'Holy Spirit' Tagged Posts (Page 4)
Daily Devotions
No longer present your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and present your members to God as instruments of righteousness.” vs. 13 Romans 6:12-16 Paul implies here that the folks in Rome had an option to present themselves either to sin as instruments of wickedness or to God as instruments of righteousness. His words resonate with our own observations of the world and our…
Daily Devotions
No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.” vss. 20-21 Romans 4:18-25 We all know believers whose faith seems to grow stronger as they age, not because they have had prayers answered or seen miracles, but simply because they have continued to trust in the promises of God. And where do such…
Daily Devotions
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.” vss. 19-20a Matthew 28:18-20 The gospel of Matthew concludes with what has come to be known as the Great Commission, and these few mountain-top words have pretty much defined the Church’s understanding of its mission from the beginning. While the early disciples likely did…
Daily Devotions
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.” vs. 13 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 It would be another 300 years or so before church leaders would get together to formalize a primitive notion of the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. And some would argue that we’d be better off if those ecumenical creeds had not been formulated. After all, in their attempt to compose one statement…
Daily Devotions
Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” vss. 21-22 John 20:21-23 There are many passages in our scriptures about the Spirit or the Wind of God. It animates every living creature and energizes believers with wisdom and understanding. The Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness and filled him with a passion…
Daily Devotions
After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.” vs. 20 John 20:19-20 Luke tells us that after the resurrection Jesus was revealed to two of his disciples in the breaking of bread. John, on the other hand, reports that Jesus was known to the disciples in the revealing of his scars. These two very different stories are a great gift to us as we struggle to see…
Daily Devotions
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.” vs. 12 1 Corinthians 12:11-13 It seems that Paul had no difficulty believing in the resurrection. All he had to do was consider that little congregation in Corinth that was so dear to him. In them he saw Christ, the same risen Lord Jesus Christ who had called him into ministry on…
Daily Devotions
But Moses said to him, ‘Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!’” vs. 29 Numbers 11:24-34 According to the Book of Numbers, Moses was feeling the burden of leadership in the wilderness and complained to the Lord. He was instructed to gather 70 elders from among the people, and the Lord put his Spirit on them and they then began to prophesy. But…
Daily Devotions
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” vs. 8 Acts 1:6-14 For a couple of decades following his death and resurrection, followers of Jesus eagerly anticipated his return in glory to complete what he had begun. They were still looking for the restoration of the kingdom of Israel. But when Luke wrote his gospel…
Daily Devotions
If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever.” vss. 15-16 John 14:15-17 Sometimes it can seem as though the world could care less about love, at least the brand of love that was at the core of Jesus’ ministry and that he commanded his followers to practice. Instead we are served up a steady diet of lies, deceit, and self-serving manipulation.…
Daily Devotions
You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.” vs. 23 1 Peter 1:21-23 Early believers thought of themselves as having been born anew by the implanting of the living Word of God in their hearts through faith. They had then been gathered by the Holy Spirit into small communities where they were bound together in mutual love, where, in this writer’s words, they were “to love one another…
Daily Devotions
So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added.” vs. 41 Acts 2:14a, 36-41 According to Luke, Peter got quite a response to his Pentecost sermon in Jerusalem. While the number 3000 can be questioned, there’s no doubt that not long after Jesus’ crucifixion, many Jews joined the ranks of the believers. Some of them may have been in the crowd shouting for his death, but when they heard Peter’s words…