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Sunday, July 17, 2016

Sunday Words of Encouragement July 17, 2016

Our Sunday School lesson this morning was from Romans 15:1-7 – a good message on Unity in the Body. For service we had a guest evangelist (Thomas) with wife (Sheila) and daughter (Mariah) minister to us with song and messages, the parents each shared an unprepared word and the daughter shared a word with special song.

Once again it was remarkable how God’s orchestrating hand was apparent. Our Choir song was “Through the Fire” which states that God will see you through and help will always come in time; “My God will show up, and take you through the fire again.”

Sheila shared that the last time they visited three years ago their son was with them. Shortly after that visit he began to have day seizures and grand mal seizures at night. Sheila said that God had told her beforehand that a storm was coming but that God would see them through. After a little over a year Sheila was praying, asking God how much longer they would be facing this. God said it would be over “soon”. Within two weeks the seizures stopped! Now their son is in ministry as an associate pastor. The family believes that Satan sent the illness trying to keep their son from his destiny to serve God. But God was victorious. Further, God was faithful as the family had no insurance but every bill was paid.

Mariah shared a song “My Rest” which proclaims that we can put our hopes and plans in God’s hands and trust in His strength.

Thomas then shared that God has said He will be with us “until the end”. The end isn’t here yet. He is not done with us yet. The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness (Luke 4) and sometimes God allows us to go through a wilderness to prepare us and bring our understanding to a place He needs us to be. But God will always see us through and bring us out of the fire and the wilderness. Jesus returned filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and when he returns to earth he is coming for a spotless, strong, bride filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. The church needs to step up an stand up as a beacon of light in dark times.

Thomas noted that his family was not brought to our church by happenstance or accident but rather by a divine plan; an appointment by God. Just so, God has a plan for each of us. He has divine appointments for our lives if we are willing to trust Him to use us for His purposes (Romans 8:28).

The service ended with more wonderful songs: Holy Spirit You Are Welcome Here, God Will Make a Way, and Good, Good Father.

It was hard for me to decide which song to share. I picked Good, Good Father.

Verses for Today:
John 17:20-21 (NIV)
20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

As deaths occur throughout our country and throughout the world I pray for comfort, peace and for love to grow to overcome hate. I am thankful that I have found answers in Christ and that I have peace. Above all, I give thanks that my God is in control.


1 comment:

  1. This was a very touching post. I enjoyed the song. The pastor of my church also mention about the deaths occuring throughout our country and throughout the world.

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