Faith in Action
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Baptism
“And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on His name.” Acts 22:16 Bring all your sins to the cross, Be baptized by His Word. No longer bound to worldliness, Rejoice! Let your voice be heard! Bury all your sins with Christ, Let the water wash them away. Feel His cleansing wash over you, You're born anew this day! You'll feel His love upon you When you arise with Him; Rejoice and go tell all the world! Never let your light go dim. Our church recently celebrated baptism Sunday. We had over 20 people publicly profess their faith. Some had planned…
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Expression of Christ
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:22 Expression of Christ Is a beautiful phrase, But how do we convey it Throughout our days? Praying with a loved one- Forgiveness and compassion- That's an expression of Christ. Imparting peace instead of stress- Words sprinkled with kindness- That's an expression of Christ. Joy in the Lord unsubdued- A posture of gratitude- That's an expression of Christ. With God's guidance in All you say and do, An expression of Christ Will be showing through. In the movie, War Room, one character says, “See you in church.” The other character responds, “I need to…
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Hope, Patience, and Prayer
Romans 12:12 Let your hope keep you joyful, be patient in your troubles, and pray at all times. Let your hope keep you joyful, For all things come from Him; He knows all your needs So, don't let despair win! Be patient in your troubles, Fretting does not pay; For He has the answer, Wait! He'll show the way. Finally, pray at all times, It will give you inward peace. Talk to God, then listen; His love will never cease! Romans 12:12 is one of my favorite verses. To me it’s the perfect road map for life. Being hopeful, patient, and prayerful is the best way to get through any…
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Armor of God
Ephesians 6:10-18 10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the…
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We Are
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” Matthew22:37 We are what we value, We value what we care about; When Jesus is our focus, Our faith is lived out. We are better together, We don't do well alone; We intentionally reach out to others With Jesus as our Cornerstone. We are pursuing To understand diversity; We choose courage over comfort To understand our society. We are continually learning To see the world through another's eyes; Being sincere, respectful, and willing, Keeps us humble, open, and wise. We are generous, When we give in a meaningful way; Using our…
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A Zealous Faith
Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Romans 12:11 Each day is a gift, So ask God as you kneel To ignite your spirit, Never lacking in zeal. Keep your spiritual fervor As you exercise your gift, You never know whose day You are going to lift! Serve the Lord with all your heart, Don't allow your faith to slack; You're a child of the Kingdom So hold nothing back! Our church has helped a public school in a low income neighborhood for several years on various projects. One year the principal spoke to us about the school’s theme for his teachers: Patience-Positivity-Passion. I’ve…
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An Imitator of Christ
Therefore be imitators of God, as dearly loved children. Ephesians 5:1 I'm a follower of Jesus, He is my daily bread; But shouldn't I rather be Imitating Him instead? Righteousness is what I seek, Obedience to His Word; When meditating quietly, His voice is what is heard. Storms are raging all around, Lord, what should my response be? Then like a gentle summer breeze, A sense of peace refreshes me. Can I sustain a life that's pure? Yes, in living by the Sword; Thus, day by day, in every way I'm an imitator of my Lord. Christians often refer to themselves as followers of Christ. The definition of a follower…
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Morning Song
Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Give me a will, Lord, like Thou art's, Create in me the purest of hearts, Renew in me a spirit divine, Guiding me to love all mankind. Give me the strength to carry on The tasks that every day brings on. Prose and Prayer I wrote this poem to the tune of “Faith of Our Fathers.” I taught it to my students every year, and we sang it every morning. Now that I’m retired, I still start my day with it.…