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Connections are so important! In every area of life, there is something connecting about connections. As I've meditated on this past week's Bible classes, Sunday's communion, the sermon, and the thoughts/ convictions that God has put on my heart, I see His love more clearly. His love is so great that He desires for us to make connections. When I get into my "mama role" (which is often), Steve will say something like, "There you go again... making your Mama Connections!" Why do I desire for my physical or spiritual children to make connections? It is out of my deep love for them! It's the same with God and His love for us!
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Making a connection to the past or prior knowledge makes something seem relevant, practical, or real life. Making a connection ("when it comes out of 'nowhere'") often shows me that it is not "just coincidence", but from God and not from man. That's what happened again yesterday. God connected Steve's sermon to our ladies class, my Wednesday night 3rd and 4th grade class, and Ray's communion talk.
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1. LADIES CLASS: I have shared with you that in our Sunday morning ladies class we are sharing "our stories" (based on our relationship with Jesus) out of the book of Colossians. The thread of our theme has run something like this so far:
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Colossians 1
- Jesus is the ONE who forgives my sins.
- Jesus is the ONE who shows me God.
- Jesus is the ONE who created me.
- Jesus is the ONE who has first place in my life.
- Jesus is the ONE who makes me complete.
Colossians 2
- Jesus is the ONE who is my LORD.
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2. WEDNESDAY EVENING 3rd-4th grade BIBLE CLASS: Our Bible school curriculum helps us keep focused to Jesus as we go from Genesis to Revelation in a year. Each week we have a "name of Jesus" to hook to. For April and May, on Wednesday nights, the students are doing activities with the names of Jesus to hook to our Sunday a.m. Bible stories. We are making a Jesus display entitled King of kings and LORD of lords. Each of the children is choosing one of their favorite names of Jesus to put on the display. Some of the choices from the boys are: ALMIGHTY, MIGHTY ONE OF GOD, and THE BEGINNING AND THE END. Some of the girls' choices are: LAMB, HIGH PRIEST, COUNSELOR, GOOD SHEPHERD. What a treasure to connect to God in this way!
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3. SUNDAY MORNING COMMUNION service was powerful yesterday! It took me right to the throne room as our brother, Ray, shared some things that he would later say God had placed on his heart at 4:30 a.m. that morning (changing everything He had planned to say).
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Ray led us in considering the ONE with the pierced hands, pierced side, and pierced feet. A few of his thoughts included:
- THE PIERCED HANDS OF THE ONE who is always opens His arms out as far as the east is to the west...ready and willing to draw me closer...
- THE PIERCED SIDE OF THE ONE who provides a fountain of life for me as He covers me with His blood...
- THE PIERCED FEET OF THE ONE who is willing to walk with me... who is willing to stand with me when I can no longer stand...]
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4. SERMON CONNECTIONS: So, not really considering or knowing about the details of our ladies class or the names of Jesus project or Ray's conviction and changes made about his communion talk, Steve's second sermon, in a series on Revelation, entitled THERE IS A GOD: PART TWO, made a powerful impact on the connections that God makes to teach, help, and show His love for His children. I will leave you with Steve's lesson handout. Use this to meditate on God's great love for us... make the connection!!! I LOVE THE LORD!
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Revelation One... Jesus is...
- The Faithful Witness
- The Firstborn of the Dead
- The Ruler of the kings of the earth
- The One who loves us
- The One who released us from our sins by His blood
- The Alpha and the Omega - who is and who was and who....
- The Almighty
- The first and the last
- The Living One (Alive for Evermore!!)
- The One who hold the keys of death and of Hades.
Revelation Two...Jesus is...
- The ONE who holds the seven stars in His right hand
- The ONE who walks among the seven golden lampstands
- The ONE who will remove your lampstand unless you repent
- The ONE who grants to eat of the tree of life
- The ONE who was dead and has come to life
- The ONE who gives the crown of life
- The ONE who has the sharp two-edged sword and makes war
- The ONE who has the eyes like a flame of fire and feet like_____
- The ONE who searches the minds and hearts
- The ONE who gives to each according to their deeds
- The ONE who gives authority over the nations
- The ONE who gives the morning star
Revelation Three... Jesus is...
- The ONE who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars
- The ONE who will come like a thief
- The ONE who can erase one's name from the book of life
- The ONE who will confess your name before the Father
- The ONE who is holy and true
- The ONE who opens and no one shuts; shuts and no one opens
- The ONE who knows
- The ONE able to keep you from the hour of testing
- The ONE who comes quickly
- The Amen, the faithful and true Witness
- The Beginning
- The ONE who stands at the door and knocks
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I LOVE THE ONE WHO KEEPS US CONNECTED!!!!
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