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Sunday, January 28, 2018

Finding the Will of God


The Blessing of Understanding God's Will

Book of Ephesians 5:3-21


Maybe the one most important thing we need to know about God is that He does as He pleases, and it pleases God to gather a people who love Him to be with Him forever.

This not a fantasy it is a fact!

Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him "who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will":

Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

"God made this plan to save those who would come to Him before He laid the foundation of this earth we live upon".

God's plan from start to finish will be according to His will and not ours.

God does not make changes to His plan according to what is happening on this world because God controls what happens upon this world good or bad.

BUT, God does not cause bad things to come upon anyone, but He could stop those things if He so chose to do so!

Dan 4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

When God created humanity, He established that each of us would be responsible for our own actions!

There is the directive will of God!
There is the permissive will of God!

We must also understand that the creation of this world we live in, was designed to reveal the Glory and the Power of God!

Psa 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

Even though God has decreed all things, we are still responsible for our own actions!

The Lord Jesus Christ came to this world as a babe, but it was predetermined by a Holy God that He came to die!

Act 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:

Why are people lost? People are lost not because God did not intend for them to be saved but because they have refused to believe the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ!

We should stand in awe of our great God!
We can entrust our lives to our Almighty God!
We should rejoice in the wonder of our salvation!
We should be at peace in this world, as the plan of God unfolds before our eyes!

Problems exist because of our pride and we feel the need to run our own lives and ignore God!

To follow in the ways of God we must be morally pure and bodily clean.

Let's continue with Chapter 5 verse 3

*****Eph 5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 
Eph 5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

God says let not these things be named among you.

We are not to even talk about committing these things.

Notice this is a command.

We all know what fornication is? it is any sexual contact by unmarried persons.
It also means "forsaking God"!

Jer 3:8 And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. 
Jer 3:9 And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.

I believe God hates this sin more than any other.

The human body is the greatest of all the creations of God!

Psa_139:16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

The human body was made in the image of God.

Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

God is Spirit, so this has nothing to do with our looks but only our being.

Covetousness is a very strong desire for worldly things.

1Ti 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 
1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

As Christians we must hate sin but never hate the sinner.
As Christians we would certainly be very ashamed of many of the thoughts that go through our head and we must certainly never act on them.

We must realize that when we are alone, the All-Knowing God and even the angels witness everything we do. This alone should keep us straight.

God does not keep such a close eye on us to deny us His benefits, He watches over us as our Father, waiting to bless us if we do not fail, or fall into Satan's traps.

How important is our body to Jehovah God?

God the Father created our body in honor.
God the Son, whose members we are in the body of Christ.
God the Holy Ghost, of whom our body is the Temple.
God does not tolerate filth and we should not either!

We should never be around foolish talkers or filthy jokes, or filthy speech of any kind.

We must have a clean mouth that houses a clean tongue with a clean conscience.

Rom 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

All these things are part of our repentance.

Pro 10:19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. 
Pro 10:20 The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.

As believers if we have no words to say, then speak the Word of God which is always pure, when it is rightly divided.

Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

God promises us that there will be none of these things in Heaven.

My question is how are these Words of God rejected by those of the so-called church that allow such filth?

*****Eph 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

God forgives all our sin if we claim the Lord Jesus Christ, God will forgive all our sin until He takes us home, but this does not include those who remain in their sinful ways and make a feeble attempt to claim Jesus without faith!

Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

God simply will not accept filthiness nor uncleanness, God will have no part of it!

These that do these things, may have many worldly things, but they will not have one scrap of anything in Heaven.

We should believe that which we trust the most is our god.
That which we love we worship and have made it our god.
If we fear the things of this world more than the Lord, then your god is of this world.
That thing we place the our most hope in is our god.
So, what or who is your god? I choose Jesus Christ, the only God!

The right to the privileges of God's Kingdom come only by inheritance.

Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 
Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 
Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 
Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

We must never allow anyone to deceive us about the things of God!

*****Eph 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

Notice it is all these that refuse to accept the truth of God, that will see His wrath!

Many of the old faithful denominations are being deceived by those who lead them now, they need to go back to their roots!

When we can live securely and undisturbed in our sin, then we do not have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ!

AND, if we reject the wrath of God, then we must reject the goodness of God!

Rom 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 
Rom 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 
Rom 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

We live in a world that does not believe that God will call them to account for the way they lived.

There are just as many that believe God will be merciful to them, even though they lived a life of sin.

The wrath of God is a decisive anger, a determined anger, a deliberate anger, that rises from God's nature of holiness!

We must do more than to just know God's name, we must repent!

Do not be deceived by those who say different, because the Word of God is specific, and moderation is not even mentioned in the Scriptures!

2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Many forget that righteousness means doing right by the Word 0f God.

1Jn 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 
1Jn 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Those that say they are justified so they can continue in sin, are just fools.

Justification is a gift given through the "grace" of God, to those who have been washed in the blood of Jesus and then meet the standard of Jesus Christ!

God's "grace" must involve the Word of God as our standard of living. To be justified, is to leave the world behind and live in our new nature, which is a hatred for sin.

*****Eph 5:7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

We cannot be a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ until we have separated ourselves from the world!

2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 
2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

A Christian will walk in the light of the Lord!

*****Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Notice that before we came to know our Savior, we not only lived in darkness, we were darkness.

Darkness is a symbol of misery!

Psa 107:10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; 
Psa 107:11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:

Darkness is a state of wretchedness resulting from ignorance to God.

Remember what Jesus said while He hung on that cross?

"Father forgive them for they not what they do".

They do not know where they came from. To those who reject the Lord Jesus, everything is just a result of the human nature.

Note: In a family of non-believers, as they begin to die off, they feel that they all alone in this world, because they have never known God.

This is a sad situation, but a reality. They do not know where they came from and they do not know where they are going!

They do not know if there is really a God or not.

Joh 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

This is being in darkness!

The answer of course is the Light of the Lord.

Mat_4:16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

The "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ is the light of the truth of God and it is a glorious truth!

Joh 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

We should know that if we truly have "faith" in the "Light of this world", we will no longer walk in darkness because we will be filled with the Holy Spirit!

*****Eph 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 
Eph 5:10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

As sinners we had no goodness.

We did not know how to do things the right way.
We did not know the truth!
We lived in the world with a false security!

As sinners, we have lived to fulfill our own desires at the expense of others?

As Christians, we live to fulfill the desires of God through the Lord Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit!
As Christians, we know we have no righteousness ourselves, our righteousness comes by the Lord Jesus Christ.

The test we must pass to be saved is, are we acceptable to the Lord? We must prove that we are!

It is the truth of God that sets us free from the bondage of judgment and Hell!

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

God provides us His truth, to prove we are acceptable to God we must believe Him!

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

It is only the Light, Jesus Christ Himself who teaches us what is acceptable to Jehovah!

Truly God does not ask very much of us.

Mic 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

What does this mean?

*****Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 
Eph 5:12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

These things are not confusing, we are to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness whatsoever!

Remember darkness leaves us stumbling about and groping about in the world, being lost and not knowing where we are going and what to do when death overcomes us.

We are to have no fellowship with the lost but if we truly trust in the Lord we will be so bright that darkness will not even approach us, so we must go to those who live in darkness with the Light of Jesus, not in fellowship but carrying the truth of God to them as God's messengers.

We must understand that sin is never to be taken lightly, it is a shame even to speak of those things of darkness nor share a conversation with the dark works of this world.

Col 4:6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

What are some of those things done in secret?

Job 24:14 The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief. 
Job 24:15 The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face. 
Job 24:16 In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light.

In some cases, these that do these things get away with them, but the Lord knows everything and there are no secret sins that the Light of the Lord cannot expose.

*****Eph 5:13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 
Eph 5:14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

There is no sin that will go unnoticed by the Light of the Lord!

All sin is exposed to the Lord and He will drag all sin into His Light to show its true colors!

In simpler terms, nothing can be hidden from the Lord.

When the "Gospel", The Light of Jesus Christ, touches the life of those in darkness, that life is changed.

Whether they welcome the Lord or not, their sin has been exposed by the Light of the Lord.

Joh_15:22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.

As Christians, we now share the Light of the Lord, by sharing the "Gospel" and we are to use our own light upon the evil darkness of this world.

What did the Lord say?

Mat_5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

In fact, we are known by "the brightness" of our own light!

In the past few weeks, in the news, we have seen many well-known men face the fact that they led an immoral life with inappropriate sexual conduct.

What does God say?

Num_32:23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and "be sure your sin will find you out".

There is no sin God will not eventually expose!

There is no sin that the Lord will not shine His Light upon!

Most of this world is sleeping when it comes to knowing the Lord, they are "therefore dead", because the wages of sin is death.

The Light of Jesus will shine upon them through some Saint of the Lord and they can be awakened and be "born again".

We know that this passage was written to the church, so we know that there are in the church those who have a dim light.

1Co 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: "I speak this to your shame".

The Church that is not busy making true disciples of the Lord, is failing in its mission and failing the Lord!

All those who do not know the Lord as their personal Savior are already dead in the eyes of God. I was once dead myself but now I am alive to the "Gospel"!

Joh_3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

The Lord Jesus Christ provides the simplest solution!

"Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light".

Being "Born Again" awakes us from being Spiritually dead!

When you refuse to see yourself as a sinner, you are in a state of slumber.

An immoral lifestyle is a dead lifestyle!

In fact, most of this world are asleep when it comes to walking in the ways of the Lord!

The world just does not care how much more sinful this world has become but provides for it in abundance.

There is so many riches that can be gained by sinful lifestyles this world will never change!

In fact, look at cancer for an example. There is so much money made off the treatments for cancer, a permanent solution will never be allowed.

But God will judge the Church first and there are just too many professing to know the Lord, who are just passing through this life as unbelievers. They simply lack "faith" that God will do as He says He will do or they simply have that go to Hell attitude, "I'm saved to Hell with you".

Those that fellowship or participate in the works of darkness, are still living in the darkness of spiritual sleep and spiritual death, but they refuse to admit it.

They have rejected the promises of God by rejecting the Word of God!
They refuse to believe we are in the last days of the "Church Age".

Rom 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 
Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

The ONLY SOURCE to awake from Spiritual darkness and death, is the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone!

Joh 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. 

*****Eph 5:15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 
Eph 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

An example of walking "circumspectly" is as someone standing at the edge of a cliff or working on the roof of a house, where one misstep could cause a fall which could be fatal.

Life is a walk that we take one step at a time and we must be careful with each and every step because it could lead to our death!
There is the fool who take careless steps, so full of pride, refusing to believe he can fail or fall, this person is worldly minded.
The unwise person will walk in places that he has no business being there not even considering his danger!

God expects just the opposite. God expects us to take each step with care and with a sure-foot, we must walk carefully in this life.

Making mistakes is just a part of every life. The fool makes a mistake and it does not matter to him or even if it endangered others.

The wise child of God will learn from every mistake and grow from them!

The fool is not concerned about being alert to temptation and does not see these things as the pitfalls that they are.

The true child of God is on God's mission and understands they live in a dangerous world and mistakes matter to him!

Rom 14:16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

1Th 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

Isa 33:15 He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; 
Isa 33:16 He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.

Time brings opportunities! We must make the most of every opportunity that we encounter in a godly way.
Time is a precious gift of God and in this life, we actually have very little time to do the work of the Lord. If you wait as I did until you begin in your latter years, there is even less time to do so!

Just like any other thing this is a choice we must make!

God presents to us choices and opportunities, but God will train us, so we will know what to do when these things come before us!

We are to redeem every moment of time in our life because we live in an evil hazardous world!

There is so much evil in this world we live, that confronts us every day of our walk with the Lord, that we must be very alert to keep us from failing or falling.

What should we do? We must certainly take a moment and think about all the places where we waste so much time and CORRECT IT!

Not many realize that to tithe is to give a tenth of our first fruits, but this also includes a tenth of our time to the Lord in preparing us for this world.

After this we are to walk daily just as this passage describes. We cannot be part time Christians! To be a Christian is to give all our life to the Lord Jesus Christ for His personal use.

Isaiah said, "Here I am Lord, use me".

Psa 90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

*****Eph 5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

Where do we fail the most? Not understanding what the will of the Lord is for our lives!

It is only the wise who understand what the Lord has for them!

If we never understand the will of God for our lives, we will never conquer the evil we confront as we walk.

God's will, begins with Jesus Christ:

Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

We must next be sensitive to the Holy Spirit:

Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Notice the Holy Spirit will always lead us to the things that Jesus said and in His ways.

All the New Testament will lead us to the things Jesus said!
All the Old Testament will lead us to the coming of Jesus and to the promises He has said!

In short, it is the will of God to do what Jesus said to do!

There is no other rule to walk by except to walk in the will of the Lord Jesus Christ!

When we walk according to the will of the Lord Jesus Christ, then we will resemble God and come to know His perfections that are required in the world that is to come!

And next we see another Scripture where God tells the Christian to avoid alcoholic beverages.

*****Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Even the wisest of men becomes a fool when they are drunk!

Yes, drunkenness is intoxication with drink or with drugs or with any mind-altering substances!

This Scripture is not speaking of moderation because it would not have mentioned being filled with the Holy Spirit, which is just what it says being filled and not in moderation!

Drunkenness is a work of the flesh and it will certainly lead to other sins of the flesh!

First: it is a wasting away of the body and mind.
Second: it leads to uncontrolled behavior.
Third: it leads to rioting, uncontrolled outrageous behavior.

What else does the Bible say about drunkenness?

How about keeping you out of Heaven:

1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1Co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 
Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 
Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Drunkenness leads to bad behavior:

Luk 15:13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

God says to not even look upon alcoholic beverages:

Pro 23:19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. 
Pro 23:20 Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: 
Pro 23:21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. 
Pro 23:29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? 
Pro 23:30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. 
Pro 23:31 "Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright". 
Pro 23:32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.

If God says not to look at it then surely, we should not drink such things!

According to our passage, it is impossible to redeem the time, if are drunk.

But our Scripture also says it is impossible to redeem the time if we are not filled with the Holy Spirit!

When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, there are some things that are certain!

*****Eph 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 
Eph 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Eph 5:21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

With all the things that the Holy Spirit does to lead us to Christ we can truthfully say that the Holy Spirit is a very special manifestation of Jesus Christ who lives within each and every saint of God!

There are those that always ask, just what kind of music does God expect in the church?

Well it seems to be psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.

A spiritual song to me is a song where the song-writer was led by the Holy Spirit.

It is sure these should be songs that make melody in our heart toward Jehovah God!

A melody is as song of the land and for we Christians our land is Heaven!
In the heart of the saint of God, the Lord Jesus Christ has revealed, His person, His nature, and His goodness and it is these things that we are to reveal to this lost world!

1Co 14:15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

Many of us cannot carry a tune but even these can be heard in the shower singing with joy. Singing is no less natural to each of us than speaking. I can just imagine that there will be much singing in Heaven!
The Lord Jesus Christ will place a song in the heart of the believer!
The Spirit filled child of God is certainly thankful for the things God has done in their lives.
The Spirit filled child of God will certainly know that our lives are held safely in the loving hands of God.
The Spirit filled child of God is that person who has submitted to the will of God and led by His Spirit!
The Spirit filled child of God will submit and form the true church, the church that is the "Body of Christ"!
These are the same ones who go out of their way to submit to one another in the unity of the Holy Spirit!

Amen

Let's Pray!

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