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Welcome!
Welcome to the
web-site of Deacon Ralph Torrelli. An important promise from Jesus sets the tone for this website. "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses." (Acts 1:8)
This ministry is dedicated to
the empowerment of God's people through the living word.
The following principles of empowerment are excerpts from two of my recently released publications and Scripture commentaries. For more details, click on the "Publications" and "Scripture Commentary" links on this site. To consider having Deacon Ralph speak to your Parish or Group, click on the "Missions" tab.
1. God's intentions and expectations for us are much higher than our own. We may be content with managing to survive, but God wants us to thrive by embracing the help of the Holy Spirit who has equipped the Baptized with everything we need to grow strong in faith, overcome life's difficulties and be a gift to others.
2. When you give a problem to God, you exercise faith. When you leave that problem with God, you exercise trust. Your faith can grow stronger and you can experience God's victorious results when, after giving God the problem, you trust Him enough to not take it back and bear the full burden of it alone.
3. Even in times when God is silent or when His answer to your prayer is "no," you can still have faith, hope, trust, and the assurance that God is in charge, no matter how things may look.
4. "Rejoicing in the Lord is our strength." (Neh. 8:10). When we joyfully praise and glorify God in all things, weakness, depression and anger gives way to strength, hope and peace.
5. Know deep in your heart that God desires only your well-being, peace, and victory over despair. (Jer. 29: 11-14)
6. Your present trial or test is not your first and certainly won't be your last. Know with certainty that the same God who saw you through past trials and tests will walk with you in the present one.
7. The victory is mine, when the battle is the Lord's.
8. Do not allow fear of being ridiculed to stifle the witness of your faith commitment.
9. Believe the promise, "For God, nothing is impossible."
10. Be persistent and expectant in faith and prayer.
God's empowerment helps us to resist the temptation to "gratify the desires of the flesh," which puts us at enmity with the Spirit. (Gal. 5: 16-21)
God's empowerment helps us to manifest the "fruit of the Spirit." (Gal. 5: 22-25)
God's empowerment helps us to yield to the gifts the Spirit has already given. (1 Cor. 12: 4-11)
Click on the Missions tab to view seasonal
and topical mission talks for your group or parish.
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