We are the most privileged people on earth!
God, by His love and through His infinite Grace and Mercy has given us something that every human can experience and enjoy, but many have yet to accept God's offer, while many more flatly reject it!
But those of us who have accepted it and received it, we are given the right to become the sons and daughters of the One True God!
Think of it!
God, the Creator and Maintainer of the universe of nearly countless galaxies, stars and star systems, solar systems and planets ... this God wants us to be HIS children!
What is even more incredible, it that He wants us TO KNOW HIM AS OUR FATHER!
Up close and personal! WOW!
"At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God."
John 14:26-27
Jesus tell His disciples this just prior to the conclusion of His ministry as the Son of Man. John's opening remarks to his Gospel account include this statement which is verified by what Jesus just said ...
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Wow!
But how can we learn to be the sons and daughters of God?
The Apostle Paul instructed the readers of his epistles to "imitate" him as he "imitated" Christ!
Now he was not telling us to be phonies or copies of copies ... but to learn from his life how Christ is to be DUPLICATED in us!
This "duplication process" is that, a PROCESS! As I shared in Sunday's message, there are 3 steps in this process ... First, we must actually and really GET IT ... get the genuine experience of redemption in Christ followed by the Truth of God! Second, to LIVE IT in order to Third, GIVE IT!
Many of us "Get It" and in our excitement at the new life in Christ, or in the thrill of finding new Truth for our lives in God's Word, we try to jump right into "Giving It".
The missing piece, and I believe why not only our ministry efforts are less than we desire, but our own spirituality is often lacking is that we do not spend time in the "Live It" part!
We must all come to the place where we are finally committed that our lives do not include Christ ... but that our lives BECOME CHRIST! That Christ becomes our life from begining to end!
That is what Paul did, and that is how, the only way, that we will become DUPLICATES of Christ ... to allow Christ to become our L-I-F-E!
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. Col. 3:1-3
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Balanced Diet For Believers
Balanced Diet for Believers - The Word By Jerry Ousley
I've never been good at balanced diets. I suppose that's why I'm a little overweight today. It's not that I don't want to do the right things but folks I just like food. Okay I know I'd probably be better off if I'd eat right. But for some twisted reason I just can't seem to justify living a longer life if I can't have any fun with it. I just can't help it; sometimes I've got to run out and find somewhere where I can get a trans-fat fix, you know? By the way that's getting harder and harder to do these days.
I've had to pay for some of those splurges. There have been times I've battled upset stomachs, heartburn, and a host of other things that I probably shouldn't mention in public.
Debbie tells me that I've got a cast iron stomach. But I know that cast iron does rust very easily and one of these days I'll have to start watching what I eat. It's just hard to do when the sight of those foods I love so dearly are blinding me. I suppose I do watch what I eat to a degree; I watch it as I put it in my mouth.
As I said, I'll probably have a debt to pay someday but right now I'm enjoying every minute of it. They say I'll feel better if I'd balance my diet but I can't imagine feeling any better than I do right now.
However when it comes to spiritual things a balanced diet is essential. If we want to grow in Jesus Christ it is imperative that we partake of a balanced diet. A balanced spiritual diet consists of a three course feast of the spirit.
In Matthew 4 Jesus had climbed a mountain and fasted for forty days. The devil, being the deviously sly creature he is, didn't try to temp Jesus during His fast. He waited until the forty day period was over. Jesus could eat now. He had ended His fast. Satan wasted no time.
He went straight to Jesus and told Him, "If You are the Son of God then it would be an easy thing for you to just turn these stones into bread. You've finished Your fast; it's okay for You to eat. Who would know? Go ahead and feed Yourself; You deserve it.
Jesus refused to use the power of God for such a trivial thing and even though the temptation to feed His hungry body had to be great He said, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD OF GOD" (Verse 4). That is the first course of a balanced spiritual diet The Word of God.
We here in the United States don't really appreciate the Bible. God has allowed for us to have this wonderful Instruction Guide to teach us how to get through life as a Christian. But all too often the Bible is allowed to collect dust and we tend to rely just on what we hear from the pulpit and on the radio and TV. While these things can be very informative and good and God has given them their place in our teaching process, nothing can serve as a substitute for reading the Bible under the influence of the Holy Spirit. It is food to our hungry spiritual souls. It is nourishment that builds strong bodied believers in every spiritual way.
We can't substitute. While I have poked fun at myself in my bad eating habits I know that I may get away with my physical diet. But we cannot grow in Christ and expect to be strong believers in Him aside from this first course of the balanced diet for Believers.
Jerry D. Ousley is the Author of three books, "Soul Challenge", "Soul Journey" and "Ordeal." Listen to our daily broadcast Spirit Bread. Find out more by visiting www.spiritbread.com
or email us at jousley@spiritbread.com
Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com
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We are excited to announce that True Hope Churches & Ministries will be joining with and be under the covering of Epic Ministry Alliance.
Although we have been with NLCFI for nearly 6 years, the Lord is taking us into a new direction ... or should I say, is re-newing our direction of ministry focus.
We have come to the realization that while there are many good ministers and ministries in NLCFI, the organization itself has taken us about as far as it can. I was grateful to have been of service to NLCFI as their General Secretary, and I have some good friends in this fellowship that we appreciate and hope to continue.
Epic Ministry Alliance is more of a relational and cooperative effort of ministers joined together in an alliance for the ministry and we are excited, and anticipate the Lord bringing great things to pass for all those joined in this Alliance!
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Closing Comment This news letter is a bit shorter than usual, and we apologize for this, however with the passing of our ministry affiliate in India, details had to be tended to and this took more time than I had anticipated.
Also, there is no longer a need to give to the bereavement care offering we were receiving as we have been informed that needs have been taken care of!
I was contacted by another ministry who also had been supporting Pastor Henry, and they notified me that they have given several thousand dollars to them and a car had been provided as well. And all of this was very recently and so we will use our funds now for other needs for the ministry.
Thank you all for your prayers and concern for Henry's family!
Until next time, may you be richly blessed as you are faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ!
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Upcoming Events
| Annual Business Meeting
Saturday, Sep. 5
4:30 pm
Skype Conference
Sunday Word Service
5:00 pm
Skype Conference
Wednesday's Word Study
7:00 pm CTZ
Each Wednesday
Columbus Day Weekend
True Hope Ministry
Charlotte S.C.
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