Blessings to you, the readers of this page, in Jesus Christ our Lord. May He guide you and protect you always.

Worship Service At Internet Church Of Christ
For Week Of Sunday, February 11, 2007 - featuring "The Six Certainties Of The Christian Faith."

To see see previous worship services, please click => http://www.loveallpeople.org/recentworshipservices.html

CONTENTS: 

Welcome
Opening Hymn - "Fairest Lord Jesus" - words and MIDI music
Invocation
The Lord's Prayer - with MP3 reading
Declaration Of Faith: The Apostles' Creed

Scriptures and Teachings - 
"The Six Certainties Of The Christian Faith"

Poem - "Sympathy," by Paul Laurence Dunbar - "I know why the caged bird 
    sings."
Exhortation - "Do Not Try To Think Too Much"
Prayer For You - "Go Ahead And Give Yourself To Christ"
Holy Communion
How To Find A Real, Live Church
Closing Hymn - "Deep River" - words and MIDI music
Benediction
   

If you have the Holy Spirit of Jesus abiding within you, then you are able to endure all trials, blessed with the peace which surpasses all understanding. If not, you remain deprived of the many blessings the Lord has waiting for you. If you have not yet accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour, you have the opportunity to do that right now by clicking => HERE! - http://www.internetchurchofchrist.org/jesusdirect.html

Welcome

Welcome to the online worship service at Internet Church Of Christ. Here is a good place to worship our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. You are invited and are welcome at any time. Blessings to you in Him.

Opening Hymn

Fairest Lord Jesus

Words: Anonymous, from Munster Gesangbuch; translated by Joseph A. Seiss (with altered first verse ?). Music is a Silesian folk melody, published as Schlesische Volkslieder, arranged by Richard S. Willis. Believed to have been sung by Crusaders, known as "Crusaders' Hymn." Historical details at http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/f/a/faljesus.htm. MIDI file sequenced from a published Public Domain arrangement by Bill McGinnis. Everything here is Public Domain

FAIREST LORD JESUS - Anonymous, from Munster Gesangbuch, translated by 
Joseph A. Seiss - Public Domain


                      Fairest Lord Jesus,
                      Ruler of all nature,
                      O Thou of God and man the Son:
                      Thee will I cherish,
                      Thee will I honor,
                      Thou my soul's glory, joy, and crown.

                      Fair are the meadows,
                      Fairer still the woodlands,
                      Robed in the blooming garb of spring.
                      Jesus is fairer,
                      Jesus is purer,
                      Who makes the woeful heart to sing.

                      Fair is the sunshine,
                      Fairer still the moonlight,
                      And all the twinkling starry host.
                      Jesus shines brighter,
                      Jesus shines purer,
                      Than all the angels heaven can boast.

                                    Amen.

Invocation

O Lord, we come together in Your name,
And as You promised, we know You are here.

AND SO WE WELCOME YOU WITH OPEN ARMS,
AND PRAY THAT YOU FIND PLEASURE HERE WITH US,
AS WE, YOUR LOVING CHILDREN WORSHIP YOU.

We now invite You to reveal Yourself,
And share with us Your presence, openly,

FOR YOU ARE EVERYTHING THAT WE DESIRE,
AND EVERYTHING WE HAVE, WE GIVE TO YOU.

In Jesus' holy name we pray, Amen.

The Lord's Prayer

The Lord, Himself, taught us to pray like this . . .

                     The Lord's Prayer 
   

          Our Father, who art in heaven,
            hallowed be thy Name,
            thy kingdom come,
            thy will be done,
              on earth as it is in heaven.
          Give us this day our daily bread.
          And forgive us our trespasses,
            as we forgive those who trespass against us.
          And lead us not into temptation,
            but deliver us from evil.
          For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
            for ever and ever. Amen.

                      Source: Book Of Common Prayer, based on
                              Matthew 6:9-13    


          

Declaration Of Faith

The Apostles' Creed

   This historic affirmation of faith comes to us from the early
   centuries of the Christian church.


      I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
      Maker of heaven and earth:
      And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord;
      Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost;
      Born of the Virgin Mary,
      Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
      Was crucified, dead, and buried;
      He descended into hell;
      The third day he rose again from the dead;
      He ascended into heaven
      And sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
      From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
      I believe in the Holy Ghost;
      The holy catholic church;     *
      The communion of saints;
      The forgiveness of sins;
      The resurrection of the body;
      And the life everlasting.

                             Amen.


                * Note: "catholic church" here means the entire body of
                  believers in Christ, not just one particular church.

Scriptures And Teachings

The Six Certainties Of The Christian Faith

1. There is one God, Creator of all things.

2. The Bible is the inspired written Word of God, sufficient to guide all human action.

3. Jesus Christ is the only-begotten Son of God.

       The words "only-begotten" mean "only-fathered," that
       is, Jesus is the only human ever directly physically
       fathered by God.

4. Jesus was crucified, dead and buried, then rose from the dead, by the power of God, and lives today in Heaven and in the hearts of those who believe in Him.

5. If we believe in Him, we will not perish, but will have eternal life, forever with Him.

            "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." (John 3:16 KJV)

              "You give yourself totally to Him, and
               He takes good care of you forever."

6. The most important thing He wants us to do is to love: to love God first of all, then to love all other people the same as we love ourselves, using His love for us as our example. God accepts our love for others as if it were love for Himself; so when we love others, we are actually loving Him. Thus love for others fulfills the entire law of God. We love others best by following the Golden Rule, "TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WOULD LIKE TO TREATED." The Golden Rule summarizes and encompasses all of God's Law for mankind.

 

         _____________________________________________________________
       
      "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to
       you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the 
       prophets." (Matthew 7:12 KJV)
         _____________________________________________________________
       

         Note that He says, "for this IS the law and the prophets,"
         not "for this is required by the law and the prophets."
       
                                          <><

NOTE: The Christian Universalists will add a seventh certainty: the Doctrine Of Universal Salvation.

The Christian Doctrine of Universal Salvation, or Universal Reconciliation, states that all people, no matter how evil they may be, are created by God; and that God the Father, acting through His Son, Jesus Christ, will eventually bring all people back to Himself and into Heaven, by means which we cannot know or understand. There is punishment for evildoing, according to God's desire for justice. But this punishment is temporary and not eternal. Eventually, everyone comes back to God the Father, by Jesus Christ, His Son.

Poem

"Sympathy," by Paul Laurence Dunbar - "I know why the caged bird sings."

I KNOW what the caged bird feels, alas!
When the sun is bright on the upland slopes;
When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass,
And the river flows like a stream of glass;
When the first bird sings and the first bud opes,
And the faint perfume from its chalice steals ---
I know what the caged bird feels!

I know why the caged bird beats his wing
Till its blood is red on the cruel bars;
For he must fly back to his perch and cling
When he fain would be on the bough a-swing;
And a pain still throbs in the old, old scars
And they pulse again with a keener sting ---
I know why he beats his wing!

I know why the caged bird sings, ah me,
When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore, ---
When he beats his bars and he would be free;
It is not a carol of joy or glee,
But a prayer that he sends from his heart's deep core,
But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings ---
I know why the caged bird sings! 


       By Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906)


MP3 reading at 
http://www.paullaurencedunbar.net/sympathy-iknowwhythecagedbirdsings.mp3


Blessings to you. May God help us all. 

Exhortation

Do Not Try To Think Too Much

Holy Spirit is prompting me to tell you this: Do not try to think too much! Your human mind was designed by Him to help you process information from the material world, not the spiritual. In spiritual matters, you must let your conscious mind recede and let your spiritual self (your soul) join with Him to receive information directly. He is really there, Creator of the universe, and if you draw near to Him, He will draw near to you.

This is not just a sweet-sounding idea, it is the absolute truth. If you trust in Him, He will guide you, protect you, lead you, comfort you, sleep with you, stay with you every moment. Anything you need, He will provide. If you believe and trust. If not, you are more or less on your own. And good luck!

Basis in Scripture

      "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine
       own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5 KJV)

      "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."
       (John 14:26 KJV)

      "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you."
       (James 4:8a KJV)

      "for your Father knoweth what things ye have need
       of, before ye ask him." (Matthew 6:8b KJV)

      "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit
       of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know 
       them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 
       2:14 KJV)

      "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find;
       knock, and it shall be opened unto you:" (Matthew 7:7 KJV)

       Also, 1 Corinthians, Chapter 2

Prayer For You

"Go Ahead And Give Yourself To Christ"

NOTE:  When you read this prayer, try to imagine hearing my voice as I
       speak it to you.  In this way, the prayer is reactivated, and it 
       the same as if I were actually praying for you at that moment. 
       (Just like television prayers are reactivated when you watch 
       them, although the videotape may have been shot years before.)
 
              
           
                Perhaps you are a Christian even now,
                You go to church and try to do your best,
                You try to put His teachings in your life,
                But still you do not feel that He is yours.
                You do not feel the closeness that you crave.
                If this is you, then say this prayer with me:
                     *             *             *
                O Lord, I want you closer in my life,
                I want you more to be a part of me.
                I want the best relationship with you,
                That anyone on earth could ever have.
                I know that, "as we give, we shall receive,"
                And so I now do give myself to you,
                In full completeness, holding nothing back.
                I'm yours, so you may use me as you will,
                And take whatever things you want from me.
                And now that I did give myself to you,
                I pray that you will give yourself to me,
                As bridegroom gives himself to his new bride.
                In Jesus' holy name I pray, Amen.


                                        by William McGinnis
                                        Public Domain

Holy Communion

If you are alone, you will needed to be both "Leader" and "Assembly," as described in the ceremony.

How To Find A Real, Live Church

Closing Hymn

Deep River - American Spiritual Song

Lyrics and music are both anonymous, Public Domain; MIDI sequence by Bill McGinnis, arranged from a Public Domain arrangement.

MIDI music file at http://patriot.net/users/bmcgin/deeprvra.mid

Scriptural reference . . .

"I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them. And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away. And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the LORD." - Zechariah 10:10-12 (KJV)

DEEP RIVER - Classic American Spiritual Song - Anonymous, Public Domain


       Deep river,
       My home is over Jordan.
       Deep river, Lord,
       I want to cross over into campground.

          O don't you want to go
          To that gospel feast,
          That promised land
          Where all is peace?
          O don't you want to go
          To that promised land,
          That land where all is peace?

       Deep river,
       My home is over Jordan.
       Deep river, Lord,
       I want to cross over into campground.

Benediction

    _____________________________________________________________
       
      "Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in
       all ways. The Lord be with you all." (2 Thessalonians 3:16 RSV)
         _____________________________________________________________

This worship service is now completed. Go in peace.

Blessings to you in Jesus Christ our Lord.

   
 Rev. Bill McGinnis, Director - LoveAllPeople.org

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