-- is what I believe The LORD OF HOSTS wants
made public, regarding
It is the first night of Hanukkah, and as I ponder the glowing candle flames, I can't help but think of a BIRTHDAY CAKE...
(These are all Hanukkah menorahs with 8 candles! At Hanukkah Jewish people can get very creative with their 8 candles!)
...and the LORD is saying to my heart "HAPPY BIRTHDAY."
"It's a NEW DAY for THE CHURCH" ...a BIRTH-DAY. So there is excitement in our hearts.
It is the day for a NEW CHURCH...
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
Jesus calls His people the "church" in the Bible in our English translations, as did Paul throughout his epistles, and Luke in the Book of Acts,
"On this rock I will build My church." Mt. 16:1
"the LORD added to the church daily..." Acts 2:
"greet the church that is in their house" Rom. 16:5
In all these verses, in the original Greek language the word used for "church" is EKKLESIA.
That means an assembly of people, and the word has within it the idea of being "called out" by name. (As if Jesus has called each one personally to join the group.)
Jesus' church is so important to Him that He mentions it in His last recorded words in the Bible
"I have sent my angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star." Rev.22:16
EASY TO ASSUME THE CHURCH IS THE BUILDING DOWN THE STREET
In the Bible the church was never a building. It is Jesus' personal property, His Body where His Spirit now lives on earth: THE PEOPLE HE BOUGHT AND PAID FOR WITH THE PRICE OF HIS OWN BLOOD.
Eph.5:2527 "Husbands, love your wives as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish."
THE "CHURCH" ISN'T THE BUILDING DOWN THE STREET! IT IS A GROUP OF PEOPLE BEING PREPARED FOR A WEDDING... and He considers the church a woman!
In Hebrews 12:22-23 we see the "church" is an awesome group of people past present and future, who are called saints (set apart ones):
"But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect."
HOW DO YOU SAY "CHURCH" IN HEBREW?
In 1 Tim.3:15 the "church" is called "the house of God." That is a familiar term for His people Israel in the Old Testament.
So the church is GOD'S HOUSE... In prior days God lived among His people Israel in a house, or Temple. Now your body is His Temple. THAT MEANS WHERE HE PERSONALLY LIVES AND DWELLS NOW IS... inside YOU!
(Some of you may be familiar with a version of the Bible that is called the "Complete Jewish Bible." In it author David H. Sterns uses the terms "Messianic Congregation," "community," and "congregation" instead of the word "church." These are terms he has coined and not special translations of original Hebrew or Greek [p.1605].)
SO WHAT IS NEW ABOUT THE CHURCH TODAY? WHY IS IT A BIRTH-DAY?
It is a day that God's people have stopped calling the building down the street the "church." It isn't. His church is real people walking around all over the earth, who have died to their old lives, left the comfort and security (or insecurity!) of earthly ties, given themselves over to Jesus, and welcomed His Spirit to live inside them for real.
AT THE END OF THEIR ROPE 
More recently, many of these dear people have felt that they were at the end of their rope with the challenges of life, and couldn't hold on any longer. As they have "let go," they have found a new place of freedom, trust, and dependence on the supernatural POWER and in the safe arms of their Savior. THEY ARE THE REAL CHURCH.
AND WHAT'S NEW IS THAT THEY INCREASINGLY KNOW IT!! HAPPY BIRTH-DAY, CHURCH.
WHY THIS ON HANUKAH?
Hanukah is about the Light of the world coming to dwell among men. It is about a miracle that occurred centuries ago for the Jewish people when they re-took the Temple in Jerusalem that had been captured and desecrated by their enemies. They cleaned it out and rededicated it so that God would be pleased to dwell there again. And He miraculously gave them enough oil to burn to keep the flame at His alter aglow. WHAT BETTER PICTURE OF How Jesus has been intensively cleaning out our lives these past months and years, and making us NEW so that His Light would burn bright in us, the real CHURCH... whether we gather in a building or not...
IT IS ALSO THE BIRTHDAY OF "THE CHURCH OF GOD'S GRACE" 
22 years ago this December the Lord called Dr. Carol to found a ministry that He named CHURCH OF GOD'S GRACE. At the time I was a young minister with the Foursquare Gospel Church, an old Pentecostal denomination. I had attended their L.I.F.E. Bible College, been ordained, pastored in California, and then was charged by the denomination to
found an independent ministry for evangelization. And so the Church of God's Grace was birthed. The church met in a home at first, sponsored many orphans, ministered to many leaders, and was faithful in prayer. I want to honor at this time a dear and loyal partner in ministry who has always been there behind the scenes to nurture and care for this ministry, Mrs. Betty Austin. Later, as the ministry became international, we used the name HEALING FOR THE NATIONS...
With much love,
Dr. Carol Cohen -- Dec. 1, 2010
910 686-0850 (voicemail) cell: 302 559-1766 email carolcohen1@aol.com
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