Romans 8:18-30

"Dear Child of the Father, All creation waits on tiptoe for the day I return and bring you home to the Father. On that day, you will experience "the....."

How can we say these things and really mean them? Phil Ware writes about Romans 8:22-29, the bondage to decay that our world faces, our own troubles and hardships, and slogans that we often use and abuse to try to encourage people who are grieving, wounded, or hurt.

What's it feel like to be pregnant? We are in the time of pain, the time of pregnancy, waiting for the birth of our ultimate life in with God.

What a great disappointment to have to wait! To have to put off your wedding would be a great disappointment, but life is filled with disappointments -- that's why we need the hope we have in Jesus.

How can we say these things and really mean them when trying to help those who hurt? Phil Ware writes about Romans 8:22-29, the bondage to decay that our world faces, our own troubles and hardships, and slogans that we often use and abuse to try to encourage people who are grieving, wounded, or hurt.

When we have sinned, fallen short of God's plans for us, and have disappointed our heavenly Father, we assume he puts us into his “club for the unwanteds.” James Nored and Phil Ware continue their messages on God's plan of redemption and how God longs to restore us to himself.

Inspirational illustration of Romans 8:19-21 NIV -- For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed ... the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the childr

How do you grab ahold of something this illusive? Rubel Shelly reminds us that while perfection is an ideal, we must not set it as our only goal or we will never attain what we reach to achieve and never be satisfied with our blessings.

Why did this brokenness, this pain, this shattering, come upon us if it is not God's intention for us? James Nored and Phil Ware remind us that sin, both rebellion and missing God's goal of goodness for us, has reaped destruction on all we touch, but that this is not what God intended for us, there is redemption coming!

"For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the..."

"For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the....."

"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God...."

"[T]he Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who..."

"In the same way [as the Spirit blesses us in so many ways in our lives], the Spirit [also] helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for,....."

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words...."

"And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with..."

"And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with..."

"Dear Father, who knows my secrets, Help me to wait patiently for my redemption. Thank you for giving me your Holy Spirit to make up for the..."

"Dear Beloved, As My apostle Paul's death grew near, he was confident of his deliverance as well as My return. Hear his beautiful words of faith:For I..."

"Dear Beloved, My resurrection from the dead changed everything! As awful as My crucifixion was for the Father and Me, the cost of that suffering..."

Let's begin somewhere, doing something, and not just talk about it! Phil Ware talks about our broken world, spring, the tsunami and earthquakes in Japan, and the Lord's prayer.

Do you think God can really turn around any bad situation? What Satan intends for harm, God can turn around for good if we will trust him to be at work in our worst of situations and nothing proves this quite like Easter.

Could you keep on coming after so many years and trips? Sometimes we don't have answers, but we just have to keep on keepin' on trusting that God will be faithful and bring us home.

"Dear Father, who is totally "for-us," How wonderfully reassuring to know that in everything you work for good with those who love you, who are called..."

God has provided each of us the ultimate proof of our identity: the Holy Spirit living inside of us! Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to reassure us of our victory through Christ because of the Holy Spirit's presence within us as God's children.

How close is God to us? Phil Ware shares insight in his SpiritFire series on the Holy Spirit and reminds us of the incredible promises of God's nearness and personal indwelling in us through the Holy Spirit.

You're invited to use our worship guide for your home or group worship! Dr. Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware invite you to join us for our Sunday Verse of the Day home worship guide and videos, called ToGather.church!

Prayer can be an incredible blessing for us as God's children. However, prayer can also feel frustrating and bewildering to many who are trying to follow Jesus. Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to glorify God as we remember that prayer is about relationship and Jesus has given us the Holy Spirit to help us know our hearts are heard.

"And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin..."

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."

"The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed."

"Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies."

"Not only [is all creation groaning under its bondage to decay], but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for...."

"But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words...."

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

"We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

"Upon some points a believer is absolutely sure. He knows, for instance, that God sits in the stern-sheets of the vessel when it rocks most. He..."

"Here is a precious truth for thee, believer. Thou mayest be poor, or in suffering, or unknown, but for thine encouragement take a review of thy..."

"Present possession is declared. At this present moment we have the first fruits of the Spirit. We have repentance, that gem of the first water; faith,..."

"This groaning is universal among the saints: to a greater or less extent we all feel it. It is not the groan of murmuring or complaint: it is rather....."

"Even in this world saints are God's children, but men cannot discover them to be so, except by certain moral characteristics. The adoption is not..."

"In the second epistle to Timothy, first chapter, and ninth verse, are these words-"Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling." Now, here....."

"And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will."

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep...."

Inspirational illustration of Romans 8:23 -- Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Inspirational illustration of Romans 8:28 -- 28   And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Inspirational illustration of Romans 8:26 -- We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

Inspirational illustration of Romans 8:25 -- But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

Inspirational illustration of Romans 8:19 -- The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.

Inspirational illustration of Romans 8:18 -- I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

Weren't we re-made for more than we're settling for? Phil Ware shares with us ideas about growth and how God has re-created us to be like Jesus and be full of life and growth, spiritually and physically.

In every crucible, God longs for us to see Him, to trust Him, to lean in on Him. Ron Rose is back with his coffee, friends, and insights into life, faith, crucibles, and raindrops.

We are God's precious and highly valued adopted children! Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead through worship in song, the Lord's Supper, a powerful message from God's word, and a blessing to enable us to worship from home or with family and friends in a meaningful way and ask this important question: Can I rea

Much of the recent worldwide conversation has been focused on the question, 'How can we be kept safe in our world today?' Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in an online, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to call us to trust that God will keep us safe and honor all that we have entrusted to him.

Ever notice that the most challenging madness happens right on the border of the Promised Land? Ron Rose reminds us that true faith has to go through the B-crucible to be real and lasting.

Jesus demonstrated God's love powerfully while he was on earth and is now at the right hand of the Father with power to work in our lives for our good and God's glory. Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to remind us of God's grace to be at work within us for our ultimate Good.

With whom else could you have this grace? Phil Ware continues his series on the Holy Spirit and the gift of the Spirit's intercession before the Father in prayer that guarantees that our words and emotions are heard.

As we journey with Jesus down his way of the cross, something grabs our hearts. That drawing power reaches through the centuries. Phil Ware continues his series from the Gospel of Mark called Cruciformed, formed into the likeness of Jesus who went to the cross.

You're not getting any younger! Our world is messed up, and that's nothing new. Ever since the Fall, things have been in a state of imperfection.

Here is someone whose faith has stood the test of time and continues to display that faith in the face of great challenges. Phillip Morrison reminds us of the decency, faith, and goodness of two former presidents, Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford.

What can melt our hearts and let God find us? Ron Rose talks about being open with God about what is on our heart in hopes He moves us to change.

"Dear Disciple, Paul's long anticipated return to Jerusalem finally happened. He arrived in Jerusalem accompanied by Christians from the churches in....."

"Dear Disciple, Very few people have direct access to the leader of their nation. If you urgently needed to get your leader's attention, you would be...."

One of the important areas of our focus for our shared hour of prayer is the healing and health of our world and the people in our world. Phil Ware shares Scriptures, stories, and ideas to help us prepare for the hour of worldwide unified prayer for our broken world, especially focused on healing and health for our broken world.

Do you know how to pray? We can learn to breath pray and pray any time and any place and reach out to God through prayer.

How well do you understand the whole situation? We are often critical of others and can't understand God because we don't see the big picture of what is happening.

What do you do when you don't feel like you have anything to offer? Tom Norvell reminds us to listen to God when we feel like we have nothing to offer, and if we do, we will realize that is enough.

How can I believe before I have proof? Phil Ware continues his series on UNPREDICTABLE and reminds us that faith needs to show itself before proof comes or it's not faith and we're not blessed!

Do you sometimes feel helpless? No matter how bad things get, we are never hopeless.

Can you see more going on in your life than the daily grind? Phil Ware writes about having a sense of divine partnership in daily life and being used by God and sensing God's presence in what we do.

"For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are..."

"The same Spirit agrees with our spirit, that we are God’s children. But if we are children, we are also heirs. We are God’s heirs and fellow heirs..."

So how do I find out this key to life? Tom Norvell reminds us about our life's purpose, mission, goal, target and what gives our lives meaning and significance and eternal life.

"Dear Beloved, Grace can have a strong touch of redemptive irony! As you read in the verses below about Paul and Silas being thrown into jail, notice...."

What are your greatest dreams? Brenda Terrell shares her dreams and how God has more than answered them in ways she didn't expect.

Phil Ware challenges us to look beyond the New Year's resolutions on to a life pursuing Jesus. Phil Ware challenges us to look beyond the New Year's resolutions on to a life pursuing Jesus.

Hope beyond our world's brokenness! Phil Ware continues his series on the value of woman in the eyes of God and how we incorporate that value into our belief system, roles, and treatment of women in our church culutures.

As human beings, we can survive almost any 'how' if we have a 'why'! — Viktor Frankl James Nored and Phil Ware share God's message for us about purpose and meaning through words and video, focusing on Viktor Frankl and the apostle Paul.

Is there anyting to really hold on to when your heart aches in the middle of life's messes? With an onslaught of bad things happening over the last several weeks, Russ is holding on to hope and faith in God and the steadfast love of the Father.

Sometimes when things look worst, God is working to make something good~ Sometimes our worst moments are exactly the moments when God surprises us with joy.

Be assured, God has a pattern and plan for you! Max Lucado reminds us that despite the work we have to do in the darkness, God is doing something special in us and with us.

What does God do with those times in our lives we'd like to forget? Remembering the past by way of dogtags is hard, but sometimes liberating and a reminder that God can take our past and make something special out of it.

How can we fail forward? Rubel Shelly talks about how badly rejection hurts and our temptation to react in negative ways, but also uses Warren Buffett as an example of someone who failed forward.

How in the world be sorry and happy both? Stacy Voss writes about her pain and a friend's pain at finding out that their husbands have been unfaithful and had repeated adulteries.

What's the most precious thing you've seen? Muriel Larson reminds of the great blessing we have from Romans 8:28

Can you see the good in the bad? Bad things can be turned into blessings by God.

How in the world can something good come out of something so rotten? How God turned a couple of horrible, traumatic experiences in the Ware family into something really good!

Is your life a little short on the adventure scale? Then come along and follow Jesus! Lisa Mikitarian reminds us that life with the Lord really is an adventure because when we love him and are called according to his purposes then he works in our life through adventure to bless us and bring him glory.

What do you do when you are locked out of everything? Russ Lawson writes to remind us about God's work in our lives even when things are crazy and feel out of control.

How can you not have your life blown apart by a brain tumor? An update on Jack Marcelain and his brain tumor recovery doesn't bring all good news, but Tammy is committed to not worry about it.

What can you do when the rain falls and the floods come? Katha Winther reminds us that life can be full of periods of bad things and rainy days with floods, but God has not forsaken or abandoned us and will see us through.

Just what do you mean by that? Rubel Shelly weighs in on the tragedy in Oklahoma, our easy explanations, and our overuse of the word just.

Are you getting a little too old for this? We must live for God's purpose and also seek to be useful.

Do you want to find God in the dark night of the soul? Sometimes the dark night of the soul is exactly what we need to experience to let go of what we need to jettison and grab ahold again of God.

What in the world did were they for? Jesus' resurrection fills all of our life with meaning.

You used to be normal, ho-hum, and average. No longer. You are not who you used to be! Max Lucado reminds us of who God is to us and that this great and almighty God has invited us to call him our "Abba" Father!

Does he really act at just the right time? Russ Lawson reminds us that even though it is hard to wait patiently, God always responds to our prayers at just the right time and we should never give up asking him for his help.

Life is hard, but God is great at helping us get THROUGH life's toughest challenges and will never abandone us! Max Lucado shares the encouragement that we can get through our tough times just like Joseph did his.

What have you learned from your mistakes? Mike Barres reminds us that mistakes and missteps are a part of life, an dwe can learn from them and grow through them.

Let God train you. He watches the way we handle the little jobs. Max Lucado reminds us that we can get through whatever we are facing right now because God is at work in us and will be with us until we are fashioned into a person of character.

Is there a way through times of ineffective prayer? Phil Ware continues his series on Nehemiah and focuses on prayers, especially when prayers seem to go unanswered and we feel alone, frustrated, disappointed, discouraged, and ignored by God.

"Dear Follower, Roman soldiers saved Paul from being beaten to death by an angry Jewish mob. The mob had mistakenly thought he had taken a Gentile..."

So we are supposed to give thanks for this? Phil Ware continues his 4 part series on Thanksgiving and how important it is for churches to leverage change and growth in in their church families.

How wet is it in your world? Sometimes we face difficulties and trials, but the big challenge is bearing up under the weight of incessant trials, problems, difficulties.

How can we deepen, strengthen, and become more aware of our Lord's constant and loving presence? Phil Ware reminds us of the Lord's nearness, four ways we can experience that nearness, but most importantly, he reminds us to seek the Lord's presence in our lives, always.

If the Lord can transform Peter with his failures, imagine what the Lord can do with you. Phil Ware finishes his four part series on Peter and following Jesus by focusing on Jesus transforming and cruciforming him into a great servant for the Kingdom of God.

Where did you put your faith? Our faith can either be real and shaping us to be useful to God or it can be discarded or nothing more than a good luck charm.

Are you not there yet? We must not give up on ourselves or each other because we are not there yet!

The earth is sick. Our world is sicker. We are to bridge the gap until Jesus' return! Phil Ware along with Doug Peters help us hear the Lord's Prayer for the kingdom to dawn on earth so that the will of God can be seen on earth as it is in heaven.

Our lesson elaborates on this promise from God. We know that our Father does not withhold sharing his grace and every gift that is for our best good. Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in virtual worship through words and music using YouTube videos encouraging us to recognize that God is our Father who does not withhold from us good things, especially the best things in this life and the life to c

Is this any less amazing than Paul’s unlikely meeting with Onesimus? Steve Higginbotham connects us with God's amazing work at getting people together and helping them live as brothers in Christ both in Bible times and today!

Came something good come from bad situations? Paul Faulkner shares several good things about bad things helping us focus on what is important.

Can they really be a blessing? Rubel Shelly reminds us of how hard times can actually shape us for the better and help us see our role in making the world a better place.

When all seems lost what sustains you? Phillip Morrison reminds us where the beautiful and moving song, "When Peace Like a River" came from -- the tragedy of Horatio Spafford and a shipwreck.

How in the world are you going to decide your biggest life questions? Sometimes we just have to make the decision and go on trusting God to guide you to where you need to be.

You mean I am an important tool in God's ministry toolset? Phil Ware reminds us that God longs to fashion us into a vital tool in The Master's SIGnature Toolset to be used for Kingdom and church ministry.

Can finding a hearing aid really be a miracle? When people get together to help a friend find a lost hearing aid by searching and praying, is it a miracle if they find it?

Life feels like it is in slow motion when are waiting for the bad seasons to end and God's new fresh life awakens to redeem and refresh our weary souls. Max Lucado encourages us to endure and not lose hope because sometimes God takes time to make his perfect will happen and redeem our messes.

What do you do when you hit a bump in the road? God’s plan for us is not to eliminate suffering in our lives, but to teach us to look past it.

"Dear Precious Disciple, The world can be a confusing place. You love and adore the Father. You recognize the sacrifice I made for you. I know that..."

Can you see God's signature on his masterpiece? Phil Ware reminds us that we are all God's gifted children and that God has put his signature on each of us in three different ways.

How can such a disaster be a time for glorifying God? Donna Riggs shares how God used a snow storm to prevent disaster for her church family.

How can we be sure that our time on earth truly matters and that we will accomplish all the Lord wants us to get done? Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in an online, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to remind us that God is at work in us and will get done through us all that we need to get done to honor him and complete our life's mission.

"Dear Beloved, Your world can be a brutal place for good people. I never promised My disciples that life would be easy and without problems. People..."

When this life-altering grief and separation invade our worlds, we are left with many challenges, some seem insurmountable. Gene Vance shares insights from his book, 'Transition to Eternity' to help us find great hope and anticipation of Eternity with Jesus!

We are blessed to have the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures that the Spirit inspired to guide our steps in a confusing and dangerous world. Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to remember God's faithfulness to his promises, the victory our God has promised to us, and the importance of obeying the Scriptures God has gi

Prayer that the Father hears is directed to him in faith with an unselfish attitude, seeking to bless and honor God's will because of our love for the Father. Bill Sherrill reminds us about the importance of prayer and how we should pray to honor God.

Prayer changes something much more important than our circumstances! Phil Ware continues his series on building a culture of honor focusing this week on prayer, especially prayer as a redemptive tool of offering forgiveness and blessing to those who are our enemies and who mistreat us.

People "stand for" or "stand on" many things that waste their time, efforts, and lives on causes that don't really matter. Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in virtual worship through words and music using YouTube videos encouraging us to stand in grace.

When the world caves in, do you make a faith choice? Ron Rose talks about a couple that loses everything beside faith and then finds an opportunity to influence others for God.

Should this actually be one of our life goals? God is really in control, and is at our side, and in control of our agenda if we will loosen up and let him lead us.

How much would you have lost? A damaging fire that swept through the Norvell home is heartbreaking and hard, but also a reminder of God's constant care.

Jesus calls us to the future, not to fear. safety net, net, rescue, Jesus, servant of God

Will you hang in there when things are tough to do? Growth takes consistent, persistent effort, it is not something that happens right now, but God is at work right now to make it happen in us.

Can there be any joy in the death of a 13 year old? A person's life is not judged by its length but by its impact.

Will you be where you need to be? God gets us where we need to be when we need to be there!

How do you punctuate your life and walk with God? Ron Rose talks about where we find our significance and comfort in life, God or false substitutes.

Does difficulty really lead to something better? Rubel Shelly reminds us that difficuty can be an opportunity to grow and become more of a person.

What good thing can come out of bad things? God can turn our worst nightmares into a way to find his blessing and be his blessing, if we can persevere and look for his presence.

What is coming down the road for you? Sometimes when we least expect, in an area where we would never suspect it, God opens up our eyes and hearts and helps us see everything in a new light.

Can you see how the Lord has guided your path? Rose Rose carefully and respectfully challenges us to launch out in faith and see the great promises gives to us.

What do you say when you lose a loved one? Arthur John Gossip's famous sermon helps us face grief: "You people," says Gossip, "in the sunshine may believe the faith, but we in the shadow must believe it. We have nothing else."

Are the things going on in your life just random or are they God things? Journaling allows us to see God's work, his fingerprints, his involvement in our lives.

When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Phil Ware challenges us to look beyond the cosmetic image we see in the mirror and view ourselves as God does.

If you can't keep something, why not give it up? There is nothing foolish about turning our back on the things of this life in order to gain a life that has no end.

Our ToGather time today focuses on God's great promises to bless us, but also challenges each of us to ask: What is the true source of my delight? Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to call us to recognize God's greatness and his desire to bless us with every good thing we need.

Growing in prayer, feeling a connection with the Father, and being formed to be a useful vessel for Jesus to use to bless others is a journey. Phil Ware, with the help of Chad Higgins, continues his series on Lord Teach Us to Pray focusing on learning from Jesus.

Jesus rose from the dead, so we choose to live based on the conviction that this world is not our home, while we long for our lasting and more glorious one! Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to glorify God as we remember the life-changing implications of Jesus' resurrection.

What will you do with Phil Ware talks about theodicy, why good people suffer and the call to follow Jesus no matter what.

What can we really see from where we are right now? Bill Sherrill connects to an old King James phrase, the latter days, and reminds us that we often don't see things clearly until time has passed and we view things from God's perspective.

"Dear Child of the Father, Yes, you are a child of God! Doesn't that sound incredible? The Father in heaven, the Eternal, the Almighty, the Creator is..."

Your suffering is only temporary. In a world of suffering, God's Spirit offers Hope for Life.

How can we learn to put things in the right perspective? Problems that seem so huge can be cut down to size when we look at them from an eternal perspective

Can any good thing come from having to wait? Phil Ware turns to some key principles Jesus' lead apostle Peter shared with people in his day to help them be ready for both opportunity and trial.

What goes way beyond new at being new? Life comes in many packages, but something way beyond new is fresh, like a loaf of bread.

Does He really speak to people today? Phil Ware shares insights on Jesus calling Mary by name and speaking to us today.

How differently might we respond to his call if we truly realized that we are far more precious to him than any son or daughter could be to a loving mommy or daddy? Phil Ware begins a series of 13 messages on Vision by talking about his own son and daughter and how he had dreams for them as children.

We trust in Jesus' promise to return in victory for us and bring God's new heaven and new earth. Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to remind us of God's greatness and Jesus' promise to take us home to the Father and reveal us as God's adopted children and heal our broken wo

What would you give up for the Kingdom? While we talk about giving up things for the sake of the Kingdom, are we willing to give up our children to go to the mission field?

What can we really expect the Spirit to do for us, today, in our world? Phil Ware writes about Jesus' promise of the Holy Spirit focusing on John 14 and Jesus' promise to not leave us as orphans but to come to us and show himself to us and be in us and make his home with us.

What can we expect the Spirit to do for us? Phil Ware continues a short series on the Holy Spirit focusing on John 14 and what it means for Jesus to not leave us as orphans, but to come to us and show himself to us and be in us and make his home with us.