Introduction:

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas! My prayer now is for a Happier New Year! We paused for the holidays from our series on the amazing lives of the Christian women who lived during the Middle Ages with a story about the origination of one of the most beautiful Christmas carols – “Silent Night”. I hope you were blessed by the story and that the hymn will have new meaning and richness for you.

In our series on Medieval Christian women, we have found that each of these women did her part in transforming the culture around her by following in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus who cared for the poor and neglected. They accomplished countless acts of piety and charity in many ways using the gifts that God gave them for service. The women were queens, abbesses, sisters, influential citizens, writers, godly wives and mothers…

Is it Because I am black
Is it Because I am different from
You seen me And I seen you
We looked at each other
I seen the anger in your eyes
I continue walking down the street
It was pretty dark outside
I heard the Sirens going off
You write something down on your notepad
You get a call on your Walkie talkie
You stopped me , my heart beating fast
My heart thumping oh so fast
Wondering what I did wrong
Was it something I did
Was there something I should have done
Why did you stop me ?
Why ? Is it because I don’t look like you
That I don’t have the same skin color as you
That I don’t have the same hair color as you
Is it because I don’t talk like you ?
Why ? Can you answer me ?
Can you tell…

Romans 12:2

In response to Paul’s challenge in Philippians 2:5, we address the question,

“What is the mind of Christ?”

To have the mind of Christ is to love as He loved and serve as He served. Brigadier Josef Korbel was for ten years imprisoned in the communist labor camp in Czechoslovakia. He and the other prisoners were near starvation and issued but one piece of bread each day. When other prisoners devoured their food, Korbel divided his into three pieces. One he ate slowly and the other two he kept in his pocket. Later in the day as he ate his second piece, a fellow prisoner would eye him jealously and say, “Where did you get extra bread?” Korbel would reply, “Nowhere. I have kept some of my own back. Have a share of mine.” Then, starving himself, he would give his last piece to the ravenous fellow prisoner…

We will come unto him, and make our abode with him.—John 14:23

What we have in the Christian doctrine of the Holy Spirit is Deity present among us. He is not God’s messenger only; He is God. He is God in contact with His creatures, doing in them and among them a saving and renewing work.

The Persons of the Godhead never work separately. We dare not think of them in such a way as to “divide the substance.” Every act of God is done by all three Persons. God is never anywhere present in one Person without the other two. He cannot divide Himself.

Where the Spirit is, there also is the Father and the Son. “We will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (John 14:23). For the accomplishment of some specific work one Person may for the time be more prominent than the others…

FILE – In this April 29, 2016 file photo, Patricia Heaton arrives at the Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles. Heaton, known for playing homemakers in “Everybody Loves Raymond” and “The Middle,” is taking on a workplace comedy now, starring as an empty-nester who decides to pursue a medical career in CBS’ “Carol’s Second Act.” Heaton is also executive producer of the sitcom, which she’s found daunting but fulfilling. She considers it vital to keep challenging yourself. The show airs Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)

Emmy Award-winning actress Patricia Heaton shared a Christian message with “common sense” Americans after violence unfolded on Capitol Hill last week when hundreds of Trump supporters broke through barricades and stormed the Capitol building.

You complete me. It is as if saying “I can’t live without you.” We usually hear this said in the romantic sense, but can you picture out saying this to God? Have you realized how much your life can be in a mess without God in it? Have you taken a moment to reflect that without God nothing in your life would be meaningful or peaceful? Honestly and objectively ponder about your life and you will realize that the very air you breath and the very time you so struggle to manage is never controlled by you. At this time of my life, I have realized, how much I need God to live in peace, to live with meaning, and to live with content. I just could not picture out living and enjoying life without God. I need His presence and I need His leading or else I will be…

Aloha beloved ~

The Lord has graced a dream to share with you. May our God of Glory bring you comfort and revelation.

Dream : On a mountain with lots of people, the ground began to crumble. But only where I stood. No one attempted to help me. Everyone watched as my part of the mountain collapsed. I began falling.. and falling.. As I fell, I was not afraid. Hands pressed togetherin prayer. My soul was kept in peace with our Jesus. So much faith. I was about to touch the ground on the most gorgeous and glorious pasture. God’s grace held me and put me down so gently. As if I was a feather being placed softly into the grass. Dwelling in His Presence was overwhelming.. I got up and walked, so deeply with the Holy Spirit.. Splendid beauty all around.. Quiet waters.. Perfect love in spirit.. I knew…