Brothers, I hope and pray all is well with you today. Please keep Brother Rich Knappenberger, his son Justin, and his Brother Pete today. Brother Pete's son (Rich's nephew, Jayden, age 13) was visiting and was complaining of pain, who has trouble with his blot clotting and ended up bleeding to death on the inside. Rich's son, Justin, was the last one to be with him. This is really hitting the families very hard. Please pray for comfort and even though we don't know the whys or how comes God takes somone home, especially the young, we need to pray, pray and pray some more. Let us pray, Father God, please bring comfort and peace. Peace is your essence. Peace is your name. Bring peace to this family who has lost their precious child in death. We come to you, God because we know that you sorrow, and are acquainted with grief. You too have endured the loss of a child. You empathize. We can’t help but ask, “Why?” Forgive our insistence, our confusion, even our anger. We believe that you are just, and we ache to understand how this tragic death is an expression of that justice, how it expresses your love. We also know – in our minds at least – that you seldom answer the “why?” question. We press you, but on these matters you are mostly silent. What we ask instead is “how?” How can we move forward? How can this bring us together and not tear us apart? How can we now live under the shadow of this untimely death? Answer this prayer with your comfort and guidance. There is no way to remove the pain. The grief is real. The only sanity is to know, to believe, in a life beyond with you, when all the scales are righted and the sufferings are made good. We trust you and your promise that while this child’s life on earth is done, his life beyond has just begun. With that release we lose him and let him go into your arms, then by faith receive in return the boundless comfort of your presence. That is all, that is enough. In Jesus’ Holy and Precious Name We Pray – AMEN Thanks Brothers for your prayers and support for Brother Rich and family and I will let you know if there is anything else we can do. Please don’t call Brother Rich at this time – he is very upset - I appreciate it. Have a great and BLESSED day. Brother Michael (484)595-9744 (Work) (484)431-9336 (Cell)
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From: Michael Grimm <brothermichael24@yahoo.com>
Date: July 8, 2013 4:48:19 AM EDT Subject: A Thought of the Week (The Ultimate Personal Gift Card) from Brother Michael - 7/8/13
Reply-To: Michael Grimm <brothermichael24@yahoo.com>
July 8, 2013 Brother, I hope and pray all is well with you and your family. “Then spoke Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that follow me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” - John 8:12 “Just do the right thing!” I have to believe all parents say this to their kids at some point. Many people try very hard to do the right thing. As Christians, we try to choose Jesus first in all we do. Unfortunately, we often make mistakes, even some whopping sinful ones. To compound the damage, we let our fleshly, me-centered natures and Satan go to town with these sins that cripple, bind, and blind us. The chains are made of guilt, shame, self-pity, lame excuses, blame-shifting, depression, fear, anxiety, isolation, addiction, and insecurity. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. In the Bible, when the crowd was about to stone the woman caught in adultery, they asked Jesus; “What do you say we do?” Jesus started to write in the sand and then said, “Anyone here who has never sinned can throw the first stone at her.” The young men looked to the old and the old looked into their hearts and they were the first to drop their stones. Jesus then asked the woman if anyone had judged her guilty. She said, “No one, Lord”. Then Jesus replied, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” How do you think God reacts when we fail? He writes it down but not in the sand or on paper. Where God writes it is on a cross using Jesus’ blood. His message has three words: “Paid in Full.” He’s given us a gift card that He pre-paid in full for your penalty. The response He asks from us is to confess our sin, receive His gift, know He is our Savior, and use the Holy Spirit and His instructions to go and sin no more. Our personal gift card is not permission to sin and that is a completely different devotional on misusing this gift. Our gift card is freedom from the condemnation our sin would bring if it weren’t for such a gracious God who is perfectly holy and just, and also perfectly loving. Today, we need to redeem our gift card. How? Confession. We don’t use it enough. We sin a bunch, but most of us only confess, what, once a week, once a day, three times a day? I know I sin more than that, and I bet you do, too. So, examine our thoughts and actions. When we miss God’s mark, we should stop and confess that we failed to meet His standard. Celebrate the freedom Christ purchased from the slave market of sin. Our renewed and liberated mind is now freer than ever to make Godly decisions. Think of a loved one who needs to hear the Good News of Jesus’ victory over sin. This amazing gift card is theirs to redeem too. Using or losing your FREE personal gift card is our decision. Let us pray, Dear Father, we come to You with a thankful heart: thankful You sent Your son to pay the price for our sin, and thankful for Your gift of forgiveness. What a comfort to think of the words; “Paid in Full”. Better yet, thanks for the eternal life you offer us, free from sin’s devastation. Help us learn from Your wisdom and apply it to our everyday life. Please help us to stop judging others’ hearts. Let us be Your disciple, not a judge. Help us to forgive others as You have forgiven us. Focus our eyes on our own heart and intentions, not on those of others. We pray this in the name of the One who paid the ultimate price for our gift card, Jesus Christ – AMEN Have a great and BLESSED week. Remember I am here for you in thought, prayer and action – 24x7. STAY STRONG! Love-Your Brother in Christ, Michael
(484)431-9336 (Home & Cell)
(484)595-9744 (Work)
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From: Michael Grimm <brothermichael24@yahoo.com>
Date: July 6, 2013 8:20:32 AM EDT
To: Cutting Robert <bobcutting@sbcglobal.net>
Subject: Hello from Brother Michael - Retreat Update
Reply-To: Michael Grimm <brothermichael24@yahoo.com>
Brother Bob, I hope and pray all is well with you today. Just wanted you to know we change the Retreat date to the weekend of 11/1-3 and it will be held at God's Mountain Retreat Center in Waymart, PA. Details will follow and I appreciate you reaching out to others to promote and help at the event. Have a great and BLESSED day and holiday weekend. Love You Brother - You are AWESOME! Brother Michael
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Justin need your prayer , hit by a car Monday at the mall, in Danbury Hospital. Frank Caporale
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July 1, 2013 Brother, I hope and pray all is well with you and your family. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." - 2 Corinthians 5:17
As Christians, we enjoy simultaneous freedom and slavery. Freedom in Christ is one of the most misunderstood concepts of the Christian life. Most Christians assume it means freedom from obligation and the hard work of obedience. But freedom in Christ is never described that way in the Bible. We are not given a license to do whatever we wish. Instead, Christians enjoy the freedom from slavery to sin. We are free to obey. And we are simultaneously enslaved to God to serve Him and love Him. Christians should find joy in freedom from sin and slavery to our Master.
The problems arise when we replace our slavery to God with slavery to anything else. God wants us enslaved to nothing and no one besides Him. And a false understanding of our freedom will sometimes lead to such slavery. God never intended for man to live under the bondage of sin. We are free from sin and it is truth alone that sets men free. Through the New Covenant we find this truth. We have such a blessing and powerful promises in the New Covenant. God shows us through the law that we can't keep it, we can't be obedient, in our own selves, BUT, he made provision for us through the Holy Ghost being sent to empower us, and live the life of Christ in us, and working mightily through and in us to make us what God wants us to be. The image and likeness of Christ. When we give up trying to do things our way, recognize Jesus saved you from your sins, and when you fully submit to the Holy Ghost he will give you dominion over sin, by faith. A wonderful exhortation on the new covenant. Let us pray, Heavenly Father, Thank you for the precious blood of Jesus that brings forgiveness and cleansing from sin. Thank you for redeeming us from the curse of the law and giving us a new life. We take our place in Christ for our family and confess all the sins. Father, we ask for your forgiveness and cleansing of our family and us. Please cut us free from all curses or ill effects caused by these sins. We thank you Father for the freedom that is our through Jesus. We praise you now and forever. In Your Holy and Precious Name we pray – AMEN. Have a great, safe and BLESSED holiday. Remember I am here for you in thought, prayer and action – 24x7. STAY STRONG! Love-Your Brother in Christ, Michael
(484)431-9336 (Home & Cell)
(484)595-9744 (Work) PS – Coming soon details of a Men’s Retreat in October, 2013. If you feel lead to assist in the planning of this AWESOME event, please call or email me.
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