Monday, January 31, 2011

Grace for your spirit January 31, 2011

Grace for your spirit
Simon,Simon, behold Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers. Luke 22:31-32

It is a sure thing that we will be tested by the devil. It is equally true that Jesus will be interceding for us with the Father. The devil wants us to fail, but Jesus wants us succeed. Jesus is stronger. The next time we are facing a difficult trial, would it help us to know that Jesus is in the next room praying for us? Well actually He is closer than that. He is always right there with us. After we have escaped the trial of the devil, and have overcome, let's not forget to use our testimony to strengthen others. Let's help others get the help we all need,.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com

Friday, January 28, 2011

Grace for your spirit January 28, 2011

Grace for your spirit
For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed. Romans 15:18

Paul had challenged the church in many ways in his trip through Romans. Here he reminds us all that everything he spoke had been tested, tried, and completed in his own life. Too often people want to teach others how to live and serve without ever walking in that path themselves. We need to understand it, believe it, live it, see how it works, and then proclaim it to others. Let us not just point people down the road to obedience. Let's walk with them down a road we have already traveled. .

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogtspot.com

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Grace for your spirit January 27, 2011

Grace for your spirit
Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You. Matthew 16:22

Peter wanted to serve the Lord, but often only in an "advisory capacity". Jesus had just said He would build His church, and that was all right. Then Jesus said that He was going to die on the cross, and that was unacceptable. Peter felt it was his responsibility to straighten the Lord out on this issue. Peter did this quite often, usually followed by some promise that it would be over his dead body. The next time we read something in scripture, before we take the Lord aside and tell Him how it will really work, may we remember; Jesus is our advisor, not the other way around.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Grace for your spirit January 26, 2011

Grace for your spirit
Trust in the Lord with all your heart. And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

Some of the promises of God are unconditional. No matter what we do, they will come true. Many of them are conditional like this one. If we trust, if we acknowledge Him, then He will make our paths straight. If we lean on our own understanding, He can't help us. There is a nursery rhyme about a crooked man who walked a crooked mile. He ended up in a crooked house. When we want to get away from the crooked walk, and the crooked end, just let the Lord make our paths straight again.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Grace for your spirit January 25, 2011

Grace for your spirit
For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. Psalm 51:16-17

We think we know what pleases God. We think that he wants us to sacrifice our time, our money, and our talents to serve Him. We think that if we sacrifice enough, we can live anyway we want to live. Sort of a "play and pay plan." David discovered that he could never know what God really wanted until he was broken. A repentant broken spirit, and broken heart, made him realize that God didn't want sacrifice alone. Once he was broken, then God could fix him. Need a fix? Allow God to break us down and our new heart will be greater.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com

Friday, January 21, 2011

Grace for your spirit January 21, 2011

Grace for your spirit
It came about at the seventh time, that he said, "Behold, a cloud as small as a man's hand is coming up from the sea." And he said, "Go up, say to Ahab, 'Prepare your chariot and go down, so that the heavy shower does not stop you." I KIngs 18:44

Today, when we listen the weather report, we have the advantages of radar, tower cameras, and sophisticated forecasting equipment. And still, they miss it most of the time. All Elijah had was the promises of God. It hadn't rained for 3 1/2 years, but Elijah had heard the voice of God, and the voice was the same as the sound of rain. From the top of Mt Carmel, all he needed was one small cloud, and it was time to run for cover. The rain was the promise resulting from their repentance. When God promises, we don't need to check the radar. Run to Him for relief.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Grace for your spirit January 20, 2011

Grace for your spirit
Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews then said, "It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?" John 2:19-20

For the Jews, their temple was the dwelling place of God. They had cherished it since Solomon built the first one, and now in front of the one built by Herod. Jesus was here on earth to change all of that. Jesus knew that He was the dwelling place of God, and that His body was the temple. They would later try to destroy that temple on the cross, but Jesus prophecied that He would raise it up in just three days. They were thinking about stone and wood. Jesus was using this example to show them the true temple. Where is the dwelling place of God on earth today? His children are the temples of the Holy Spirit. God has now promised to raise us all up in the last day. Don't trust in stone and wood at one place. The promise of God is within us.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Grace for your spirit January 19, 2011

Grace for your spirit
And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. Luke 2:36-37

Here is a faithful woman under extremely difficult circumstances. This woman was an outcast in so many ways. She had no husband, her family was from the northern kingdom of Israel, and she spent her time in the temple where women were not wanted. With three strikes she wasn't out, because she found her ministry in quiet fasting and prayer. This was her reward. Today she would see the baby Jesus and proclaim Him as the redeemer of Israel. Do we think we are not wanted or needed in the church? May we all find our ministry in the kingdom. God will reward us too, when we are able to see our redeemer face to face. What is the age of retirement from God's service? Will we quit if people don't want us around?

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Grace for your spirit January 18, 2011

Grace for your spirit
And behold there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. Luke 2:25-26

What a wonderful life we all can have when we live with a specific hope. Simeon believed the promise that he would live until he beheld the Christ. This was the day. As the parents of the baby Jesus brought Him into the temple, Simeon beheld His glory and proclaimed the future of the Lord's mission. He told the Lord, "you can take me now in peace, for My eyes have beheld the salvation." God has given us specific and wonderful promises in Christ. We can live a life of faith and hope knowing that we too will see the glory of salvation. May that make us righteous, devout and vigilant for His coming. Don't give up now.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com

Monday, January 17, 2011

Grace for your spirit January 17, 2011

Grace for your spirit
In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch. Psalm 5:3

Many people have a morning ritual to get themselves started right. Clean up, exercise, nourishment, and off to a good start at work. Chances are, if you get up late, skip breakfast, skip exercise, and skip your shower,your day will stink. If you don't get it done before the hurries of the day, the time is gone. Talking to the Lord falls into the same category. In good times, and in bad times, we need some time with the Lord early in the day. If we wait to pray until you need something, we may think we can get along without Him. Sooner or later, He won't hear from us at all,. The sooner He hears from us, the sooner we will hear from Him.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com

Friday, January 14, 2011

Grace for your spirit January 14, 2011

Grace for your spirit
So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. Romans 14:19

If we don't pursue a job, we will be unemployed. If we don't pursue friends, we will be alone. If we don't pursue peace, we will live in anger, strife, and tearing down one another. The focus of the Christian body is a group that pursues peace. In order to pursue peace, we must make a direct effort to avoid the things that bring division in the body. We have all known people who are little angels. Always up in the air, harping about something. Instead of looking for the reasons to exclude people, let's spend our effort looking for ways to include people. That brings peace and building up.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Grace for your spirit January 13, 2011

Grace for your spirit
O taste and see that the Lord is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! Psalm 34:8

Remember when your parents were trying to get you to try new things at the dinner table? It was food that would make us healthier, but we had an idea is was not good. The sooner we tasted the food, ate the food, liked the food, the sooner we enjoyed the benefits of the nutrition. The same is true with the Lord. People have spread the word that the Lord is not good. Don't listen to that talk. Taste the Lord early and often, and enjoy the refuge we find in Him.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Grace for your spirit January 12, 2011

Grace for your spirit
And Abraham called the name of that place, The Lord will provide, as it is said to this day, "In the mount of the Lord it will be provided." Genesis 22:14

Are we dog Christians or cat Christians? A dog thinks: hey, these people I live with feed me, love me, provide me with a nice place to live, pet me, and take care of me. they must be gods. Dogs are happy to please their masters. A cat thinks: hey, these people I live with feed me, love me, provide me a nice place to live, pet me, and take care of me. I must be a god. Cats could care less about pleasing anyone. When the Lord provided Abraham a ram and saved Isaac, Abraham acknowledged God. He could have concluded because of the gift that he was a god. How about us? Do we honor God or do we expect someone to honor us? The way we respond in our life toward the God of heaven will determine what we think, and how we live. I hope our tails are wagging.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Grace for your spirit January 11, 2011

Grace for your spirit
Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God Acts 20:26-27

The Apostle Paul had many enemies and false accusers. The Jews didn't like him, the Gentles didn't trust him and Christians were afraid. He had to spend far too much time defending himself and his decisions about his ministry. This was Paul's personal evaluation of his ministry. He declared himself to be innocent of all accusations, because he declared the whole counsel of God publicly and house to house. In this world, and even in the church, when we spend all of our efforts in His Word and declaring His Word, we will be misunderstood. It is important that we do not let these accusations stop us. We know when we are getting somewhere when someone is always trying to stop us. Let us study, serve, and not be ashamed before God or anyone.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with our spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com

Monday, January 10, 2011

Grace for your spirit January 10, 2011

Grace for your spirit.

For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those day before the flood they were eating and drinking and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark. Matthew 24:37-37

In 1968 a group called the Irish Rovers published a children's song about what happened to Unicorns. According to this legend they were the animals who had the most fun. When God commissioned Noah to build the ark, the Unicorns were so busy playing and having fun, that they ignored the cries to get on the boat. When the door was closed and the rains came, it was too late. And that's why you never see Unicorns today. The same thing really happened to all but eight people the day the rains came, and this passage states that when Jesus returns to claim His own, the tragedy will be repeated. Christ's kingdom is our ark of safety. The world today is playing and having fun, ignoring the pleas of Jesus. Jesus is coming,but it won't be water, it will be fire next time.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit

Philippians 4:23

graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com

Friday, January 7, 2011

Grace for your spirit January 7, 2011

Grace for your spirit
Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountakin by themselves. Matthew 17:1

When Jesus took His apostles up on the Mount of Transfiguration, they climbed with lots of baggage. They were still dragging Moses and the Prophets with them, and God wanted to show them they would need to unload the baggage to make it to the summit with Jesus. A mountain guide once met such a person loaded down with unnecessary things. He informed the mountain climber that they would gradually have to sacrifice their stuff, or they would sacrifice reaching the top. Too many start to follow Jesus carrying all their loves with them. Will we give up our stuff, or will we sacrifice the summit? This is why Jesus gave us the secret of being His disciple. Deny self, take up His cross, and follow Him. The climb doesn't come with a Sherpa!! Are you still coming?

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Grace for your spirit January 6, 2011

Grace for your spirit
Suddenly the fingers of a man's hand emerged and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, and the king saw the back of the hand that did the writing. Daniel 5:5

Have you ever heard the phase, "I saw the handwriting on the wall?" This is where that thought comes from. King Belshazzar's pride had clouded his view of who was in charge. He disregarded the hand of God in his life, and this night as he partied he saw the hand of God writing on the wall. The message was made clear to him. God had measured his life and faithfulness, and he was found wanting. His kingdom was lost that night, and the king was killed. Often when we see the handwriting on the wall, it is too late. Let's all be aware of how the hand of God is working in our lives before we see His writing on our wall.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Grace for your spirit January 5, 2011

Grace for your spirit
Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My load is light. Matthew 11:29-30

Peter asked this question at the council in Jerusalem between the Jews and Gentiles. "Why do you put God to the test by placing a yoke upon the disciples which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?" Religion usually consists of a heavy burden to bear. The heavier the burden, the more holy we feel. Christianity is the release from the burdens, because Jesus carries the load for us. As a child we might try to please our dad by helping him carry the heaviest box we can find, even though he told us to bring the little one. We struggle along hoping to find favor with our dad when we don't need to do it. Eventually, he comes and carries it for us. That is the good news of Jesus. As we struggle with our holy load, Jesus picks it up along with us, and carries us along. Praise the Lord for his grace. He carries and we enjoy the ride.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Opportunities At Northwest Church of Christ

The church is on the West Side of U.S. 41 North at Florida Ave. Just 1/2 North of the 41/63 interchange in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Sunday
9:30 AM Bible Classes on the book of Romans 12-16
10:30 AM Worship Services
6:00 PM Bible Study studies in topical studies affecting our Christians living

Wednesday
7:00 PM Bible Study Studies in Ecclesiastes

Cannon Inn Program
On August 1st we began our Sunday worship program at this assisted living center. The worship service was aided with five of our members helping. We have about 25 residents attending regularly


Benevolence Successes
In December we filled food basket
Four boxes of gloves, hats, scarves, and socks were delivered to local schools,
shelters and community centers
Participated in the commodity program for Shults Lewis Children Home

Grace for your spirit January 4, 2011

Grace for your spirit
Then David's anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the Lord lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die. II Samuel 12:5

Nathan the prophet came to King David with a parable. David thought it was a real story about a sheep thief, when in fact it was a story about a man who stole another's wife, and then had the husband killed. David was that man. He was so blind and clueless, he didn't realize the story was a picture of his own life. The death sentence seemed right to him until he realized he was the man. If someone made up a parable about our lives and came to us for an opinion, would we demand justice and vengeance? Before we set ourselves up as judges on the sinners in the world, we need to look at our lives in the mirror. Jesus told us to be careful when we make a judgment. The same standard may come home to haunt us.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com

Monday, January 3, 2011

What To Expect At the Northwest Church of Christ

MEMBERS OF CHRIST'SCHURCH
1)Believing that the church is the called out of Christ; and the fellowship of the saved
2)Believing in one eternal all-knowing, all-powerful Godhead of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
3)Believing that Jesus was made flesh, born of a virgin, and lived with us without sin
4)Believing that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, was buried, rose from the dead, and ascended back to heaven
5)Believing the Bible is God’s inspired word that provides our standard of right and wrong, and the way of salvation
6)Believing that man is a sinner and lost without the saving blood of Jesus
7)Believing that saving faith includes repentance, and baptism byimmersion for the forgiveness of sins
8)Believing that only baptized believers are members of the church and the kingdom of God
9)Believing that all Christians should worship properly as Scripture directs.
10)Believing that Christians should share the good news of Jesus, and serve others until Jesus returns with our heavenly reward
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Sunday Morning Worship Activities
Enjoy congregational singing without instruments. Prayers will be offered that allows our needs to be brought to Him. Communion service offered every Sunday to remember the Lord’s death until He returns. Lessons from the Bible that will teach us God’s word. You may expect the worship to be warm, friendly, and orderly. No one is ever required to speak or made to feel uncomfortable in any way. We pray you will feel welcome to come and stay

Grace for your spirit January 3, 2011

Grace for your spirit
Then Joshua said to the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you. Joshua 3:5

After a forty year trip through the wilderness, Joshua had finally brought the children of Israel to the Jordan River. The next day they would cross into the promised land. Joshua told they were going on a new way, a new walk, and they would see new wonders. They were encouraged to dedicate themselves for the great task ahead of them. As we stand on the banks of 2011, we also have a new opportunity for a new way, a new walk, and a new wonders. May we reflect, examine, resolve, and commit to walk in the way God has for us. Let's all set some goals for our spiritual walk in the coming year and regularly evaluate our way. May we open doors of not just doing things to please ourselves, but rather to please God and others. May God walk with all of us through our journey. He has a promised land for all of us too. .

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com