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Thoughts Archived > About Gathering....Etc.


25 Nov 2018

                                  

 

November 25, 2018

  About Gathering....Etc.  

Acts 21: 1-6

 

 

Acts 

After saying farewell to the Ephesian elders, we sailed straight to the island of Cos.  The next day we reached Rhodes and then went to Patara.  There we boarded a ship sailing for the Syrian province of Phoenicia.  We sighted the island of Cyprus, passed it on our left, and landed at the harbor of Tyre, in Syria, where the ship was unloaded.  We went ashore, found the local believers, and stayed with them a week.  These disciples prophesied through the Holy Spirit that Paul should not go on to Jerusalem. When we returned to the ship at the end of the week, the entire congregation, including wives and children, came down to the shore with us.  There we knelt, prayed, and said our farewells.  Then we  went aboard, and they returned home.    

 

 

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 Thoughts....

 

 

So, what did you get out of this reading today?  Here is what I got....

First of all, reading about the journey, I am reminded of going to the grocery store.  Explaining to someone else how to get there, or how I got there.  And that bothered me on so many levels.  First, I do not do water....well....water deeper than a bathtub, so there is a less than slim chance I will be on a boat anytime soon.  Even for the Lord....we know each other well enough for him to understand and accept my shortcomings/rebellions on certain things....this one for good reasons. Deep water is a death magnet to me.  Anyway, getting back to topic, the point is, when have any of us....US....gone so out of our way to share the Lord with anyone, let alone sail on by....?  Guilty as charged.  And you?  I pray you have done better recently than I. 

Secondly, when have any one of us (Scripture might read 'who among us') graciously invited someone to stay with us while they preached the Gospel in the area?  OR, been the type of grace filled Christian whom others would want to embrace and invite into their home?  That implies 2 things. One, that we are in circles whereby we would know when someone is going to be preaching near us, and we are tapped into the 'circle of folks' whereby we would be heard/accepted when we say 'come'.   And two, we have a home that someone would want to stay in....home and family alike.  I'm not doing well on this score either, how about you?

Have you even wondered if what was going to be preached would align with your way of thinking, or have you 'assumed' that the person who will be speaking will be 'one of them'?  Or that you could possibly learn something by listening?  I'm ahead on this one....I do listen, and then decide as to whether they align with Scripture, regardless if it is to my way of thinking, because I may be thinking incorrectly, and therefore could learn something.  What about you regarding this frame of thought? 

Have you attempted to find a body of believers who might align with Scripture as you know it....or should know it?  Have you spent any time with them?  To get to know them, Jesus, 'the [New Testament] Way'?  Are you open to learning something you may have been misperceiving/misunderstanding/misbelieving for a while?  I'm up for it.   

What would you do if you heard someone prophecy through Holy Spirit?  I'm sorry, did your eyebrows just go up and your eyes widen in astonishment?  If you have read any part of the New Testament, how could you have missed the parts about how Holy Spirit teaches, is a comforter, is alive and well, and can live in you....and should?  And speaks....to you, well he can if you let him,  and through you and others, 

If you are reading, and you know who Holy Spirit is, have you been listening and acting on his direction lately?  Oops, I'm caught here.  I do listen, and often do what I'm going to do....or not do....anyway.  "What?", you say. "You are a Pastor and you do not listen and abide direction from the Trinity?"  I am human in every form you are.  Being a Pastor, Minister, Preacher, Teacher, etc,, does not make me perfect.  It means I'm His ,and in my humanness, still subject to imperfections.  And sincerely grateful when he carries me, forgives me, helps me.  So, when I am asking you questions, that I ask myself, they are not to chastise you, but to assist you in looking at things from another perspective.  If I chastise you, it will be clear.  

How can we do better?  Stop allowing Satan into our thoughts, allowing him to guide our actions.  Give Holy Spirit reign in our lives.  Rebuke Satan at all costs, in all attempts.  Pray for one another.  Certainly please pray for me.  I will pray for you as well.

If we are not embraced by many, why is that?  Is that because of who we are, or who others are?  Have they taken the time to get to know us, who we really are at the core of our being, or have they issued judgement because we have aligned with Jesus Christ, who others they may know or have seen align with who do not act in any way equal to what God, Jesus, Holy Spirit calls us to act?  Thereby lumping us all together in a bottomless pit.  If we are like others who are not worthy by reality of action (deed), thought, word, then by all means, they have a right to cast us aside.  It would be my hope, others would at least take the time to ask what I think, how I truly live my life, and what I believe, before passing judgement and bringing further censure upon me by spreading untruths along the way.  Walls and divisions are made this way.  There are a LOT of assumptions out there in our world today.  And many thoughts that are accurate about others, unfortunately, in the negative.  May we all start asking questions to better understand and open doors to truth.

When was the late time you knelt and prayed?  Or just prayed?  You can kneel, you can stand, sit, lay 'flat on your face', raise your hands, dance.....any form taken to pray is acceptable, if you are praying to the Savior of the world....Jesus; or his Father, God; or Holy Spirit.  Just do it.  And realize that prayer is a form of communication, meaning that it is a two way street.  You cannot just 'sit' there all day and pray to God and not listen to what he has to say to you.  And don't forget to thank him and praise him now and again.  Like most of us, in our humanness, we say, "God, what should I do?".  And then we turn around and try to figure it out on our own, not trusting to his TIMING of the answer being part of the answer.  Sometimes  I think I've insulted him, if he hasn't gotten back to me shortly, rather than realizing either his timing is off, mine is, or his inaction is the answer:  do nothing.  

So whether you gather with others in Jesus' name, gather your thoughts, or gather with the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) in prayer, it would be my hope this Thanksgiving season, that you would do all, to include gathering others to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, giving him thanks and praise.  

The short of this is....

Find local believers....gather.

Allow Holy Spirit reign....and freedom of speech....outwardly and inwardly.

Gather for the blessing of prayers....especially from the Lord....regarding whether you should go forth or not, etc.  

Remember, you are never alone in your humanness, and, accept the gift of forgiveness when living it.  

 

 

 

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  Let Us Pray

 

 

Father God, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit, please forgive me of my sins and cleanse me as a new vessel by which you alone can fill me to overflowing.  Be with me this day and everyday as I go forth.  Yowser, Lord, you, God, and Holy Spirit sure know how to tell it like it is.  Thank you for that.  A good dose of reality is always appreciated from you....to help me learn and grow.  May it have the same affect on all others as well.  Father God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, it seems I have some changes to make.  Please continue your healing on me, so I may indeed, continue to gather others for you.  And please, oh please, block Satan from my life and that of my family.  The vultures circle....disperse them....I rebuke them in Jesus' name.  May Holy Spirit reign over my life with you, Jesus, and God, so that I can be everything you need me to be for you, my family, and others.  I am so beyond grateful.  I praise you!  I 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 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. 

'All who have been united with Christ in baptism have been made like him.  There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female.  For you are all Christians - you are ONE in Christ Jesus.'  Galatians 3: 27

 

  It is not how we worship, but that we worship....the Trinity!

 

Teach tolerance....reach in acceptance....worship as one!

 

Respect....Embrace....Encourage!

 

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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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There is no better time than now to let God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit know how grateful you are for them being there for you, all they have done for you and will do, and, show thankfulness for being fed the Word of God, so you can know and obey him.   

 

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Thank you and may God richly bless you!  

 

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  Our Continual 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, animals, the earth, 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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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.  I encourage you to pray your own prayers as well.

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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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NOTE:  I said it long ago, but let me say it again.  If you are wanting to lead a group, start a church, or are confined in an institution, or live in a country where the Gospel is not preached, and you don't know what to say or how to say it, and yet feel led to share, teach, or preach, besides just reading straight out of the Bible and sharing what God puts on your heart, please feel free to share any or all of what I've written, if it will help you, as long as you include where it comes from, due to copyright laws.  Jesus gave God's love and healing freely, as well as his message.  Our responsibility is to get the Word out to those who need to hear it.  If what I've written....by the power and direction of the Holy Spirit....or what he has said through me....has helped you, it may help others that you know.  You are welcome to share it.  God calls all of us to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the world.  Please share it with the fullness of love that God, Jesus, Holy Spirit....and I....have given it.  Amen!

 

 

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