ancient home.  He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee.  He took with him Mary, his fiancee, who was obviously pregnant by this time.

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born.  She gave birth to her first child, a son.  She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn.

That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep.  Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them.  They were terribly frightened, but the angel reassured them.  "Don't be afraid!" he said.  "I bring you good news of great joy for everyone!  The Savior - yes, the Messiah, the Lord - has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David!  And this is how you will recognize him.  You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!"

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others - the armies of heaven - praising God:  "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors."

When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Come on, let's go to Bethlehem!  Let's see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 

They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph.  And there was the baby, lying in the manger.  Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.  All who heard the shepherds' story were astonished, but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often.  The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said.

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Thoughts.....

I bring you good news of great joy!  The Savior - yes, the Messiah, the Lord - has been born!

Have you seen him?  Then glorify and praise God! 

"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors."

Although we celebrate Christmas in the morning, Jesus was born at night.  And we don't really know when he was born.  In the USA, we celebrate his birth on December 25th each year.  And because the giving of love from God in the form of a baby being born....the Messiah, Savior of the world.....the real spirit of Christmas....the fullness of God's love....has been commercialized, it is easy to lose track of why we celebrate.

Tonight, or whatever night you are reading this, take time to consider the enormity of God's love, the gift of the birth of Jesus as Savior of the world.  Take time to give God glory and praise. 

Will you, like Mary, quietly treasure him and all the things God has done for you in your heart today?  Or is that new gift from the local store a more important treasure to you?

Will you go back to work glorifying and praising God as the shepherds did?  Will you go through every day continuing to bring God glory while praising him?

Will you show God your gratitude for giving life to the Savior who can be your Savior, and Lord, if he is not already?  I pray you will ask Jesus into your heart today and begin praising God with all honor and glory for this wonderful gift he has given you. 

I pray you will see, and believe, as the shepherds did, this wonderful thing that has happened....the Savior, yes, the Messiah, the Lord - has been born!  

I pray you will be renewed with a new sense of peace, love, and joy, as you celebrate Jesus' birth this season...one of hope....one of promise....one of life....everlasting. 

I have a friend who received a heart transplant this year.  Actually John received 2, but the first one wasn't the right heart for him apparently.  I want to take a moment to spread his message.  If you have received Jesus into your heart and you have had a heart transplant, I encourage you to ask him into your new heart. 

Perhaps you need a heart transplant.....rest assured, God will be with you.  He was with my friend in refusing man's plan of the wrong heart.  But he stood by him to insure he received a heart shaped after his own.  A gift from God for the person of God.  

Perhaps you need a new heart, metaphorically speaking. Perhaps you haven't given all of your heart to God.  This is the season and the time is now.  Embrace the Messiah, the Savior....Jesus....into your heart today.  Praise God with all glory and honor, give him your thanks.....not just in word, but in deed.  Then go forth and tell everyone what happened.  Like the shepherds, go back to work glorifying and praising God. 

You can't see, if you don't look.  You won't find Jesus, if you don't search.  You can't embrace him until you find him.  You can't find him, if you don't start the journey.  Start your new journey now.  Right at this moment.  Then tonight, in the quiet wee hours, uphold him in your arms, as he is born anew in your heart.  May he indeed be born in your heart this day.    

May all honor and glory be God's, now and forever.  Amen.  

The Savior, yes, the Messiah, the Lord - was born!

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Thank you, Mary, for believing, trusting, receiving, withholding, birthing and loving our newborn King. 

We thanked you before, we praise you now. 

Thank you for being a great Mom. 

Luke 1: 26 - 65 & Luke 2: 1 - 20 

Thank you, Joseph, for saying yes to the angel of the Lord and bringing honor upon Mary.

Thank you, Joseph, for keeping Mary safe, so our Savior could be born.

Thank you for being a great Dad.

Matthew 1: 18 - 25

Thank you both for choosing to allow God's baby to live instead of having an abortion. 

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Follow the whole story of Jesus' birth.  Go to the Scriptures Archived for December 2011.

And hear the rest of the story on January 1, 2012.

Please keep reading....

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Mary, Did You Know?**

Mary did you know that your baby boy would one day walk on water

Mary did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters

Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new

This child that you deliver will soon deliver you

Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to the blind man

Mary did you know that your baby boy would calm a storm with his hand

Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod

And when you kiss your little baby you've kissed the face of God

Oh Mary did you know

Mary did you know

Bridge:

The blind will see, the deaf will hear

The dead will live again

The lame will leap the dumb will speak

The praises of the lamb oh.....

Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation

Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations

Did you know that your baby boy was heaven's perfect lamb

And the sleeping child you're holding

Is the great I am

Oh Mary

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For unto us a child is born....and his name is

Wonderful....Counselor.....Prince of Peace

Savior....LORD

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Invite him in to your heart today

Give new meaning to Christmas this year 

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May you be truly merry

Filled with peace, surrounded by love & overcome with joy

By loving him more

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From my family to you 

Merry Christmas!

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God, release Your miraculous power in our lives now, and for all eternity,

Lavish on us Your honor and delight!

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O Come All Ye Faithful

O come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant

O come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem

Come and behold him, born the king of angels

O come let us adore him,

O come let us adore him,

O come let us adore him,

Christ the Lord.

Joy To The World

Joy to the world the Lord is come

Let earth receive her King

Let every heart prepare him room

And heav'n and nature sing

And heav'n and nature sing

And heav'n and heav'n and nature sing.

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Let Us Pray

Dear Heavenly Father God, we just praise you and thank you for giving us THE Savior....who can be our Lord....if we only believe.  God, help us believe!  May we bring you glory and honor every day, and, may we say with the angels and armies of heaven, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors."  May this new life that we celebrate today, be born anew in our hearts.  And may we humbly praise you and worthily magnify your holy name.  For everyone who brought us not only our Lord, but the message that he lives, he forgives, he saves....thank you.  Alleluia!  May this be the Christmas that Jesus is born anew in the world as well.  Thank you.  We love you.  Amen.   

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Silent Night

Silent night, holy night

All is calm, all is bright

Round yon virgin, mother and child

Holy infant so tender and mild

Sleep in heavenly peace

Sleep in heavenly peace

Lord,LordJesJeJeJJjEJJJ     JJThe LORD is king!  Let the nations tremble!  T***

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 Rhythms 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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Trinity Missions

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Church of the Holy Spirit

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P.O. Box 85074

Tucson, Arizona

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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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Mary Did You Know?

Mark Lowry/Buddy Green

1991 Word Music/a div. of Word, Inc/Rufus Music/ASCAP/ARR/UBP.

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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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