March 31, 2019

    Reaching Shore    

Acts 27: 27-44

Acts

About midnight on the fourteenth night of the storm, as we were being driven across the Sea of Adria, the sailors sensed land was near.  They took soundings and found the water was only 120 feet deep. A little later they sounded again and found only 90 feet.  At this rate they were afraid we would soon be driven against the rocks along the shore, so they threw out four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight.  Then the sailors tried to abandon the ship; they lowered the lifeboat as though they were going to put out anchors from the prow.  But Paul said to the commanding officer and the soldiers, "You will all die unless the sailors stay aboard."  so the soldiers cut the ropes and let the boat fall off. 

As the darkness gave way to the early morning light, Paul begged everyone to eat.  "You haven't touched food for two weeks," he said.  "Please eat something now for your own good.  For not a hair of your heads will perish."  Then he took some bread, gave thanks to God before them all, and broke off a piece and ate it. Then everyone was encouraged, and all 276 of us began eating - for that is the number we had aboard.  After eating, the crew lightened the ship further by throwing the cargo of wheat overboard.

When morning dawned, they didn't recognize the coastline, but they saw a bay with a beach and wondered if they could get between the rocks and get the ship safely to shore. So they cut off the anchors and left them in the sea.  Then they lowered the rudders, raised the foresail, and headed toward shore.  But the ship hit a shoal and ran aground.  The bow of the ship stuck fast, while the stern was repeatedly smashed by the force of the waves and began to break apart.

The soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners to make sure they didn't swim ashore and escape.  But the commanding officer wanted to spare Paul, so he didn't let them carry out their plan.  Then he ordered all who could swim to jump overboard first and make for land, and he told the others to try for it on planks and debris from the broken ship.  So everyone escaped safely ashore!

***

 Thoughts....

1.  Even in the depths, all is not lost.

2.  Continue to pray.

3.  Don't give up on God.

4.  Continue to listen to God or whomever comes in the name of the Lord. 

5.  Continue to nourish yourself, both physically and spiritually.

6.  Trust that God will see no hairs on your head will perish.

7.  Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

8.  Be encouraged.

9.  Let go of everything that is a burden to you....give it to God.

10.  Look, listen for answers, the way to go.

11.  God expects us to do our part.  Take action.

12.  It's ok to fail.

13.  Don't give up.

14.  Don't blame others.

15.  Persevere!

16.  God IS in control.  He WILL see you through the storm to get you safely to shore.

*

Let Us Pray

God, Jesus, Holy Spirit forgive me for my sins, so that I may be a cleansed vessel to which Holy Spirit would want to come, rest and have his being, to lead, guide and direct me.  Heal me and make me whole.  God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, I am so grateful to know you ARE there and you WILL see me safely to shore.  I am ready, willing, to do as you ask   Help me to better nourish myself to be better able bodied.  Trusting you with faith sincere....I thank you.  I praise you.  I love you.  Amen.               

***

Grateful for God's lesson today?

We now have Pay Pal!  See below!

 Visit our NEW rooms in The Family Room!

Hey....we have a New Blog....'Truth On Main Street'!

Our Catalog Page is here....'Shoppe'!

Did you know there are 8 plus years (!) of 

'Thoughts....Archived'?

For when you need The Word any time of day or night!

***

 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 Rhythms 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. 

'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!

***

***

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."

***

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.   

Through your donations,

 people will be able to continue to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ spread throughout the world

and

lives will be changed!

Not only will people hear the Gospel preached, but healings will be manifested, food and housing provided,

water will quench thirsts, and medical care provided. 

Please consider donating your best gift possible today.

We now offer Pay Pal as a way to donate immediately and safely.  You'll find that option as you scroll down on this page.

Thank you and may God richly bless you!  

***

  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 ! 

***

You can now donate securely through Pay Pal!

Stand by - disabled

 

No gift is too small or too large to the Lord. 

*

If you have any questions, I can be reached at:

000-000-0000

Monday - Friday

9 a.m.  -  11 a.m.

USA Mountain Time

****Temporary Issues****

Please note Trinity Missions or CoHS in your subject line.

****NO TEMPORARY CONTACT****

At this time,

due to security reasons, and my current employment,

all information of contact has been changed and deleted. 

Please understand.

 *

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.  I encourage you to pray your own prayers as well.

***

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.

 ***

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!

 *