'Holy Spirit' Tagged Posts (Page 3)
Daily Devotions
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” vss. 16-18 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 At first glance it appears that Paul is giving the Thessalonians a new set of impossible rules for their new life in Christ, that it would be their duty to rejoice, pray, and give thanks continually. That would be a grim set of directives indeed, a whole new series of things to feel…
Daily Devotions
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” vs. 10 Isaiah 61:8-11 The prophet’s testimony is exactly what we need to hear as we move through this second week of Advent Toward Pink Candle Sunday. He used…
Daily Devotions
The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners…” vs. 1 Isaiah 61:1-4 After Jesus was baptized by John, and when he had come out of the river, the spirit of the Lord God came upon him, and he realized that in his baptism with water he…
Daily Devotions
I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” vs. 8. Mark 1:5-8 Our scriptures indicate that there is a difference between water baptism and spirit baptism. The one is connected with John the Baptist and the other with Jesus. Jesus himself received both, being baptized in the Jordan River by John, and then anointed with the Holy Spirit when he came up out of the river. The early church adopted baptism with water…
Daily Devotions
John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” vs. 4 Mark 1:1-4 When Mark wrote his gospel, very likely the first of the four we have in the New Testament, he didn’t include any stories about angels or shepherds or the birth of a baby in Bethlehem. Perhaps he hadn’t heard of such things. But he does know about John the baptizer and his ministry in the wilderness of Judea, and…
Daily Devotions
I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ… may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you…” vss. 7-8a Ephesians 1:15-23 Paul doesn’t seem to have known the people that he was writing to, but he has certainly heard of their faith, and he regularly includes them in his prayers…
Daily Devotions
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.” vss. 2-3 Psalm 95:1-7a Thanksgiving is on everyone’s minds today. At least the eating and drinking part! Most of us are preparing for an amazing feast, and in most of our homes we’re going to be eating pretty much the same things. It seems we all…
Daily Devotions
Alas for you who desire the day of the LORD! Why do you want the day of the LORD? It is darkness, not light; as if someone fled from a lion, and was met by a bear…” vss. 18-19a Amos 5:18-20 When Amos came out of the south and into the prosperous north with a word from the Lord, he wasn’t going to a people who were unfamiliar with the traditions of Israel. There were religious leaders and active worship…
Daily Devotions
Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.” vs. 2 1 John 3:2-3 John leaves room for mystery in our future. We don’t yet know what we one day will be, but what we do know is that right now, today, we are God’s beloved children. For most that will…
Daily Devotions
Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.” vs, 7 Psalm 96:1-9 To his credit, the psalmist did not consider the Lord to be Israel’s national God. Even though there was a temple in Jerusalem, there was no statue of the Lord to be found there. The God of Israel was also the God of the nations, and the psalmist dreamed of a day when all the families of the peoples would…
Daily Devotions
I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” vs. 1 Romans 12:1-2 When Paul was making his own decisions about life he used his personality and his learning to launch a crusade against Jews who believed that Jesus was the messiah. After he was confronted by the living Christ everything changed. Moved by the gospel of grace,…
Daily Devotions
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God…” vss.15-16 Romans 8:12-18 When we, by the grace of God, begin to lead lives that bring us joy and that are a blessing to others, it’s not because we have somehow found the strength in ourselves to…