The Joy of Jesus (Church Online): Daily Word Dr. James A. Lee

Psalm 27:14
"Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD."

Psalm 37:9
"For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth."

Psalm 40:1
"I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry."

Psalm 62:5
"My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him."

Daniel 10:3, 12-13
"I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.
Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.
But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia."

God is a Great Giver

The Father’s Costly Sacrifice.
This brings before us a side of the truth upon which I fear we rarely meditate. We delight to think of the wondrous love of Christ, whose love was stronger than death, and who deemed no suffering too great for His people. But what must it have meant to the heart of the Father when His Beloved left His Heavenly Home! God is love, and nothing is so sensitive as love. I do not believe that Deity is emotionless, the Stoic as represented by the Schoolmen of the middle ages. I believe the sending forth of the Son was something which the heart of the Father felt, that it was a real sacrifice on His part.
Weigh well then the solemn fact which premises the sure promise that follows: God "spared not His own Son"! Expressive, profound, melting words! Knowing full well, as He only could, all that redemption involved—the Law rigid and unbending, insisting upon perfect obedience and demanding death for its transgressors. Justice, stern and inexorable, requiring full satisfaction, refusing to "clear the guilty." Yet God did not withhold not the only suitable Sacrifice.
God "spared not His own Son," though knowing full well the humiliation and ignominy of Bethlehem’s manger, the ingratitude of men, the not having where to lay His head, the hatred and opposition of the ungodly, the enmity and bruising of Satan—yet He did not hesitate. God did not relax ought of the holy requirements of His throne, nor abate one whit of the awful curse. No, He "spared not His own Son." The utmost farthing was exacted; the last dregs in the cup of wrath must be drained. Even when His Beloved cried from the Garden, "if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me," God "spared" Him not. Even when vile hands had nailed Him to the tree, God cried "Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, and against the man that is My Fellow, saith the Lord of Hosts; smite the Shepherd" (Zech. 13:7).

Praise God Today

Psalm 42

1As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

2My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

3My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?

4When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.

5Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

6O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.

7Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.

8Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.

9I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

10As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?

11Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my Go



Old Testament

The God with whom we have to do, is a God of awful majesty. The universal and absolute sovereignty of a holy God would be too terrible for us even to think of, were it not exercised by his Son from a mercy-seat; but now it is only terrible to the workers of iniquity. While his people express confidence and joy, and animate each other in serving him, let sinners submit to his authority, and accept his salvation. Jesus Christ shall subdue the Gentiles; he shall bring them as sheep into the fold, not for slaughter, but for preservation. He shall subdue their affections, and make them a willing people in the day of his power. Also it speaks of his giving them rest and settlement. Apply this spiritually; the Lord himself has undertaken to be the inheritance of his people. It shows the faith and submission of the saints. This is the language of every gracious soul, The Lord shall choose my inheritance for me; he knows what is good for me better than I do.

God is Love That is all we need

The Spirit of God is the Spirit of love. He that does not love the image of God in his people, has no saving knowledge of God. For it is God's nature to be kind, and to give happiness. The law of God is love; and all would have been perfectly happy, had all obeyed it. The provision of the gospel, for the forgiveness of sin, and the salvation of sinners, consistently with God's glory and justice, shows that God is love. Mystery and darkness rest upon many things yet. God has so shown himself to be love, that we cannot come short of eternal happiness, unless through unbelief and impenitence, although strict justice would condemn us to hopeless misery, because we break our Creator's laws. None of our words or thoughts can do justice to the free, astonishing love of a holy God towards sinners, who could not profit or harm him, whom he might justly crush in a moment, and whose deserving of his vengeance was shown in the method by which they were saved, though he could by his almighty Word have created other worlds, with more perfect beings, if he had seen fit. Search we the whole universe for love in its most glorious displays? It is to be found in the person and the cross of Christ. Does love exist between God and sinners? Here was the origin, not that we loved God, but that he freely loved us. His love could not be designed to be fruitless upon us, and when its proper end and issue are gained and produced, it may be said to be perfected. So faith is perfected by its works. Thus it will appear that God dwells in us by his new-creating Spirit. A loving Christian is a perfect Christian; set him to any good duty, and he is perfect to it, he is expert at it. Love oils the wheels of his affections, and sets him on that which is helpful to his brethren. A man that goes about a business with ill will, always does it badly. That God dwells in us and we in him, were words too high for mortals to use, had not God put them before us. But how may it be known whether the testimony to this does proceed from the Holy Ghost? Those who are truly persuaded that they are the sons of God, cannot but call him Abba, Father. From love to him, they hate sin, and whatever disagrees with his will, and they have a sound and hearty desire to do his will. Such testimony is the testimony of the Holy Ghost.
Commentary on 1 John 4:14-21

Let us Rejoice in The Lord The Rev. Dr. James A. Lee

Sermon: To rejoice in The Lord is What we must do. The Goodness of God is worthy of our praise. We thank God and Praise God for all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. There are many problems we face today that are too overwhelming for man to resolve. God gave us Jesus to save us from sin. Jesus died on the cross, and was raised from the grave so that we who believe in Him shall have everlasting life. This is the reason for our joy. Let us rejoice in The Lord of our salvation. We Praise God today for all of the joy that is found in Christ Jesus we pray. A-men...

Scripture:
1 Peter 1
1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood:
Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

Praise to God for a Living Hope
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, 5who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
10Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

Be Holy
13Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."[a]
17Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. 18For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

22Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.[b] 23For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24For,
"All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
25but the word of the Lord stands forever."[c] And this is the word that was preached to you.


Footnotes:
a.1 Peter 1:16 Lev. 11:44,45; 19:2; 20:7
b.1 Peter 1:22 Some early manuscripts from a pure heart
c.1 Peter 1:25 Isaiah 40:6-8
New International Version (NIV)

Sermon: The Greatest Love

Scripture: John 3:16 (King James Version)BP8AM74ZRVWM

16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Prayer: Dear God. We pray for love today. We love you with all of our minds, bodies and soul. We worship you for your grace, mercy and love. Lord, we praise Thee for everything in Christ Jesus. A-men.

Sermon: Love is the word that move people in extraordinary ways. We celebrate the greatest love in your name. God so loves the world that He gave us Jesus. God's love is all wrapped-up in The Christ in that He gave His life and shed Hid blood on the cross for our inequities. God resurrected Jesus on the third day and ascended Jesus back to Heaven. Jesus will return with all power, honor and Glory. This is the greatest love story ever told.BP8AM74ZRVWM

We need love so much today. Love is almost forgotten or lost in the commercial of making money and true love. God is Love.

In closing, let us celebrate in the gift of love.The Greatest Love is God. The key word in our scripture is the fact that God gave. Love is in the giving. We give you these words in love. We pray that this love will return to us so that we may give our love to others in return. Praise God for His love all in Christ Jesus. A-men

Prayer & Scripture for Life

The Holy Bible: King James Version. 2000.
The Psalms
23

The LORD Is My Shepherd
A Psalm of David.


1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters. Rev. 7.17


3 He restoreth my soul:
he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.


4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.


5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil;
my cup runneth over.


6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.




Prayer: Dear God in Heaven, The Father of The Lord Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit,

We praise God and Thank God for All thins found in Christ Jesus.

We pray for all people for all reasons, that they will be blessed with the gift of Joy.

We ask that you continue to bless this ministry to bless others in the name of Jesus.

Praise God for whom all blessings flow.

The Lord is our Shepperd.

Bless His Holy Name.

Glory to God in The Highest. A-men

Prayer for The World & Haiti

Prayer: Eternal God of all Heaven and the universe in Christ Jesus we praise Thee with Thy Holy Spirit.

We pray for the world and all its people. We pray for all those in poverty. We pray for Haiti in Jesus name.

Lord bless us to give peace, hope and love in your name. Bless us right now Jesus.

We thank you Lord for everything that You have done.

Glory to God in The Highest. We praise Thee and Love Thee Lord. Open our eyes, ears and hearts to see Thy Glory in Jesus name we pray.

Pray for The World

Scripture:

John 17

Christ's prayer for himself. (1-5) His prayer for his disciples. (6-10) His prayer. (11-26)

Prayer: Our Father in Heaven and all the earth. We praise Thee with all power, glory and honor in the name of Jesus for world healing. Thank you Lord for all spiritual in Christ Jesus. We pray for all people to be blessed. Praise God in Christ Jesus and The Holy Spirit of God. In Jesus name we pray...

Sermon: Pray for the World.

Our message is so simple; it almost appears ridiculous. People around the world are concern on a number of fronts. Jobless, natural disasters, and poverty have eaten away all hope and joy for the average person. Yet our scripture paints and different story. Jesus prayed for all people.

We are so precious in the eyes of God. It is our job to do as Jesus did. Jesus prayed for all people. We too follow His Lead. We indeed pray for all people. We pray for peace, hope, love and joy for all people. We ask in the name of Jesus that all people be blessed. The real question is how and why?

In closing, our message is clear. We at The Joy of Jesus have ginuine concern and love for all people. Jesus is the answer to all questions.The question as to why, is equally clear. Jesus came so that we (the world) may be saved from sin. Jesus gave His life on the cross, shed His Blood, by His Stripes we are healed. God raised Jesus from the grave on the third day. Soon, Jesus will return with all power , honor and glory. This is our prayer.

Prayer: We love You Lord. We pray for Peace, Hope, and Love for all people in Christ Jesus name. Glory to Glory, to Glory... All to God and Christ Jesus we pray. A-men

Sermon: The Reason for Our Joy

Scripture:-- 1 Peter 1 -- Next Chapter >
1.Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
2.Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
3.Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4.To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
5.Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6.Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7.That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Sermon: The reason for anything is generally why people do and have the things in life that defines ones station in the universe. Our message today is the reason to have joy and why it is important to seek it as well.

The word of God comes from St. Peter. It is the reason for pure joy. God has a plan, that before He created the universe He thought about you and I and our joy. Jesus would come into the world and save us from our sins. Our salvation is based upon our faith in Jesus. This faith is more precious that the finest of gold. It is a promise that God made to you and I.

Moreover, we may be experiencing temptations to divert out attention from our incredible gift from God, we stay focused on the gift of God. In this we rejoice. We find joy in knowing that God is good and loves us in spite of any problems we may face today.

Joy is something that comes from the soul. It is found deep in ones heart. We sing. We jump. We shout of the joy that mo one can take away from us. Joy is a gift from God in Christ Jesus.

The cross is a symbol of pain, suffering and death. Jesus overcame the cross to establish eternal life for all who believe in His name. This is the reason for our joy.

Prayer: Praise God the father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit. We Praise God for His Joy in Christ Jesus. We ask in the name of Jesus that all people may experience such Joy in The Lord. We ask for peace, hope and love rule in our lives. Glory to God in the Highest in Jesus name we pray. A-men

The Joy we need

The need for Joy is overwhelming. Our scripture is all about Joy. We need to understand that our faith in Christ Jesus is the source of all Joy. Meditate on these words. They will indeed enrich your Joy in Jesus. Do share this with 10 friends for a true and wonderful blessing.

Let Love Rule in your Heart and Soul with Grace of our Lord and Savior.

The Rev. Dr. James A. Lee
Pastor of The Joy of Jesus





Peter 1 (New International Version)

1 Peter 1
1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood:
Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

Praise to God for a Living Hope
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, 5who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
10Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

Be Holy
13Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."[a]
17Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. 18For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

22Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.[b] 23For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24For,
"All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
25but the word of the Lord stands forever."[c] And this is the word that was preached to you.


Footnotes:
a.1 Peter 1:16 Lev. 11:44,45; 19:2; 20:7
b.1 Peter 1:22 Some early manuscripts from a pure heart
c.1 Peter 1:25 Isaiah 40:6-8
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica

Turning Water into Wine

Why did Jesus turn water to wine?

Jesus turned water into wine to prove that He's the source of life. Changing the water to wine offered a symbol of the new spiritual life Jesus brings from the old mortal in conversion. As Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" Many people make a mistake here; they want to improve themselves into being worthy of God before they accept Christ. In reality, it's in accepting Jesus as Savior that God counts us worthy of entering his presence (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Jesus turned water into wine because changing one element into another symbolized marriage. It brings new life out of old; first, as the distinctive relationship between two adults; then, eventually in the children who are at once like, yet different from the parents. The miracle particularly represented Israel's relationship with God. He betrothed her to Himself in Egypt, married her to Himself at Sinai and repeatedly called her to be a faithful spiritual spouse. When she proved endlessly faithless, He called her a spiritual harlot. Finally, God divorced His corrupt bride by sending her into exile. Ezekiel's brilliant allegory is but one of many references to that relationship 16:1-63.

Jesus turned water into wine to prove that the old covenant lacked the resources to meet Israel's spiritual needs. Jesus didn't have to reference the stone pots to perform the miracle. Since they were used for ceremonial washing of people and utensils, Jesus had them filled to prove that He fulfilled and overfilled ceremonial cleansing; then had the servants draw water turned into wine from the well to illustrate that God's new life came from a different source - Christ Himself. Wherever the Old Covenant failed to meet the spiritual needs of God's people, Christ's resources flourished energetically, dynamically, and satisfyingly.

Jesus turned water into wine to illustrate the inimitable nature of God's revelation through Christ. Everything God had said through Law, Prophets, and Psalmists proved magnificent. And all who studied regaled themselves with stories of God at Sinai and before Jericho and outside Jerusalem slaying Babylonian soldiers. But God saved the best for Israel till the last revelation of himself in Christ. Indeed, no one before or since Christ bettered Him in any way.

Jesus turned water into wine to prove His real nature to the disciples. The ultimate purpose of the miracle was to reveal His Glory, with the result being faith in Him.

It's interesting that Jesus had no interest in recruiting faith in the members of the wedding party, or the steward of the feast. Even though the servants knew the provenance of the wine, Jesus didn't perform the miracle to convince them. His only interest was to reveal his true, inner being to six men-a glory that would be uncovered completely only one time in His ministry - at His transfiguration. The sign achieved its purpose, for His disciples believed in Him.

Jesus distinguished between His Glory and His hour or time (John 2:4, Matthew 26:18). The glory His disciples saw wasn't the same as the hour His mother wanted Him to reveal. His glory was His inner being revealed in miracles, teachings, claims, and example. His hour or time was His death on Calvary, though it's true that in His hour at Calvary, He revealed His true glory as God in the flesh. Paul delineated that in Colossians 2:15.

No one but He knew what His hour was, but His disciples, and all who came to believe in Him while He preached, understood that glory meant in Christ God had become a mortal. In Christ God put on a human face - a reality His appearance to John in Revelation 1:12-18 verified. The eternal, invisible God will be visible to all the redeemed in the glorified God/Man Jesus Christ. In essence then, this miracle proved more about the Someone He was than the something He did.
Note: Jesus is the Lord of All. Our faith in Jesus can make all things happen for the good. Pray with us for all the people of the world for: Peace, Love and Joy with our hope in the Power of God in Christ Jesus.

Joy to the World

Joy to the World Lyrics
The words and lyrics of the old Christmas carol 'Joy to the World' were written in 1719 by Isaac Watts (1674-1748). The father of John Watts was a Non-conformist and so extreme were his views that he was imprisoned twice. His father's influence over Isaac was demonstrated when he choose to attend Non­conformist Academy at Stoke Newington in preference to a University. Watts was ordained as a Pastor of an Independent congregation. He wrote many hymns and Carols and was awarded a Doctor of Divinity degree by the the University of Edinburgh in 1728. The music to the carol is by George Frederick Handel (1685-1759).
Our grateful thanks goes to Eric Halstead for giving his kind permission to play his self sequenced midi file of this superb piano rendition of this Christmas Carol.







Joy to the World Lyrics
Christmas Carol Lyrics
Pause Music!

Joy to the World , the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Joy to the World Lyrics
Christmas Carol Lyrics








C

Reaching Out for Jesus, True Thanksgiving

Matthew 21:9 The crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David; BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Hosanna in the highest!"

One of the hardest jobs of the believer is reaching out for Jesus. People are more and more sceptical of The Lord. They are too busy, there is something else they have to do. They are just not into it. Yet, to reach out for Jesus could mean rejection.

These are the days when time may not be on our side. Everything happens so fast. Problems run like water. We need a strong foundation to simply go on in life. Jesus is that rock.

When I ask some people to visit us or join us, they are reluctant. They are afraid. Why one may ask? The answer is sin. We are so burdened by our faults, it is too painful to even think about it. But I have good news. Jesus can give you peace and joy.

In closing, reach out for Jesus. Tell some one about the goodness of God in Christ Jesus who died for all of our sins and was raised up by the power of God to return again to save those who hold on to their faith. Praise God Almighty in the name and joy of Jesus.

Sermon: The Importance of Prayer

Our message today is one of great importance in the life of the believer. We want to direct our attention on exactly how important prayer is in our walk of faith. Let us pray:

Dear God in Heaven;

We pray that your word be magnified through out the universe. We love You so much today. We Bless Your Holy name. Let those who read these words are moved in new directions in Your perfect will.

We thank you Lord and give you all the praise in the name of Jesus Christ A-men.

Sermon: The Importance of Prayer: "Hallowed be Thy name"

Matthew 6:9

Our source of scripture is simply and clear. "Hallow be Thy name" is the main focus of the Lord's prayer. God is the most important person of all prayer. This is not as easy as it sounds. People are under tremendous pressure today. The problems of the world are overwhelming at best. People are so troubled that they do not know what to do. The question is, who is most important in the universe?

The answer to our question is one of profound meaning. God is the creator and heavenly father, there is no other force in the universe. When we pray it is our deepest desires. Our prayers represent the depths of our heart and soul. To whom to we direct our petitions of help, mercy and thanksgiving? Who gave us life, love and the pursuit of happiness? Who must we turn to when the world has done what it can do?

In conclusion, our prayer life reflects our eternal soul. We pray to live. God is still on the throne and loves us more than we can ever imagine. Hallow be Thy name means that God alone is Holy. We understand the Goodness and Power of God and His name is to be Blessed. Jesus Christ is our main source of joy. God so loved the world that He gave us Jesus for our sin debt. Jesus dead on the cross for our sins, conquered death, and rose to be with God for our salvation. Our prayer is to acknowledge God for all that has done.Let us pray:

We praise God, Hallow be Thy name. Thank you for being our God. The joy of our salvation is all found in Christ Jesus We thank you Lord for all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. We pray for all people in all places. We ask for a special prayer for our ministry and followers to be blessed beyound measure. Touch all in need in the Name of Jesus, we give you all the Power, Glory and Honor A-men.

Devotion: Blessed is the Lord

Prayer: Oh Lord our God, we humble ourselves completely unto thy power. Forgive us of all sin as we forgive all in the name of Jesus.

We thank you for all blessings and the gift of salvation. We pray for all people. We ask that you continue to bless our members all over the world. We pray for love, peace and joy to ring in our hearts, minds and souls.

Lord, we praise you today. We magnify Thy Holy Name. In Jesus name we continue to pray. A-men.

Song: Blessed is The Rock

Blessed be the Rock of my salvation,
Blessed be the Rock of my salvation,
For the Lord is on my side,
And He's made His victory mine
Blessed be the Rock of my salvation,

Blessed be the Rock,
Blessed be the Rock,
Blessed be the Rock,
Blessed be the Rock,
Blessed be the Rock of my salvation

Praise God for whom all Blessings...A-men

Bible Study: Being Thankful

A Reason For Reading, Level I: The Ten Lepers
By Concerned Group

Discover the key to reading success with values-based stories that make reading FUN! Little Books help teach kids powerful reading strategies that lead to success. NOTE: Levels in Reading reflect student ability, not grade level!

In The Ten Lepers Jesus heals ten men, but only one returns to thank him. Level I. 24 pages.




Search: Title Author/Artist ISBN CBD Stock # Keywords Publisher



Jesus Heals Ten Lepers
To Remember: We all have a lot to be thankful for.


Vocabulary
leper: a person with an incurable, contagious disease that attacks the whole body
Lesson

Luke 17:11-19 On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" When he saw them he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, "Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Then he said to him, "Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well."

Leprosy was a feared and horrible disease, and still is. To this day, it is still predominately incurable. Because it was easy to catch, lepers were not allowed in the city, and were not allowed to approach others. That is why these ten lepers kept their distance and called out to Jesus. These lepers were, in all, a good bunch. They were obeying the laws: they stayed out of the city and did not approach Jesus or his followers. They believed in Jesus' ability to heal. They obeyed Jesus without question when he told them to go to the priests, even before they were healed.*

*Leviticus 13 explains how leprosy was handled under Moses' law. The priests were the men who decided whether leprosy was contagious or not. The priests had the power to declare these men healed and clean.

So these men were respectful, obedient, and trusting. What they weren't was thankful. Only one of the men, when they learned they were healed, was grateful enough to return and praise Jesus. Do you think he was the only one that was happy? I doubt it. Do you think it was easy for him to be the only one to return to Jesus? Probably not. He wanted to be declared clean by the priests so he could return to his family, his job and his friends. But he was thankful enough to stop right then and thank Jesus and praise God for this wonderful gift.


Discussion: What excuses could the other nine have given for not returning and thanking Jesus?
But he told us to go to the priests - we're only doing what he said!
He's God, he knows I'm grateful.
I have so many things to do now that I can be a normal person again! I'll thank Him later.
Do we often make excuses for not thanking God? What excuses do men make today for not thanking God?
I'm obeying God - so he owes me these blessings.
God knows my prayers before I offer them. Why should I have to tell him?
I'm very busy right now, I'll thank him later.
I hurting so much because of ________. Why is he not helping me?
God didn't do that for me, it was: my hard work, nature, my friend, luck.
Discussion: How are we to thank God? For what? Why? Study the verses on the worksheet and discuss their application to our lives.


Worksheet: Be Ye Thankful


Sing:I've got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy


Craft:
Make a thank you card to God. Fully thank him for one blessing and what it means to you.
Make a mural of blessings that the church provides for the students. Display the mural where the congregation can see it.
Activity:
Musical blessings
Around the room: Have students stand in a circle. Have the first student say one thing they are thankful for. Have the next person repeat the first and add a second. Continue around the room until everyone has added two or the group can't continue.
Worksheet: I'm Thankful For...
True or False
God wants us to thank him once a year in November. F
Some days may go by without anything to thank God for. F
God appreciates our praise even when he already knows we're thankful. T
There is more than one way to thank God. T
God is the giver of every good and perfect gift. T
Memory Work:

1 Thess. 5:16-18 "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."


Psalm 138:1 "I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise."

Review Questions for gameboard

linguistic questions
Name four blessings that start with the letter T.
Unscramble this word: frunatelug
Recite the memory verse.
activity questions
Draw a blessing for which you are thankful.
Put together a puzzle made from the picture of the leper.
Turn to the person next to you and thank them for something.
emotion questions
How can we cheer ourselves up when we are disappointed, discouraged, or upset? (count our blessings)
How do you feel when you do something nice for someone and are not thanked?
How must God feel when we are not appreciate of his gifts?
What kind of relationship does God want with us?
application questions
Can we be obedient without being thankful? (2 Cor. 9:7)
Read Romans 1:28-31. Can we be pleasing to God without being thankful?
Read Phil 4:6. Thankfulness can bring us _____________.
fact questions
How many lepers returned to thank Jesus?
Was the thankful leper a Jew?
What did the other lepers do that was right?
review questions
Who else can we show our gratefulness to?
Name three reasons why the healed lepers would be grateful. (healed from a fatal illness, can live inside the city, can be with their families and friends again, can worship God in the temple again...)
Are ungrateful people happy? How can we be happy?

Share your ideas!

Sermon; Can You Wait on the Lord?

Scripture: But for who wait on the Lord will renew their strength....Isaiah 40:31

Prayer: Oh Lord thy God, Creator of all the universe,we humble ourselves unto Thee of all sin. We forgive all and pray for in Christ Jesus.
We worship You, Praise You, with all Thankfulness and gratitude in Christ Jesus. A-men

Today is one of great joy. We have learned through The Word of God, that if we wait on God, all the power we need will be ours. This is a comforting idea. At this stage in life, the problems of the world are unbearable. War, poverty, joblessness, and public health are real issues.What can we do?

The scripture says to wait on God. In other words take your time because God through Christ Jesus will restore all things in Heaven and Earth. This is a reason for tremendous Joy.

Our hope is in the Lord. We pray of course for those lost in poverty, sickness and drugs. Yet, we also pray for our business community to do better to help people live better under tough conditions. Yes, we can. Yes we can wait on the Lord.

It is God with the power. He will renew our strength. People will get faint, But those who wait on God will fly like the eagle.

In conclusion, we thank God and praise God today and forever for what he did on the cross. God gave us the gift of life eternal. Jesus gave His life for our sins. He will return with all power, glory and honor. We who wait will indeed be blessed. Our pray is for those who wait on the Lord. Can we wait on the Lord? In Jesus name we pray..A-men.

Convocation: The Big Increase

Scripture:St. John 21:6 ...,Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find....

We are in deep prayer to increase the followers of this new church for people online.It is our thinking by way of the Holy Spirit that many people today literally live online. They conduct a large percentage of their time doing work and recreation on their computer. We understand this fact as well. Therefore this church is designed for them. There are some people who can not leave home for various reasons normally due to an illness.

Our prayer is to spread the word of God to them through this medium. We pray for all those who are online to visit us, read our message of Joy and follow. We also pray that they share is site with their contacts as well.

Jesus was waiting on the disciples to return from fishing after his death. They all returned to what they had been doing before they met Jesus. However, they were unsuccessful. Jesus said, go out again and cast the net on the right. They did so and caught so many fish that their nets broke and the boat almost sank.

We are casting net out on the right side of this site. We pray for the increase. We pray for and bless anyone who hears this prayer in Jesus name. Our prayer is for the power in the Gospel. Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, lived according to the will of God, crucified on the cross for our sins,raise for the dead,and now sits in the right side of God. Jesus will return and destroy all evil. He will create a new Heaven and Earth. We will all (who believe) live forever in perfect peace. We ask this in the name of Jesus. A-men.

Sermon: The Joy of The Lord

Scripture: James 1:2 My brethren,count it all joy when you fall into divers temptation;
Prayer: Eternal God, we humble ourselves of all sin, we forgive all in the name of Jesus Christ. Oh, Lord of our salvation, we thank Thee and praise for all blessings in the name of Jesus. We pray for peace,love and joy. We pray for all in need and bless in your name. All Praise to God in Jesus name. A-men

The Bible tells us to count it as joy when we are tempted. This is an important lessen in life. We all are faced with things in live that will take away our focus on God. Sin is very tempting but will lead to death.

Joy is a great blessing from God. People are searching all over the world and outer space for Joy. Our scripture makes it clear, count it all joy. When Jesus was tempted in the dessert, satan offered him the world. Jesus stayed true to God the Father. We too must stay true to God.

Jesus died in the cross so that we may live with Him forever. Jesus will come back and judge the world. We must be ready when he does return. We Praise God todat and Forever with the love and joy of Christ Jesus in our in our hearts and souls. We pray for this Church and Bless all those who read these words for increase in Jesus name A-men...