I Corinthians 2: (AMP)⁴ And my language and my message were not set forth in persuasive (enticing and plausible) words of wisdom, but they were in demonstration of the [Holy] Spirit and power [^[d]a proof by the Spirit and power of God, operating on me and stirring in the minds of my hearers the most holy emotions and thus persuading them],

⁵ So that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men (human philosophy), but in the power of God.

⁶ Yet when we are among the full-grown (spiritually mature Christians who are ripe in understanding), we do impart a [higher] wisdom (the knowledge of the divine plan previously hidden); but it is indeed not a wisdom of this present age or of this world nor of the leaders and rulers of this age, who are being brought to nothingand are doomed to pass away.

⁷ But rather what we are setting forth is a wisdom of God once hidden [from the human understanding] and now revealed to us by God—[that wisdom] which God devised and decreed before the ages for our glorification [to lift us into the glory of His presence].

⁸ None of the rulers of this age or world perceived and recognized and understood this, for if they had, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory.

⁹ But, on the contrary, as the Scripture says, What eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man, [all that] God has prepared (made and keeps ready) for those who love Him [^[e]who hold Him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed].

¹⁰ Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit, for the [Holy] Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God [the^[f]divine counsels and things hidden and beyond man’s scrutiny].

¹¹ For what person perceives (knows and understands) what passes through a man’s thoughts except the man’s own spirit within him? Just so no one discerns (comes to know and comprehend) the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

¹² Now we have not received the spirit [that belongs to] the world, but the [Holy] Spirit Who is from God, [given to us] that we might realize and comprehend and appreciate the gifts [of divine favor and blessing so freely and lavishly] bestowed on us by God.

Even our faith and understanding of God’s words are given to us as a gift.  Without the help of the Holy Spirit we would never understand the magnitude of His Gifts toward us.  He has sent the comforter to protect, to teach and to ever pray for us.  Without the working of the Holy Spirit we could never understand the depths of His love, His perfect plan for our life.  The spirit assures us of our salvation.  Enlightens our eyes that we might see His truth.  He is ever present with those who have accepted Christ as their Savior to guide us.  What a marvelous gift; yet so often we choose to rush along and ignore the promptings of the Spirit.  Take a moment today, sit still and listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit within you. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqU_32v0R_I&feature=related

Romans 8: 28 ²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

²⁹ For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

³⁰ Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

³¹ What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

³² He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

TO GOD-MY LOVE, MY HOPE, MY JOY

by Effie Darlene Barba

My life-so filled with hopes and dreams

Lay shattered at Your feet

So many tears, so many pains

I laid before Thy seat

Can I look upon Your face of love

And question what You’ve done?

For You have been my only hope

My only morning sun

You’ve seen my heart when crushed with pain

Your hands have held it tight

When I have been so weak, so frail

You’ve shown Your strength, Your might

You’ve held me close within Your arms

When darkness filled my night

And when I could not see my way

Your eyes, they gave me sight

I lay my life within Your hands

That You may heal my soul

And keep my eyes upon You Lord

That I may reach Your goal

Shine forth Thy grace, Thy mercy Lord

And let me be Thy light

That all may see Your eyes of love

The blind, they might have sight

Let not the sorrows, nor the pains

Bring bitterness within

And give me strength to walk this path

Protect my heart from sin

I lay my heart, my soul, my dreams

Before Thy throne of love

I lift my eyes to You, My God

And seek Your will above

Thou art the only one I need

To fill my heart with glee

It is Your face, my one true love

Tis all I need to see

So lift me up and hold me close

Reveal Thy love divine

That through the holes within my heart

A world might see You shine

And if the sorrows of my past

Can touch a wayward one

I thank you Lord for each dark path

That lead them to Your son

I praise You now from mountains high

For each dark path I’ve trod

Twas there I found Your heart, Your love

Twas there I found You God

What great and wondrous joy I know

Because You are my king

And though the path I cannot see

My heart will trust and sing

A song of praise unto You Lord

Who knows what’s best for me

You’ll hold my hand and lead me on

In darkness, I can see

Your love, Your help, Your guiding hand

Is all I’ll ever need

So hold me close unto Your path

For this is all I plead

I’ll skip with joy along this path

Though darkness may surround

Because I know You hold my hand

My feet will e’er touch ground

I cannot fall outside Your love

I cannot lose my way

I’ll hold my broken dreams once more

And see them real, one day

A song of praise unto You Lord

Who knows what’s best for me

You’ll hold my hand and lead me on

In darkness, I can see

Your love, Your help, Your guiding hand

Is all I’ll ever need

So hold me close unto Your path

For this is all I plead

  I highly recommend that you listen closely to the following song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcEvUjkskoI&feature=g-vrec

I John 1: 1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

² (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

³ That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

⁴ And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

⁵ This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

⁶ If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

⁷ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

John writes with a plea to all who would listen.  He begins with the acknowledgement that He has seen, looked upon and touched the very Word of God as he walked with Christ.  He reminds us that Christ was there during creation and continues there through eternity to come. He had seen Him, touched Him, and had the urgency to share it so that your joy may be full.  He pleads with mankind regarding their relationship to the family of God.  He does not refer to a joy founded on earthly possessions for he had none.  He had been tortured and exiled.  By the time he wrote this letter, he was an old man living in Ephesus.  The other apostles had already been killed for their faith; still, he writes "and these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full".  This is a joy that triumphs over our worldly trials and tribulations.  It is a joy that would give strength to stand even if it cost us everything.  God is light and by thus reaches into the darkness which fills our heart so that we might see our sin nature and to see our own individual sins.  When that light shines into our hearts we realize our utter unworthiness and cling to the only hope of salvation, the only means by which we can become the children of God and share in His great treasures of Joy, Hope, Peace, and His Love.  How can we ever choose to remain in darkness, having seen His light?  Why would we desire to hold onto our own dark sins and grieve the Holy Spirit once the light has shown them so clearly to us?  Wouldn’t we (having tasted His Joy) fight against our very sin nature so as to hold tight to that relationship with our Father and not feel the sorrow of dishonoring His name by our actions and deeds? Yet, even then, when the light shows us of our sin, we have only to confess with repentant heart and "he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFVpgIFIGJU

Here I am to Worship

by Tim Hughes

Light of the world, You stepped down into darkness

Opened my eyes, let me see

Beauty that made this heart adore You

Hope of a life spent with You

Here I am to worship

Here I am to bow down

Here I am to say that You’re my God

You’re altogether lovely

Altogether worthy

Altogether wonderful to me

King of all days, oh so highly exalted

Glorious in heaven above

Humbly You came to the earth You created

All for love’s sake became poor

And I’ll never know how much it cost

To see my sin upon that cross

Exodus 3: ¹³ And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?

¹⁴ And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.

Isaiah 40:  ²⁸ Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

²⁹ He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

³⁰ Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

³¹ But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Isaiah 48: ⁹ For my name’s sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off.

¹⁰ Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

¹¹ For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.

¹² Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.

¹³ Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.

I fear that one of the greatest problems with religion is our lack of awe by who God is.  The great I am (Yahweh),  who spoke the galaxies into being; deserves our greatest awe.  We do not see the greatness of His Majesty and Glory.  In such we do not see how insignificant we really are.  Yet, God chose to pay the supreme price of His son dying on the cross so as to provide a way that my insignificant, degenerate heart might be able to fellowship with Him.  He did all of what He has done so that He might share His love, His joy, and His righteousness with me.

He has been working to transform me into a precious jewel of beauty (though at times a difficult task)  and continues to refine me.  The price had to be paid for Him to remain perfect righteousness and perfect justice; yet, He chose to pay that price Himself.  As Christians do we really stand in awe of Him as we should?  Do we really seek Him and desire to display Him as the most precious treasure that we might have?  Do we display Him to the world around us as the greatest treasure? or do we blaspheme Him by ignoring Him, putting Him as secondary to all these counterfeit treasures that we uphold as important on this earth? I pray that I might see enough of His Glory on this earth, that I might worship Him as my Greatest Treasure; so that I not be among the religious who give reason for others to not believe.  Instead, I want to live my life in wonder of His Majesty such that others might also want to seek Him.  He is my Joy, My Being, My Savior, and My friend. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-HIKxnSZSA&feature=related

^{2 Corinthians 13: 14} The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

Below are the words of a song written by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty and sung by Kristyn Getty.  Let these words be your prayer today.  Read them and then close your eyes while you hear the music.

Holy Spirit, living breath of God,

Breathe new life into my willing soul.

Bring the presence of the risen Lord

To renew my heart and make me whole.

Cause Your Word to come alive in me;

Give me faith for what I cannot see.

Give me passion for Your purity;

Holy Spirit, breathe new life in me.

Holy Spirit, come abide within,

May Your joy be seen in all I do;

Love enough to cover every sin

In each thought and deed and attitude.

Kindness to the greatest and the least;

Gentleness that sows the path of peace.

Turn my striving into works of grace;

Breath of God, show Christ in all I do.

Holy Spirit, from creation’s birth,

Giving life to all that God has made.

Show your power once again on earth,

Cause Your church to hunger for Your ways.

Let the fragrance of our prayers arise;

Lead us on the road of sacrifice.

That in unity the face of Christ

May be clear for all the world to see.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8FKZIz97AU&list=UU2kwFwxgMvSdlbu8Scg6m-w&index=1&feature=plcp