Who is God? God the Holy Spirit Baptizes, Seals and Fills
Good morning brothers and sisters. It's great to see you. All again. If only virtually we're in a series called firm foundations and originally the series is going to be about 10 weeks long and it was going to be very Systematic Theology ish. We were going to talk about the nature of God and the nature of man in the nature salvation and they the Roundup of history and so forth and then just as I began writing the sermons and planning that I just kind of got the sense that this is just not what the body needs to hear right now. We are in a tough spot and the crisis of Corona is kind of fading by that I mean the crisis feeling like, oh my goodness. We have this brand new situation. What do we do is pass prices and now we're into fatigue and I just thought that it would be more ministering to the body if we kind of retool this series firm foundations to talk about God just about. Who is he? Who is God the Father? Who is God the Holy Spirit who is God the son and to talk about God in a way that emphasizes encouragement and application. Are series actually started not with God the father son or Holy Spirit, but are serious started a couple of weeks ago when we were talking about the Bible because when we want to discover who the God the father is we read the Bible so we don't think the Bible is a reliable witness than the sermons will mean anything. We learn who God the holy spirit is we got learn who God the son is Through the Bible as if we don't have confidence in the Bible. If we don't know what the Bible is then our star witness is kind of hindered. Until we started our serious a couple of weeks ago and we went to the acronym scan scan the Bible s the Bible is sufficiency. The Bible is clear a the Bible is the authoritative an N. The Bible is necessary. And then last week we were talking about God the Father. And we discovered that God the father is personal he can grieve and he can feel pleasure and when he Grieves and when he feels pleasure, it's always it's always related to what his children are doing. It's not related to the weather or his favorite sports team or the stock market. It's related to us. And our faithful follower ship. We learn that God the father is personal and Powerful made the world in 7 days and passionate in fact passionately in love with us. This morning. We want to continue firm foundations and learn who God the holy spirit is and not just to fill our fax with knowledge. Although that's good. Not just to inform our Systematic Theology, although that's good. But this morning we want to learn who the holy spirit is in a way that will bring us encouragement. In a way that we can apply it to our lives. I hope at the end of the sermon. We not only have a better sense of who the holy spirit is, but what we need to do about who he is. To do that we're going to be focusing on three ministries of the Holy Spirit. Did you know that the holy spirit is a minister? He's a minister to us. And he is involved in three Ministries that we want to focus on today first his baptizing Ministry the baptism of the Holy Spirit II his ceiling Ministry. The Seal of the Holy Spirit and thirdly his filling Ministry being filled with the Holy Spirit. Show me the simple this morning and I was only first point first only four points. And the first point is the same as last week the Holy Spirit like the father is a person. The holy spirit is not an impersonal Force. He is not, we don't refer to the Holy Spirit as it we referred to the Holy Spirit as he He is a person. This is everywhere taught in scripture. For instance. We read in Galatians 5:17 for the desires of the flesh are against the spirit and the desires of the spirit. Are against the flash will impersonal forces don't have desires. Karma doesn't have a desire people persons of a desire. The holy spirit is a person not an impersonal Force. He desires things. We can't spend the whole sermon on the personhood of the Holy Spirit. Although that would be very possible. But let me just tell you from scripture that he not only desires Galatians 5:17, but he can be lied to the general that an impersonal Force gravity cannot be lied. Gravity exists. It's a force but gravity is not a person. You can't lie to gravity. Will you can lie to the Holy Spirit? Acts chapter 5 ananias and Sapphira. Did you sell this land? Oh, yes, we sold the land. Was it for this much money or yes. It was for that much money. Did you give it all to the church all yes, we gave it all to the church. And Peter says why have you lied to the Holy Spirit? Holy spirit is not a spooky Force. He is a person. The Holy Spirit can be grieved will see that later on this morning. He can be quenched. Did you know that he prays for us Romans? 8 26 to 27? The Holy Spirit not only helps us pray. We'll see that later in the sermon but he himself as a separate person prays for us. ski guides us impersonal forces don't die He counsels us impersonal forces don't counsel. The holy spirit is a person and as a person he ministers. He ministers in at least three specific way. He ministers through his baptism. He ministers through his ceiling and he ministers through his filling. But what does that mean? Exactly? Like what is baptism in the spirit mean? What is sealing in the Holy Spirit mean what is filling of the Holy Spirit mean and how would that encourage me? And how can I apply that to my life? Well, let's take a look at these Ministries one by one and answer those questions first his baptism. You know John the Baptist said when he saw Jesus coming to be baptized, he says I baptize you with water for repentance. But he who is coming is mightier than I who sandals. I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.
the baptism of the Holy Spirit has been something that has been taught throughout the scriptures and John was saying I can't affect you to be baptized in the Holy Spirit, but one who is coming Jesus can Couple things I want you to notice here in this statement. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit one. Christ is the active ingredient here. We are not told to seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We don't we are not told to do anything to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. We are not commanded to be baptized in the Holy. Spirit Christ is the active agent were involved in the story. But we're passive. We are simply here and we get baptized by the Holy Spirit baptized in the Holy Spirit is not a command. This to speak this by the way not part of the sermon this morning, but notice there are two baptisms one with the Holy Spirit and one with fire. Did you know this friend every human being will interact with Jesus Christ every human being Hitler Osama Bin Laden past and future presidents you every human being will interact with Jesus Christ. He will either find the Salvation of Christ in the baptism of the Holy Spirit or he will find the justice of Christ in the baptism of Fire. The first coming of Christ was all about bringing the baptism of the Holy Spirit salvation, but the second coming of Christ will all about beat be all about bringing the baptism of fire of Justice. Jesus won't come as a baby or a savior. He will come as a judge. Everybody will be baptized either with the Holy Spirit or with fire. 1st Corinthians, 12:13 says for in one Spirit. We were all baptized into one body Jews are Greeks slaves are free and all were made to drink of one Spirit. Again. This is describing the halt the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but let me point out some things we are passive. We are not told to be baptized by the Holy Spirit to seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We are not commanded to do anything so that we can be baptized in the Holy Spirit. This is all past tense. It doesn't say we will be it says we were baptized in the Holy Spirit and who we all all Christians Are baptized by the Holy Spirit?
at the moment of conversion
This is something that we may be aware of when it's happening. This may be something that were unaware of when it's happening. How can we be unaware? But let me ask you this. Were you born? I mean physically where you born. Do you remember it you were there? You may not unaware of very important things that are happening but when a man or a woman or a boy or a girl accept Jesus Christ into their heart, they are at that moment all baptized into the body past tense. This is not an obedient sing. This is not something we see cuz matter back notice where we find this reference 1st Corinthians. You know your new testament, you know that the First Corinthians church was the most carnal Church in the Bible.
They were squabbling they had grotesque sexual immorality in their church and rather than repenting of it. They were proud of it. They have parades look at how open we are looking how sophisticated we are. They weren't close to repentance, but they had accepted the Lord and when they accepted the Lord they were all baptized. in the Holy Spirit baptism of the Holy Spirit happens at the moment of Salvation once it is never lost and it is never repeated. This is what Jesus was talking about when he was speaking with Nicodemus truly truly. I say to you unless one is born again. He cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said to him. How can a man be born again when he is old Kenny entering a second time into his mother's womb and be born. No, I'm not talking about that Nicodemus. I'm talking about a birth of the spirit. I'm talking about a baptism the spirit truly truly. I say to you. Unless one is born of water and the spirit. He cannot enter the kingdom of God that which is born of the flesh is flesh. And that which is born of the spirit is Spirit friends. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal savior, then you were at that moment baptized by the Holy Spirit.
baptized in the Holy Spirit and you say well I would have been happened then and I can't be undone and I wasn't even aware that it was happening at the time. What is the significance? How can I be encouraged by that? How can I apply that friends the application is this welcome to the family? Welcome to the family. The baptism of the holy spirit is a rite of passage. It is a mark of ownership. It separates us from those who are not marked in this way.
It's like a Rancher branding his cattle. How does he tell which one is the ones that have the brand? We have been branded and we have been branded with the Holy Spirit. This is our Mark of family. This is what proves that we are in the family of God. And by the way, what a wonderful family to be a part of There have been high times in my life. There have been low times in my life. But in each of those occasions, the the family of God has reached out to me and minister to me at a very deep way. Even this past week this week past week has been a week of disappointments for our family. Nothing that needs to be in the sermon, but they let me just tell you this is been a really disappointing week and the Simon's family and those that know about the disappointments have minister to us. What can we do? How can we help? There's a family in our church. Their daughter was in the u.s. Studying came back for a visit or what. She thought was a visit. And then of course the whole coronavirus thing closes the Border she can't get back. We'll all her possessions are in the United States what to do.
What to do with a family that used to attend our church and now lives in the US heard about the problem went over and picked up all the possessions and they are now in that person's garage are waiting pickup. It's great to be part of the family and our Mark of ownership are Mark of the family is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. If you have been accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your lord and savior, then you are part of the family and at that time and acknowledgement of your becoming adopted into the family. You were baptized in the Holy Spirit.
Turn on his holy spirit baptizes. He seals us. What is a seal gasket to stop oil from leaking? Are you talking about a mammal that swims in the ocean and eats fish? No in these times a seal was something that you might put on a correspondence. a letter and the seal indicated that the letter was genuine High officials had their own seal like a signature now and when you got a letter with this seal you knew that it was a genuine communication from someone so Not only did a seal guarantee the authenticity of the communication but it's secured it very often. The letter would be folded up in the sealed pulled on it. So only the one who open the seal could read the letter it was a private and it was a genuine communication the CEO often take a communication and it's secured the communication what that's what the Holy Spirit does when he seals us. Ephesians 1:13 And in him you also when you heard the word of Truth The Gospel of yourselves a Sheehan and believed in him were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. Notice we see some say markers in this verse that we saw in the previous 1st Corinthians verse first of all, this is past tense. You were sealed. Secondly. It's not a command. It doesn't say ABC old none of your good Christian hate you you guys are going to be it says you already were this is not something we learned. It's not something we seek. It's something that's already happened. I can't command you to be sealed any more than I command you to be born. It's already happened that ship has already sailed. When was I seal when you heard the truth? The gospel of your salvation and believed in him.
The ceiling of the Holy Spirit The Mark of guarantee the security happened once for you when you accepted the Lord. This is not something we have to accomplish. This is not something that we have to see this is not something that is command. This is something that has already happened. You have been baptized in the Holy Spirit. Welcome to the family, but you at that same moment we're sealed. There is a seal of authenticity on you. This is a genuine believer.
And not only a mark of authenticity. but a mark of protection a mark of security This is every word taught in the Bible and do not grieve the holy spirit of God by whom you were sealed. How long are we sealed for? Can you lose the seal know you're sealed for the day of redemption. This is a one-time permanent thing when you're sealed.
This is a permanent past tense for the moment of Salvation and we'll never be undone.
2nd Corinthians 1:22 and who has also put his seal on us and giving us his spirit in our hearts as a guarantee notice again that this is past tense put this is already happened and noticed God is the actor. We're simply the recipient. We didn't seal ourselves. We didn't ask for the CR. We didn't earn the seal. We didn't do some Behavior which attracted to seal. He has put his seal on us. The only thing we did instead of the round and got filled.
in Revelation 9:14, we realized that membership has its benefits you say what does invisible seal that I'm not conscious of what difference could it make well, it doesn't make any difference at all to those who can only see the scene Rome but God sees the seal in the Unseen realm you see it God sees who was sealed and who is not in Revelation 9:4. We see this they these are angels bringing judgment to the world. These are angels who God has deputized to bring his judgment and Justice to the world, but he has some instructions for them before they go on the earth and bring catastrophic judgment. I have some words for you says the Lord and they were told not to harm the grass of the Earth or any green plant or any tree. But only those people who do not have the Seal of God on their foreheads being sealed makes a difference.
Can I ask you does it make a difference to you that you're a citizen of Canada? Oh, yes. I know we can't travel right now but that affects where you can travel and what you can do and certain rights and responsibilities and I say well I'm looking at you. I can't tell the difference. I can't tell that you're Canadian.
Could be American. Maybe your English. I am looking right at you. I can't tell by your hair color. I can't tell by your eyes. I can tell by your closing. So this doesn't mean anything. Oh, no, it means something that means something and I have this thing called a passport that you can't see right now, but it marks me as a genuine certified protected Canadian to here. When you became a Christian you were baptized in the Holy Spirit and you were sealed in the Holy Spirit. What is the application? What is the encouragement? Will not only are you part of the family. You're safe.
You're part of the family and you will always be part of the family. How many Christians struggle with this they keep working to be accepted by God, you're already accepted by God. How good do I have to be? It's not a it's not a behavior thing. It's not an obedience thing. All Christians are baptized in the Holy Spirit and sealed in the Holy Spirit at the moment of Salvation in these can never be undone. You're in the family and you will always be genuine. You will always be guaranteed. You will always be safe.
The security of our Salvation as demonstrated by the Seal of the holy spirit is not a function of us. We don't make our Salvation secure the Holy Spirit. Does this when he steals us? And finally the Holy Spirit feels now when we look at the passages that describe the feeling we are going to notice some really start differences The Filling is like the baptism and like the ceiling in that they are all ministries of the Holy Spirit. But when we look at the actual text of the scriptures that describe the filling of the Holy Spirit we're going to say fall boy, that's different. There are some key differences here. Let me show you what I mean.
Ephesians 5 and 18 do not get drunk with wine for that is debauchery, but be filled with the spirit. This is very different notice. This is present tense.
Did you get that this is present tense. He's talking to existing Christians who have already been baptized in the Holy Spirit who've already been sealed in the Holy Spirit, but now he is saying to Christians be filled. And it's harder to see it in the English. But in Greek you have a tense of a verb that is present tense and continuous action and other words be filled and keep on being filled never stop being filled. So we noticed totally it one major difference is that this is present tense not passed in this is not talking about something that has happened. This is talking about something that can happen.
The other major difference is that we are the active ingredient. When baptism is talked about the Holy Spirit baptizes us we're just standing around. We just get baptized by the Holy Spirit seals us we're just he is the originator of the action. We are simply the recipient of the action here be filled with the spirit. We are actually the active ingredient we have to do something. So there's two big differences its present tense and this is not something that is done to us. This is something that we do be filled. Let me show you a bit of third big big third distance. This is a command notice and do not get drunk. That's a command that you could get drunk. I understand you can go buy booze. Do you going to get drunk? I'm coming in and you not Foo. Well in the same imperative voice if you know your grammar, this is in the imperative voice. This is a command in the same way that I commend you not to get drunk. I am commanding you to be filled with the holy spirit. So filling is a Ministry of the Holy Spirit, but it does not past tense. It is present tense. And he is not the only person acting on us we also act and unlike baptism and I'd like to ceiling this is a command be filled with the Holy Spirit.
By the way, when you look at these Free Ministries of the Holy Spirit, you see a beautiful picture of our Redemption. the baptism of the Holy Spirit Is an act our salvation? A Reconciliation to God our rebirth. What do we have to do to re reborn nothing at all? That's why it's all in the past tense. That's why it's not a command don't save yourself. You couldn't anyways, just the bat. The holy spirit is going to baptize you baptism is a symbol is in an element of our salvation.
The ceiling is a announcement. It is a personification. It is an illustration of not our salvation. But our security that one were saved were always say what do you have to do to get the security Nothing fits all of the Holy Spirit? He's the actor. You're the recipient just stand there. He makes you secure. He saves you. He gives you rebirth and then he makes you secure in that rebirth. Put the filling of the holy spirit is not a picture of our Salvation is not a picture of our security. It's a picture of our sanctification and that is not all of God. That is a partnership with God and that's why it's in the present tense. And that's why it's a command. I'm not informing you that you have been baptized. I'm not informing you that you have been sealed. I'm commanding you to currently right now continuously be filled with the Holy Spirit.
What was that look like what does life look like when were filled with the holy spirit with the Bible tells us? When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we're filled with love and joy and peace and patience and kindness and goodness and faithfulness and gentleness and self-control against such things. There is no law of this is the Spirit-filled life a life of Joy a life of peace.
By the way, can you be baptized and sealed and have no love and joy and peace? Yes, you can. Simply neglect The Filling of the Holy Spirit neglect your own salvation refuse to partner with God as he makes you more christ-like and you will forfeit all this. You know, I don't think it is an exaggeration to say that the filling of the holy spirit is absolutely necessary for any Ministry that you might do. You want to minister to your spouse or your children or your workmates? If you want to work here in the church or volunteer in a pair of church organization, if you want your life to count for Eternal things in any way then the filling of the holy spirit is absolutely essential another way of saying that no meaningful Christian Ministry can happen. Let me say that again zero nada, nothing at all. Meaning for Christian Ministry can happen without The Filling of the Holy Spirit
That's what was traded in the Bible. Jesus has ascended to the heaven. He's appeared few times and now he is ascending to heaven for the last time and think of that the savior of the world is departing the Earth his Earthly Ministry is finished until his second coming. And the world is still hurtling towards hell and there's like 11 people on Earth who understand the gospel and they're all in Jerusalem. And what is Jesus say you guys better get witness in missionaries. That's not what he says what he says Xanax for 120 ax 145 on while staying with them. He ordered them not to depart Jerusalem but to wait
Don't you go telling people about the gospel?
It's not that's not for now. Yeah, but we're all clustered in Jerusalem. I guess we should go send out missionaries. No, no. No, I'm ordering you. Do not depart from Jerusalem.
I'm not a robot.
Jesus advise his command to the disciples after he ascended to Heaven is wait. Do not start a Ministry.
Do not present the gospel. Do not go out on missionary Journeys. Why not? Look at the end of the verse you have heard from me. John baptized with water but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now wait, you will accomplish nothing without the Holy Spirit just sit here. I won't be long. Many days from now.
But the holy spirit will visit you. And when he does meaningful Ministry can commence but not until. No, Holy Spirit weight. Don't leave. Close to yourself up in his own little room it just wait. Because I'm telling you nothing meaningful is going to happen without him. Anyway, will what will happen when he does come you'll receive power from the Holy Spirit when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. And you will do Miracles and you will raise people from the dead and you will stop that won't all that happens, but that's not what he says. We receive power not to do Miracles but to be his Witnesses.
The power for Christian Ministry the power to accomplish eternally significant things rest in are being filled not baptized not sealed that's necessary for salvation for Meaningful work. You have to be filled. Not necessarily to do Witnesses. When did the apostles do Witnesses and did not to do Miracles not necessarily to be filled with power to do Miracles Apostles do miracles in the book of Acts? Yes. They did. Why did they do miracles to be his Witnesses? It was just a means to an end.
Friends, if you want a Ministry, I encourage you seek The Filling of the Holy Spirit. You don't deceive his baptism. It's already happened. You don't have to see cuz ceiling it's already happened and you can't make it happen. Anyways, it's an act of the Holy Spirit. We are acted upon we put we do not participate in any way other than receiving it. Selena's different feeling is different. The Bible commands us to be filled and we are filled with love and power and joy and peace. And our home industry changes not only do we receive power ox18 but we receive help. You know in John 16. as Jesus was winding up his Earthly Ministry in moving towards the cross he said to his Disciples I tell you the truth it is to your advantage that I go away for if I do not go away the helper. Will not come to you the helper is the holy spirit when we are filled with the Holy Spirit. We're not only filled with power. We are filled with help. end guidance in that same Passage Jesus describes the ministry of the Holy Spirit as guiding when the spirit of truth comes he will guide you into all the truth when we are filled with the Holy Spirit. We are not only saved but we are powerful. And we are helped and we are guided. And we have the ability to witness. You know, I'm telling you about the disciples. Acts 1 4 and 5 wait, wait, wait, wait Peter come back in and sit down while I need to get to the Lord not now. You don't wait acts 1 4 and 5 waiting for what the Holy Spirit what will happen with the Holy Spirit power to be my Witnesses Acts 1:8 what what happened? What happened in that story? The Holy Spirit came and when they had prayed the place when they were gathered together was shaken and they were all what sorry what what what what what what happened. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and what happened next. They continue to speak the word of God with boldness the ministry starts the ministry starts after after the filling. the Holy Spirit
Donnelly inability to witness button ability to pray You know, we are told in Scripture that the that the spirit prays for us. That is true. But that's not what I'm talking about here. These scriptures are talking about this the spirit praying for us. It is talking about us praying in the spirit pray at all times when we get that pray in the spirit with all prayer and supplication. Did you know that there such a thing as is praying in the spirit for Spirit-filled Christians, June 28th, but you beloved building yourselves up in your Most Holy Faith and praying in the Holy Spirit. Friends filling is the gateway to the Victorious Christian Life and the eternally significant Earthly Ministry.
The application here is welcome to Joy and Power. The Holy Spirit baptizes you welcome to the family. That is The Mark of Athena have some families have pronounced features or something about the eyes of the facial structure or the hair color or some there's some physical features some McGillicuddy right there because they have all the markings. Well, that's the baptism of the Holy Spirit. That's our family Mark. Welcome to the family. You'll never be out of the family and it's a wonderful family to be part of or sealed. You're safe. You don't have to worry about being D adopted. You don't have to be worrying about it being kicked to the curb. Your salvation is completely secure. Really? What did I do to that? Was it all that money? I gave to the church. You didn't do anything. Your secure because the Holy Spirit has decided I fart on his own volition to seal you the only thing you did as receive the ceiling. but the Holy Spirit offers to fill you and that will be your choice and I come in and you to be filled with the Holy Spirit and enter into joy and Power.
By the way last week just as I'm finishing up last week. I missed stated something last week in the sermon. I said there are two new testament commands. Regarding the Holy Spirit. There are actually three is just a two or very similar. There's much taught in the New Testament, but the Holy Spirit he baptizes. He's a he moves and you can't see him. These are just facts about the Holy Spirit his ministries, but there's only three commands given to us regarding the Holy Spirit one. We've already taken look at be filled be filled. Command number one is be filled.
And that's what this morning's sermon has been about. This is a positive command, but I said last week there's two commands regarding the Holy Spirit. There's actually three there's two negative ones one is do not grieve. What is grieving?
Grieving is when we say yes to his no. Should I do this Holy Spirit and no. I don't care. I'm going to do it anyways, cuz I'll be so much happier when it's in my best interest and you don't know nothing. I'm after all you're only God. What would you know, that's a grief. That's a grief. When we give our yes to something. He said no to we grieve the Holy Spirit, but the third command is like it and it is due. not quench
This is a negative command. This is a negative command. Do not quench. What is quenching what grieving is saying? Yes when he says no quenching is saying no when he says yes, I want you to go do this thing. I want you to serve God people in this right now. I don't really up to her all the time. I don't really want to do that. That's quenching. He's trying to start a fire and you're pouring cold water on it. Let me just finish the sermon on a sober note. The clock is not ticking for your baptism dirty happened and can ever be undone. The clock is not ticking on your ceiling. It's already happened and it can't be undone. The clock is ticking on your decision to be filled or not filled. I drew this little chart. It's not very clear. So I'll have to explain it. The average life expectancy in Canada is 81.2. She averaged everyone together people died when they're 81.2 years old. If you die according to plan. Of course, you may. Much earlier you may die much later. But if you die according to plan and if your 10 years old, you have already consumed a significant part of your life. It's not how smaller than 20 but this is not a feather. This is not a fracture crack in your barchard. If you're all if your 10 years old there already already many days behind you today is the day to start seeking the Lord so that you can be energized for Meaningful Ministry if you're 20 years old. You've consumed even more or 30 or 40 or 50 or 60? I'm right here. I'm 59 years old. There are far more days behind me than there are ahead. All I'm trying to if you're 70. You're here. There's some people laughing in our congregation cuz they're already 81 and older your on bonus time. Make sure you can explain how you used it. I congratulate you. Can you run bonus time? You beat the averages you had better have an explanation of what you did with that time?
The clock is ticking. The holy spirit is waiting will we or will we not live obedient lives allow him to fill us and give us the joy and peace and power and prayer that he desires to give us so that we can make a mark in this world that will live on eternally political parties come and go nations rise and fall businesses are launched and collapse. The Salvation is eternal. And he is offering us an opportunity to partner with him in this eternal work. It hinges on our decision will we or will we not be filled with the Holy Spirit as your pastor and is your friend if you are feeling his conviction right now, I give you two pieces of advice one repent and I don't mean to moral repent. Nothing can happen. until you repent of what that's between you and the Lord repent.
and after you repent obey
You won't be able to be everything is we don't understand the will of God perfectly but follow the light that you have. Obey what you know, you should obey and invite the Holy Spirit to fill your heart for Ministry. rice name
Will friends I appreciate you being here every week. I am encouraged Franklin. Let me just tell you I'm so encouraged that when we had the shutdown in Building Services are YouTube viewership went up by the number of families that came in building. I love the way that you are maintaining a connection to the church, even when it's difficult. We're trying to help did you see in between Sunday's this this week this week? We're having prayer meetings in the church. Some won't be comfortable with that. We respect that don't come but for those of you that do feel comfortable and want to pray with your brothers and sisters this Thursday and for the next three Thursdays, we are having our long prayer meeting 11 to 12:12 to 1122 all the way to 7 to 8 p.m. You can sign up for a limited attendance to 10 becoming free with your brothers and sisters. And the other thing that we're asking you to do to help maintain this connection is to participate in our acts of Love calendar for February. What is an act of Love calendar for February track your email watch in between Sundays and listen to Alicia and participate. It involves you getting in your car and delivering something to another family. I don't feel comfortable with that piece piece. We respect that we're not asking you to do anything that you're uncomfortable with. But if you are comfortable, this is a wonderful way to demonstrate love and support to a brother or sister in the church who is struggling like you are to feel connected. Heavenly Father we thank you for sending the Sun. Father and son we thank you for sending the Holy Spirit. We rejoice in his baptizing Ministry and making as part of the family of God. We rejoice in his Healing Ministry. And rejoice in the fact that we are always saved and that can never be undone because it's not at all of us. It's all of you.
And Lord, we thank you for the filling Ministry the Holy Spirit and Holy Spirit. We invite you to fill us as individuals and therefore as at church and to use that feeling to accomplish meaningful things that bring glory to the name and goodness to your people and we ask it in the Holy Name. Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Amen