#Empoewrment

[hotmessexpress2023]

Childrens Class- Sunday Lesson

TO BE FILLED WITH GOD’S SPIRIT!

Hebrews 12:1

Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Hebrews 12 compares the race of faith to a hot air balloon that requires us to let go of the things that weigh us down and keep us from our best race.

USE 3 BALLOONS- ONE EMPTY, ONE FILLED WITH AIR, & ONE WITH HELIUM

BLOW ONE BALLOON UP TO SHOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE DEFLATED AND HELIUM BALLOON.

The deflated balloon represents us – ordinary SINFUL people.

The balloon filled with air represent our pride and our own capabilities- the puffed-up version of ourselves.

Buuuuut……The balloon with helium represents the Holy Spirit.

 By trying to change the balloon by yourself you are trying to tell or show others how good you are…. Trying to look great by filling yourself with your own ideas, your best behavior, your self-appointed attitude, there are many kinds of ways we try to improve ourselves or exaggerate our position.

BUUUUUT…… The things we can do on our own could never ever compare to what God can do. No matter how hard we try we never can lead a life that would honor and please God all on our own. The best thing to do with a puffed up self-inflated balloon or version of yourself would be to

LET IT GO! (Blow up a balloon and let it go) Release the pride….See by releasing your hot air in the balloon you really showing how you could and do just fly off in all directions with what was and is inside of you. Certainly, you need to empty the me balloon of all your own air such as self-inflating attitudes, self-structured behaviors, and pre-planned ideas. The Balloon with helium represents God, and it is better in so many different ways.

The air balloon certainly makes more sense than the deflated and empty version of yourself. However it is certain the balloon with just air is no more powerful than the deflated balloon. However, the Helium balloon most certainly is more beautiful than both the deflated and aired up balloon. It is certainly more powerful. The balloon with helium is not stagnant in one place stuck and unable to move, waiting for someone or something to move it. The helium balloon can fly high, ride the winds, and it can float or  fly alone with out the wind. It can go higher than any of us either could. The helium aka the Holy Spirit is the power within the balloon that makes things possible.

Take this time to think about the Spirit of God within us. The helium aka Spirit will help us do great things for God. The helium filled balloon represents our life filled with God’s Power, God’s strength, and the Holy Spirit. It is only because of His power, His Spirit and His strength that we can do great things in this world.

Phil 4:13- I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

Through the Supernatural Power of God, we are able to obey his commands.

Mark 16:15 Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.

With God’s Spirit, like the helium in the balloon we too can go far doing things that God will give us the power to do. Giving us strength to overcome problems and difficulties in our lives and telling others about Jesus without fear. We can be filled with His spirit, His power, His might, and His truth.

We can think of the helium as God’s Holy Spirit in the balloon. The Holy Spirit also makes it possible for us to ascend to heaven someday. Jesus told us and showed us what will happen for all who believe in him.

He came to earth, lived a sinless life, and He offered his life as a living sacrifice for our sin when He died on the cross of Calvary.

Witnesses watch and saw him ascend into Heaven…...Much like we see a helium filled balloon rise into the sky. God’s word told us all that would happen with Jesus His son, and it did. God’s word also promises us that those who believe and trust in Jesus will rise and go to Heaven.

So today and every day I want you to think about us being a deflated balloon (a human who is sinful and stagnant in one place) and while we can blow ourselves up and even allow others to fill us up, so we are puffed to our max compacity. The hot air that fills us is our pride and ego and it will never move us any more than that of a deflated sinful human/balloon. Releasing the air in it only brings chaos and crazy wandering. But if we give ourselves over to God and follow Jesus we can be transformed. When God transforms us, he takes us from a deflated stagnant human/balloon and turns us into a beautiful shiny balloon ready to glide through this world with love and possibility. The Holy Spirit gives us strength, wisdom, courage, and faith to go forward. Take ahold of the string and remember that is you taking Gods hand asking him to come into your life and lead you through all life will give and throw your way. We all can be a beautiful shiny balloon we just have to make a choice of what we want to be filled with and how we want to be seen.

Today I ask that God fills each of your hearts and empowers each one of you to do great things for him and the world in which we live.

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and I ask you for your forgiveness. I believe you died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite you to come into my heart and my life. I want to trust and follow you as my savior. Come Holy Spirit fill my heart with your faithfulness and kindle in me the fire of your love. Send forth your spirit that I be filled with wisdom, love, compassion, grace and mercy to walk this earth as your disciples.    ------amen.

[ajuliejewelssmootphotograhy-blog]

Forgiveness

Forgiveness,

One of those things I have heard a

few times from different

people through my life,

Many times, I got angry,

 cried and ignored what

they were saying to me,

Pushed people away from me,

I was not in the place

 to hear about forgiving

Them or I for what they did to me,

Now, in this moment, I am ready to forgive

myself for what happened when I was

[agirlwitbangssuggestion]

we need to learn to be direct with one another. if something is bothering you say it. if you love something vocalize it. none of us are mind readers and it would make our time together that much easier

[femmeformation]

The Rise of the Handmaid Habit as a Visual Icon

“Political demonstrations are theatrical. Their executions often require intricate choreographies and stage management, and the unfolding drama is eternalized by photographers on the scene. The enduring potency of a demonstration depends on these visual records; it’s no wonder, then, that clever signs and costumes stand out, summing up complex political arguments into a single icon.“

via artsy