Concord Chronicle

The idea of a piece of paper which officially recognizes ownership of a piece of property is an ancient one.

Archeologists recently discovered in the desert sands of North Africa the charred remains of an inn which had been destroyed by fire nearly two thousand years ago. In an interior room were found human remains and a stone box. Inside the stone box were documents which revealed an ancient legal transaction.

The human remains were those of a slave who was sent on a mission by his mistress, a lady called Dionysia. She was described as a woman of “set jaw and grim determination” and had recently lost a judgement in a local court concerning a dispute over a piece of land that she claimed was rightfully hers. She was not about to take this defeat lying down, so she dispatched her slave, carrying the stone box, to Alexandria to a higher court to plead her case on appeal.

The stone box preserved its contents from being destroyed in the fire, allowing us to examine its contents. In it was a letter addressed to the judge accompanied by another document.

Translated, the letter said, “In order that my lord the judge may know that my appeal is just, I attach my hypostasis.” In effect, what she had sent - the “ hypostasis” - was the title deed to the land proving that it rightfully should be her possession. Hopefully, she had another notarized copy to present since we now know that the one in the box never reached its destination! Today we still rely on similar documents when we buy or sell valuable property such as land, or a house, or even a car.

We also find the word hypostasis in the New Testament written in the letter to the Hebrews. We cannot be sure who the writer was, but he is quite emphatic in pointing out that “Faith is the substance of things hoped for…” [Hebrews 11:1 KJV emphasis mine].

The word translated as “substance” is that same Greek word “hypostasis” and thus sheds much light on the purpose of faith in our lives. It means that our faith is our "title deed," our legal claim to possession, of those things which may be still in God’s hands, but are rightfully ours to be taken hold of at some later time.

So when we exercise faith in praying for what God has promised we will inherit, we are presenting, in a sense, the evidence that what we are asking for legally and rightfully belongs to us, even though it is not yet in our possession. No matter what our current circumstances, we can pray in faith with the certainty that God will recognize our claim to inheritance.

Of course, we can only make those claims because we have become co-inheritors of the Kingdom through the agency of Jesus. In effect He has legally “deeded" the riches of heaven to us, so we can be confident we have a good and valid title.

As the former General of The Salvation Army, Albert Orsborn, so eloquently wrote:

I have no claim on grace;

I have no right to plead;

I stand before my maker's face

Condemned in thought and deed.

But since there died a Lamb

Who, guiltless, my guilt bore,

I lay fast hold on Jesus' name,

And sin is mine no more.

Salvation Army Song Book #290 v1

So, don’t be afraid to claim your inheritance when you pray.

You have every legal right to do so.

Your faith is your title deed!

Jim Black

Thanks to all for your prayers while Gwyn and I were away at Officers' Councils (Pastors' Retreat). Our days were filled with teaching, sharing, worshipping, fellowshipping - and eating! And the camp was the perfect setting, so beautiful in the fall.

This is one of my favorite seasons - the fall. The leaves change colors and there is a different smell and crispness in the air. You can wear sweaters, scarves, and boots and snuggle in a warm blanket. Better yet, you can drink a nice hot apple or pumpkin-spiced drink and read a book (or watch a movie) next to a warm fire. It naturally provides the ambiance for sitting, reflecting, pausing.

It's a transitional season. In a nutshell, the leaves turn from green, red, yellow, orange, to brown before falling off the tree - deciduous trees - due to the change from chlorophyll, xanthophyll, carotene, sap, and photosynthesis processes over time. Meanwhile, oxygen for us and food for the trees are byproducts of this process.

What stage are you in? What are you transitioning from or to? What changes are happening within you? Are there things that need to die so that another area can grow?

Take time to reflect and renew. God loves you.

“I am the Lord; that is my name!
I will not yield my glory to another
or my praise to idols.
See, the former things have taken place,
and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
I announce them to you.” (Isaiah 42:8-9, NIV)

“Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? (Isaiah 43:18-19a, NIV)

Major AnnMarguerite Jones

Just before the lockdown, we had officially "opened" our Prayer Room in the Courtyard. Although we could not gather in that space, we have continued our prayers at home. However, we are happy to share that this gathering place is now reopened - to you and to the community.

We encourage you to come and pray before Sunday's Holiness and Worship Service. Pray over the requests that have been shared during the week. Pray for those seeking the Lord. Pray for those who are lost. So many things to pray for ...

“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them,” Matthew 18:19-20.

SUNDAY:

9:30 AM - Praise Team Rehearsal - Chapel

10:00 AM - Prayer Room Opens - Side Room of the Courtyard

10:00 AM - Corps Cadets & Sunday School - Classrooms 2 & 3

11:00 AM - Worship Service - In-Person and Facebook

12:15 PM - Youth Music Rehearsals

TUESDAY:

6:00 PM - Men's Bible Study - Fireside Room

6:00 PM - Women's Bible Study - Hybrid

7:00 PM - Songsters Rehearsal - Chapel

8:00 PM - Senior Band Rehearsal - Chapel

WEDNESDAY:

10:00 AM - El Sobrante Home League: White Elephant Auction - New Life Center

THURSDAY:

10:00 AM - CAMEO: Enneagram Test by Major Robin Bottjen - ZOOM ONLY

(Major Robin is a staff officer at DHQ based in Sacramento. This is why she will lead us through Zoom. It is easier to manage the meeting if everyone is in front of their own devices. Please be sure to complete the test that was mailed to you this past week. See you online!)

There is a man who calms all fear

Hay un hombre que calma todo temor

A love that consoles the most intense pain

Un amor que consuela el más intenso dolor

He is true to his promises and he will take care of me

Es fiel a sus promesas y me cuidará

My faith is the anchor, it will never fail

De mi fe es el ancla, nunca fallará

Everything will be fine

Todo va a estar bien

Everything will be alright

Everything will be alright

The world is in your hand

El mundo en su mano está

Your world is in his hand

Tu mundo en su mano está

The creator of the universe

El creador del universo

Conquered all anxiety

Venció toda ansiedad

Your world is in his hand

Tu mundo en su mano está

And everything will be alright

Y todo va a estar bien

Oh oh oh oh

Oh, oh, oh, oh

Everything will be fine

Todo va a estar bien

Oh oh oh oh

Oh, oh, oh, oh

Everything will be fine

Todo va a estar bien

Father, I confess to you with an open heart

Padre, te confieso a corazón abierto

That everything is very uncertain in this desert

Que todo es muy incierto en este desierto

My vulnerability is exposed

Mi vulnerabilidad está al descubierto

I feel that my boat is very far from its port

Siento que mi barca está muy lejos de su puerto

Why is it that the sun no longer rises in my days

Por qué será que ya no sale el Sol en mis días

Why are my nights so cold

Por qué mis noches son tan frías

Why is it that I feel that something is missing

Por qué será que siento que me falta algo

Why does this gray road feel so long

Por qué este camino gris se siente tan largo

I know that you are working even if you do not feel

Sé que estás obrando aunque no te sienta

I know that you are working even if I do not see you

Sé que estás obrando aunque no te vea

I know that I will get out of this odyssey

Sé que voy a salir de esta odisea

I know that I will win this fight

Sé que voy a ganar esta pelea

I know this temporary tide will cease

Sé que va a cesar esta marea temporaria

That in you I will live an extraordinary life

Que en ti yo viviré una vida extraordinaria

That although I can not understand

Que aunque no pueda entender

It comforts me to know that everything

Me consuela saber que todo

Everything will be fine

Todo va a estar bien

Everything will be alright

Everything will be alright

The world is in your hand

El mundo en su mano está

Your world is in his hand

Tu mundo en su mano está

The creator of the universe

El creador del universo

Conquered all anxiety

Venció toda ansiedad

The world is in your hand

EL mundo en su mano está

And everything will be alright

Y todo va a estar bien

Oh oh oh oh

Oh, oh, oh, oh

Everything will be fine

Todo va a estar bien

Oh oh oh oh

Oh, oh, oh, oh

Everything will be fine

Todo va a estar bien

Oh oh oh oh

Oh, oh, oh, oh

Everything will be fine

Todo va a estar bien

Oh oh oh oh

Oh, oh, oh, oh

Everything will be fine

Todo va a estar bien

Source: Musixmatch

Email: annmarguerite.jones@usw.salvationarmy.org
Website: https://www.salvationarmyconcordca.org
Location: 3950 Clayton Road, Concord, CA, USA
Phone: (925) 676-6180
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/saconcord