The Glorious Light

     Jesus is the Word of God come to life in the flesh. (John 1) We have read about and imagine His earthly life. We have not seen Him in His full glory. It would be impossible for us to witness His full glory until we arrive in heaven. Right now, we have His very own Holy Spirit within us and we see in part what is to come.

For now we see only a reflection, as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part, then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 1 Corinthian 13:12

     Jesus, in His full glory, will fill the heavens and the earth with His light. He knows us fully. Someday, we will know Him fully as we meet Him face-to-face!

The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light and the Lamb is its lamp. Revelation 21:23

There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever. Revelation 22:5

     Impossible to imagine. No need of the sun or the moon. God’s glory will be shining for eternity with Jesus as the lamp. Anticipate the wonder.

Lord,

Fill us with Your Holy Spirit as we anticipate the wonders of our heavenly home. There are moments we long for Your return. Keep us content while we wait.

In Jesus name,

Amen

The Glorious Reunion

    We are beginning to plan our 45^th high school reunion. Where have the years gone? I was blessed to be a part of South Minneapolis and, collectively, we are all still connected with younger and older “kids” from our neighborhoods. My class had over 600 students. Planning for reunions brings anticipation and excitement. Who will be there? Who has changed? What have old friends been up to since the last time we met?

     There will be another reunion for us one day. As we take our last breath, we will be escorted into heaven to be reunited with the believers who have gone before us. I long to see my parents, my friend, Patsy, my grandparents, cousins and other friends who have arrived in heaven first. That day brings anticipation and excitement. The former things will pass away and everything will be new and exciting and forever. Who do you miss? Do you sometimes long for the day you will meet Jesus?

See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create. Isaiah 65;17-18a

But in keeping with His promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. 2 Peter 3:13

    We wait with anticipation for that most glorious reunion.

Lord,

We await the new heaven and new earth where we will dwell together with You and all who have gone before us. Keep us protected and filled with hope as we wait.

In Jesus name,

Amen

The Hope-filled Believer

And now these three remain, faith, hope and love, but the greatest of these in love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

     The love of Christ accepts us where we are, saves us and transforms us day by day. Ultimately, we are moving spiritually to our heavenly home. At the end of any suffering, as the grief subsides, at the renewal of the heavens and the earth, there is hope for tomorrow.

     The tomorrows with Jesus are unending. Forever is a concept difficult to wrap our minds around in our finite, earthly lives. But the promise is real.

To the man next to Him on the cross.

Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43

To His disciples.

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am.” “John 14:3

And to all of His followers.

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. Revelation 21:4

     And once we arrive, our Savior will be present with us. Our hopes will be realized and all that will remain is love.

Jesus,

You offer the ultimate hope, the final answer to all of life’s questions. How can anyone turn it down? You are the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. You are ours forever.

Amen

The Peace-filled Believer

     Part of our witness to Jesus can be to abide in His peace. Tough to do these days, isn’t it? Without Him, we are filled with fear and hopelessness. But, we know the end of the story and it ia beautiful! For now, in the midst of chaos, Jesus offers us a way to walk in peace.

     Peace I leave with you, My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.  John 14:27

     Fill up with His Holy Spirit as you fill up on His Word and His love. His peace can be summed up in the Hebrew word, “Shalom.” The Jewish people use this word as they meet or as they part. It does not just mean without war or quarrel, but it encompasses so much more. It means to be whole or complete.

     Jesus offers us that wholeness. Do not be afraid. Do not let your heart be troubled. Shalom.

Father,

We long for that complete and whole peace that permeates every cell in our bodies. Fill us with that type of peace as we maneuver through the lives you have given us. We accept the gift of shalom.

Amen

The Word-filled Believer

     How does the Holy Spirit teach and guide us? Through conviction deep within us, through unmistakable joy and peace, and through the Word of God. The Holy Spirit will open up the Word of God to the believers of Jesus. This Word is alive and power-filled. It holds the answers to our questions. It touches the deepest hurts of our hearts. It holds God’s promises and it holds the prophecies of the beginning to the end.

For the Word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

     The Word of God convicts us. God always looks to and understands our hearts and our motives. The Word will help us to stay on God’s track and not on our own. Left to our own devices, we wander away back into the world around us. It is our natural bent.

     Want to understand what is going on in the world? Study the Word of God. The very headlines happening in our world were written thousands of years ago. The signs are upon us and it is time to look up for our Redeemer! Make time to study the Word with God. He will open your heart and mind to His truth and it is one truth, one hope, one Jesus.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me.” John 14:6

Jesus,

Your Word is alive and active, guiding us in our lives. Give us the perseverance and patience to stick with it, to study, to spend more and more time with You as we witness the events around us.

Amen

The Spirit-filled Believer

     We know the Holy Spirit seals us the moment we believe. (see Ephesians 1:13) As we grow in our faith, the Holy Spirit takes the lead. Throughout Scripture, He is called our teacher, our comforter, and our guide. That very Spirit, the one who raised Christ from the dead, is available to us and not only available, takes residence within us to live. What a privilege!

And His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength He exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at the right hand in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 1:19-20

     This Holy Spirit knows the things of God and makes them available to us!

     These are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 1 Corinthians 2:10

     The Holy Spirit will allow us to understand the deep things of God and makes the resurrection power available to us in this world, to study, to teach, to encourage, to find joy and peace in a damaged world. The Spirit will fill us with God’s will. We are here for a reason, for this season, to be filled with His hope and glory. Believe it! And be filled.

Father,

You give us more than we can hope for or imagine, the wonderful, deep things of the heavenly realms. Help us to understand as Your Holy Spirit guides us throughout our lives.

In Jesus name,

Amen

The Faith-filled Believer

     Faith in Jesus is all our mighty God asks of us. Abraham was counted as righteous because of his faith and so are we. When we accept the good news of the Gospel, the life, death, burial and resurrection of our Lord, we receive eternity. Did you know faith pleases God? Listen to this.

And without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him, must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

     When you have time, read through the entire chapter of Hebrews 11. It is called the great faith chapter. It lists name after name in the Bible of the faith-filled people of God. They walked the earth just like you and me. And all of them fell short in life, in fear, in disobedience, in running away, just like you and me. Fell short, but not in their faith and trust in God.

     Let that be said of you and me. As we walk through our lives, falling short, here and there in every which way, have faith. Jesus is stronger, mightier, more magnificent that any of our foibles. He is our Savior and He has washed us clean.

Lord,

We trust You. We have faith in You. Let that please You today as we serve as Your children. We do fall short and You always pick us back up. Let our faith overcome it all.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Through It All

     Through it all, beginning to end, Jesus is with us. He loves us with an everlasting love, as we place our complete trust in Him and in His work.  He has given us the beginning and the end of the story, and He is the author and finisher of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2)

I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come, I say, “My purpose will stand and I will do all that I please.” Isaiah 46:10

     The end of the story is His and He will reign forever and ever. That’s a long time. Ask Jesus to be your Savior, and hold on to His hand through it all. He will be sufficient. He will guide you, never leaving you, ever.

The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. Deuteronomy 31:8

     Jesus gives us the courage to move on, with hope and joy in our heart. After all, it’s all about Him, not us and it’s all about others. It’s all about love. Through it all.

Jesus,

Thank You for taking it all, for saving us from death, for sticking with us through it all. It’s not easy to get through our lives on earth, but the blessings, the joy, the beauty, the moments of gladness fill our hearts with hope for tomorrow.

Amen

Through It All

     We often hear and we often ask, “Why?” throughout our lives as we watch the news, as we wonder why a life is cut short, or why someone we know has to suffer. The “why” questions in life don’t have easy answers. We don’t know why God allows suffering, but we do know we live in a fallen world. Creation is groaning, along with us, as we await the Savior’s return.

     Jesus offers us the eternal answers to all of life’s questions. Everything leads to the final redemption of the earth and its inhabitants. It all points to Jesus, the One who saves us all. His hand and heart are available to us now and forever. Take hold of Him today and watch for His mighty ways to work in your life, through it all.

     Through our suffering, God polishes us through the fire, teaching us to remain faithful, even unto death, trusting in His work in us.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character, and character, hope. Romans 5:3-4

     Consider our sufferings as joy? Believing that as we suffer God is producing hope? I believe this to be true. Perseverance is hard work throughout our lives, but God is building in us as unshakable faith that leads to hope and eternal life. Glory in Him as we serve with deep joy, through it all.

Lord,

We don’t understand, but You do. We abide in our faith as You guide us with perseverance, leading to hope. Our blessed hope always leads us to You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Through It All

     As older women of faith, we are called to teach the younger women. (See Titus 2) Gaining wisdom from God is a life-long process and none of us will ever understand all that God has for us, but as we age, we can look back with perspective, understanding how Jesus, our Savior, has seen us through it all. Living for Him is such a blessing.

     The words that begin Psalm 1 remind me of the older women of faith in my life. I have been blessed to have many of them. They act as mentors, mothers, sisters and best friends. The deep fellowship of studying God’s Word together has such a richness, and a closeness unlike any other.

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and whp meditates on His law, day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither-whatever they do prospers. Psalm 1:1-3

     A life spent living and delighting in God’s Word, meditating on it day and night can be seen in the life of these women of faith. They know God. They follow His Word. They delight in it and live by it. They do not wither. Their spirits shine with the love of Christ through it all. Let it be so for us as we age.

Father,

Thank You for the blessings of the elders in our lives. We want to follow their example and train the next generation in Your ways. Give us Your wisdom.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Through It All

     Through our tragedies and triumphs, through our misery and our miracles, through our grief and our glory, God is here. He weaves a beautiful pattern in our lives when we trust in Him. When we praise Him through the deepest storm, it brings our earthly eyes to the One in the heavens. As David said, “For I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.”

     As we live our lives, as we depend on God more and more, we learn His ways. He offers us His wisdom

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so you may know Him better. Ephesians 1:17

     That verse is quite a prayer! God will give us His wisdom and revelation each day. Our greatest goal and hope should be to know Him better, to go deeper with Him. We can adopt His ways and learn from Him. Through it all, we can give His love and hope to others.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

     We are comforted by Him, “so that we can comfort.”  That is beautiful. Pass it on. Share the hope. We have received so much. Let’s give it away.

Father,

We receive Your love and Your joy, Your comfort and Your strength. Give us the wisdom to share the same with those we meet. What a privilege to share all of You with others.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Through It All

Jesus is our constant companion and biggest advocate. He will see us through our tragedies and rejoice with us in our triumphs. He will muddle with us through our misery and surprise us with a miracle. He will comfort us in our grief and light us up with God’s glory. He is always there.

     The Word of God is available through every season, every mountain-top high and valley low. The Psalms can echo our own hearts. David poured everything out to his God. He cried out through the darkest nights, asked for forgiveness as he recognized his sin, rejoiced in the blessings of God, and shared his deep grief over the death of his sons. Find a Psalm to meet your needs and let God speak to you and guide you through every experience and emotion.

   Maybe some of these verses will meet you where you are right now.

I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears. Psalm 6:6

Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions and my sin is always before me. Psalm 51:2-3

Rescue me from my enemies, Lord, for I hide myself in You. Psalm 143:9

My eyes fail, looking for Your promise. I say, “When will You comfort me? Psalm 119:82

     David’s words may hit home for you as you grieve, as you feel the need for forgiveness, as you cry out to our Lord.  And He is there. David always turned back to God, no matter the circumstances. He was called, “a man after God’s own heart.”  Here is an example.

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 47:5

Lord,

Turn our hearts back to You. You listen, You comfort, You guide, and You see us through it all.  We will continue to praise You!

In Jesus name,

Amen

Things Above

     Our short lives can count for Jesus. The Spirit within can be nurtured, bringing us supernatural power to get through this life, with the promise of sharing God’s glory. Yesterday we talked about keeping an eternal perspective. As we age, our bodies will wear out. I love the verses I will leave you with today. I say them often and have used them at several memorial services. Take it in and live boldly for our Lord.

Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary and what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

    Did you see it? We are growing inwardly. Our troubles are “light and momentary.” The glory that awaits will outweigh any trouble or struggle we have suffered a thousand times over!  Keep it in perspective. Focus your eyes on Jesus. Focus your eyes on the eternal. Eternal glory awaits!

Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  Colossians 1:1-2

   Set your heart, set your mind on Christ, on things above.

Jesus,

We turn to You, setting our minds and our hearts on You. Take care of us today. Give us the peace that passes all understanding and keep us mindful of heavenly things.

Amen

Peace Now and Forever

     An eternal perspective brings hope, even in the midst of tragedy. Our lives are short, no matter how many earthly years we live. Peter says it is “for a little while.” (1 Peter 1:6) Our troubles are seen as “light and momentary.” (2 Corinthians 4:17) Our lives spoken of as a “wisp” (James 4:14) or a “breath.” (Psalm 144:40 In God’s eyes, a thousand years is fleeting!

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends. With the Lord, a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like a day. 2 Peter 3:8

     This perspective keeps us holding on to the hope of heaven. Our bodies will wear out eventually. We will all die one day. And Jesus offers us hope each and every day, heavenly blessings from His love as we wait. He offers us peace on this earth.

“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart. I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

     Jesus does not mince words. We WILL have trouble in this world. No one comes through life without struggles. But remember. Jesus overcame them all on the cross. He died for you and for me. Hang on to hope. Heaven is right around the corner, just a breath away.

Jesus,

Thank You for hope. In times of trouble, You promise peace. Give us a heavenly perspective today, in the midst of any trial and trouble. We look to You.

Amen

The Thorns In Our Life

     The apostle, Paul, writes about a “thorn in his side.” There have been various thoughts and guesses on the identity of the thorn. We know he prayed three times for it to be removed. Some believe it was something to do with his eyes. He says one group of his friends would have been willing to give him their own eyes and sometime, in a later epistle, he says he wrote with his own large handwriting.

     It could be his eyes. It could be another health issue. It could be a person. We simply don’t know and maybe we are not meant to know. What we do know is that the thorn drew him closer to Jesus. He relied on His strength and we can do the same. We all have thorns that plague us throughout life. And when we are weak, God is strong. We can shine with His strength.

Here are Paul’s words.

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:8-9

     Unfortunately, it often takes a crisis to bring us closer to God. Our suffering forces us to ask the big questions. Is there a God? Where is He? And, of course, He is right there. Can we boast in our weaknesses? We can. Without the eye disease I live with on a daily basis, I don’t know if I would have given the time to God that I have been blessed to do over the last twenty-five years. And I count it all joy.

     How about you? Has suffering brought you to your knees? Has God guided you through a tough time, into a stronger faith? Does your thorn or weakness bring you closer to Him? To rely on Him more? His ways are beyond our comprehension. But He is enough. His grace is sufficient.

Lord,

Yes, we can thank You for our suffering, the times that draw us closer to You, the testimonies that come from Your ways. May our weaknesses shine with Your strength, to bring joy in the midst of it all.

In Jesus name,

Amen

With Him

     God works through our struggles and through our weaknesses. The most difficult times in our lives remind us of our need for God. As we grow in our faith, we know we can trust Him with everything. Not only that, Jesus says, we can do nothing without Him.

“I am the vine. You are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit. Apart from Me, you can do nothing. John 15:5

    We are helpless without Him, floundering throughout life, with no firm foundation. We can do nothing without Him, but WITH Him, we can do anything!

I can do all things, with Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

     Need some extra strength today? Wondering how to get through the day? Rely on Him. Give it all to Christ. With Him, all things are possible.

Jesus,

We turn to You today. You are the vine and we are the branches. Prune away the dead parts of our lives and let us bear more fruit for You. Give us the inner strength to do what matters.

Amen

He Is Greater

     There are days I believe I am going crazy. How about you? I deal with anxiety and have, off and on, for most of my life. Luckily, it does not strike often anymore. When it does, it almost completely paralyzes me with dread and fear. It seems impossible to escape. My heart races. I can’t sleep. I wonder if I should go in to the doctor. It is frightening.

     Of course, I run to Jesus. In the middle of the night, I plead for help. I speak Scriptures to myself over and over. I know that the Word of God holds great power and life. Peace eventually returns.

     When do you feel most helpless? How does Satan attack you? He knows all of our weaknesses and he sneaks around waiting for an opportune moment to strike. After he tempted Jesus, and Jesus defeated him with His Word, this is what Scripture tells us about Satan’s wily ways.

When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left Him until an opportune time. Luke 4;13

     He waits for opportune times in all of our lives, waiting to pounce.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

     Be alert. Remember, you are a child of the Most-High God. Satan detests us and does not want us to spread the news about Christ. He wants to tear us down at all costs. Be alert and always remember, Satan is not an equal of Jesus. The One we serve is mightier and the Word is our sword.

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in this world. 1 John 4:4

Father,

Remind us of Your great power to defeat our enemy. You are the one within us and there is no greater power in heaven or on earth. Even though the devil has temporary power in this world, You are in control. Keep us safe and at peace.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Spirit Power

     Walking in the Spirit is a constant battle, isn’t it? We get distracted. Satan is always up to his old tricks of deceit, putting thoughts in our head, lying to us to make us believe him rather than God. Our flesh cries out and the spirit fights back. As we mature in our faith and rely more and more on the power of Christ available to us, we can remain more and more at peace, filled with the constant joy of Jesus.

     The song “It Is Well With My Soul,” is a reminder of what we have in Jesus. Our souls, the very deepest part of us, can be at peace throughout our lives, knowing we are not at home. Our home is with Jesus and one day, all things will become new and we will live forever in His presence. Keep that deep down in your soul at all times. The joy and peace of Christ is not of this world. It is beyond it. And the Holy Spirit within will continue to grow us in that wisdom. All we need to do is ask.

     Ask for His guidance every day. Ask for help when you feel helpless. Ask for power when you feel weak. Ask for wisdom when you don’t understand. Ask for peace when you are in turmoil. Ask for joy when you are downcast. Ask for patience when you can’t take it anymore! Ask for a heart of love when hatred is all around. It is there, just for the asking, the power of the Spirit lives in you.

Let’s end the week with this verse as a prayer:

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

Amen!

Spirit Power

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:25

     Is it possible to keep in step with the Spirit? What does that look like? It means following Christ when it is difficult, doing the right thing when our flesh wants to do what it wants to do, taking time to be with the Lord when we are busy, sharing love when we are angry, using our struggles to share a testimony. It is life lived abundantly with the power of the Holy Spirit.

     We can’t do it in our human flesh. It HAS to be supernatural, impossible in our humanity. Oh, but God offers us so much more, when we allow Him to work within us.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Ephesians 1:3

     I don’t know about you, but I want to tap into those heavenly blessings. They are beyond the world in which we live, yet they are made available to us. Ask God to lavish you with His love and blessings today as we listen for the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

Amen

Spirit Power

     Allow the Holy Spirit to teach you all things about Jesus. As you read the Bible, the Holy Spirit will open your eyes, ears and heart to His truth. The Word of God is able to teach us and bring us to new revelation, to new purpose, to a change in life. There may be an eye-opening moment, a verse that leaps off the page, or a deep peace when praying. The words of our Lord. Jesus speak about the promised Holy Spirit.

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. John 14:26    

     The Holy Spirit is our teacher, our counselor, our advocate. He anoints us with His power to represent our Lord.

As for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit-just as it has taught you, remain in Him. 1 John 2:27

     We are anointed with His power as He teaches us all things. We are to remain in Jesus. What an exciting adventure!

Father,

How do we thank You for Your Holy Spirit? His power works in us and through us as we remain rooted in Jesus, in relationship, in prayer and in study. Give us the wisdom to seek You at all times.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Spirit Power

          The Holy Spirit resides within us to teach us, to guide us, to grow us in our faith. Is He welcomed into your own life? There is so much we miss out on as we ignore His work and listen to the world around us. It is impossible to grow in Christ without time and commitment. Commitment to His Word, to worship, to prayer, to relationship. Spending time with God changes everything!

     The seeds of the Spirit need to be nurtured. God calls the power of the Holy Spirit, “fruit.” The fruit includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self=control. (Galatians 5) We need to water those seeds until they mature. And the Spirit will give us power, supernatural power to move about in the world.

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7

     Love, power and self-discipline. Believe in the power of the Holy Spirit today.

Father,

We long to grow in the Holy Spirit’s power, to be less timid as we share Your love, to be disciplined in faith, to walk with You and not against You every single day. Show us how.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Spirit Power

    When we first believe in Christ, we are immediately sealed with His Holy Spirit. Nothing can ever take away our salvation, our eternal home. Christ died for us while we were sinners and offers us this free gift. Last week we talked about faith. That is all He asks. We are guaranteed eternity!

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession-to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:13-14

     Take in the wonder of the verses above. We are sealed forever with the Holy Spirit. We are guaranteed a heavenly, perfect home forever. This week we will talk about the Holy Spirit’s work in us from now to eternity. Praise God!

Jesus,

The very Holy Spirit of God resides within us when we believe. The gift is beyond our human thought. Teach us this week the power we have available and the ways we can grow to be more like You.

Amen