“It is God who gives us, along with you, the ability to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment of everything he will give us.”
How are you standing firm for Christ? It takes courage and God’s power to stand firm for your Christian beliefs, especially when you may face rejection or criticism. Once I found myself in a conversation when everyone else was okay with software piracy, and I was not. I said a quick prayer, then shared my views on why that is actually stealing, and how it violates my principles as a believer. I know God empowered me to share my opinion in a loving, respectful way while still upholding what is true in his law.
What is your unique commission for the Lord? Paul and his friends were commissioned to spread the Gospel to first-century Gentiles. You may feel that your own commission or calling isn’t as important, but God has called each of us to make an eternal impact upon our own spheres of influence. Think about your talents, abilities, and experience, and how you can use them to lead people to Christ.
How do you know if the Holy Spirit dwells in your heart? One way to tell is if you are bearing the fruits of the spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23 for a list). I’ve noticed that as my faithwalk has grown, my amount of spiritual fruit has increased in proportion, especially during trials. Even as my trials increase, I can bear more love, joy, peace, and the like because the Holy Spirit enables the growth.
What other things do you imagine is included in “everything” he will give us? As I’ve posted before, I am just amazed that a person of the Trinity dwells in my heart to empower me every day! If I have that now on earth, as a finite, weak creature, how much more will I experience in heaven someday when my life is restored to God’s perfect design! Does knowing this spur you to praise God and lift your thoughts beyond this temporal world?
Copyright 2009
Showing posts with label Holy Spirit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holy Spirit. Show all posts
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
“Or don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”
I’m astounded to think that the Holy Spirit chooses me as his dwelling place, and that Jesus paid such an enormous price on the cross so that I would be included in his family. That is wonderful to consider, especially on days when I struggle with my self-image.
But the part, “So you must honor God with your body,” convicts me. I have overindulged in food most of my life. It’s not because I’m a glutton, though I do take pleasure in eating, especially sweets. The reason I’m 30 pounds overweight, one full year after my baby was born, is that I turn to food when I’m stressed out, and I don’t make time available for exercise.
I faced significant stress last year in several personal situations, as well as adjusting from two children to three. When I felt overwhelmed, I stood in our walk-in pantry with the door closed, shoving handfuls of chocolate chips in my mouth. I did this secretly because I didn’t want the kids to see—and I didn’t want to share! I used food to cope with stress, instead of asking the Lord to satisfy me in those painful moments.
As I read today’s verses, I recognize that when I overeat, I not only suffer from extra pounds, I also dishonor God. He wants me to cry out to Him when I’m overwhelmed or stressed. And He wants to provide the time and energy—and babysitting—for me to exercise too. I’ve been praying that God would help me with exactly that, but I didn’t see how our budget could include a gym membership. However, last week we received an escrow refund check of $600, and it lowered our monthly house payments by $43 per month. The gym membership is $42 per month, and I can pay for babysitting out of the refund check. What amazes me is that God cares about these details of my life, and He meets my needs in such practical ways.
It’s going to be a long journey to lose 30 pounds, but I know that God will sustain me. How can you ask Him to help you honor Him with your body?
Copyright 2009
I’m astounded to think that the Holy Spirit chooses me as his dwelling place, and that Jesus paid such an enormous price on the cross so that I would be included in his family. That is wonderful to consider, especially on days when I struggle with my self-image.
But the part, “So you must honor God with your body,” convicts me. I have overindulged in food most of my life. It’s not because I’m a glutton, though I do take pleasure in eating, especially sweets. The reason I’m 30 pounds overweight, one full year after my baby was born, is that I turn to food when I’m stressed out, and I don’t make time available for exercise.
I faced significant stress last year in several personal situations, as well as adjusting from two children to three. When I felt overwhelmed, I stood in our walk-in pantry with the door closed, shoving handfuls of chocolate chips in my mouth. I did this secretly because I didn’t want the kids to see—and I didn’t want to share! I used food to cope with stress, instead of asking the Lord to satisfy me in those painful moments.
As I read today’s verses, I recognize that when I overeat, I not only suffer from extra pounds, I also dishonor God. He wants me to cry out to Him when I’m overwhelmed or stressed. And He wants to provide the time and energy—and babysitting—for me to exercise too. I’ve been praying that God would help me with exactly that, but I didn’t see how our budget could include a gym membership. However, last week we received an escrow refund check of $600, and it lowered our monthly house payments by $43 per month. The gym membership is $42 per month, and I can pay for babysitting out of the refund check. What amazes me is that God cares about these details of my life, and He meets my needs in such practical ways.
It’s going to be a long journey to lose 30 pounds, but I know that God will sustain me. How can you ask Him to help you honor Him with your body?
Copyright 2009
Thursday, August 6, 2009
1 Corinthians 2:12
"And God has actually given us his Spirit (not the world's spirit) so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us."
This verse builds on yesterday's focus verse, and it explains how Christians can recognize the message of the cross as the very power of God. I also enjoy Paul's further explanation in today's reading, 1 Cor. 2:14-16.
I find it incredible and amazing that a person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit himself, takes up residence in a believer's heart. When I consider it, I wonder how I ever get discouraged or weary at all! Yet as the Bible says, I am like a common clay vessel (prone to weakness), but I am filled with the power of God through the Holy Spirit. It's wonderful!
How does the Holy Spirit work in your life? This is how I've found him to work in mine. One example: I will pray for God's wisdom and guidance on a certain topic. Then, in the next few days or weeks, I will hear a certain song regarding the topic, or it will show up in the Sunday sermon, or it will "just happen" to come up as the topic of a radio broadcast. And of course, it will pop up in my daily Bible reading as well. The Holy Spirit works in mysterious ways, but they are wonderful ways too. Rarely does God speak directly to me today like he did to people in the Old Testament. But He speaks to me through my current connections, if I ask for the Holy Spirit's help and avail myself to good resources.
Another way the Holy Spirit works in my life is by pricking my conscience. As my faith has grown, especially since I've become a parent, it's become easier to recognize the world's spirit working through music, television, and movies. I don't want to expose my children to the world's spirit in the media any sooner than necessary, and as they grow, I plan to teach them critical thinking skills to evaluate what they see and hear. So I carefully monitor our family television viewing and what's playing on the radio in the van. But I've also learned that what isn't good for my children isn't good for me either, because I am God's child, as they are. That's why I try to read movie reviews before I watch a movie, to discern whether it will be pleasing to God for me to expose myself to certain images or ideas, even as an adult. This is a major change compared to what I listened to and watched before I became a mother. And I credit it all to the Holy Spirit sensitizing my conscience. Has your conscience become more sensitive lately?
Today, I'm going to ask God to send his Spirit so I can know the wonderful things He's freely given me. Will you do the same?
Copyright 2009
This verse builds on yesterday's focus verse, and it explains how Christians can recognize the message of the cross as the very power of God. I also enjoy Paul's further explanation in today's reading, 1 Cor. 2:14-16.
I find it incredible and amazing that a person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit himself, takes up residence in a believer's heart. When I consider it, I wonder how I ever get discouraged or weary at all! Yet as the Bible says, I am like a common clay vessel (prone to weakness), but I am filled with the power of God through the Holy Spirit. It's wonderful!
How does the Holy Spirit work in your life? This is how I've found him to work in mine. One example: I will pray for God's wisdom and guidance on a certain topic. Then, in the next few days or weeks, I will hear a certain song regarding the topic, or it will show up in the Sunday sermon, or it will "just happen" to come up as the topic of a radio broadcast. And of course, it will pop up in my daily Bible reading as well. The Holy Spirit works in mysterious ways, but they are wonderful ways too. Rarely does God speak directly to me today like he did to people in the Old Testament. But He speaks to me through my current connections, if I ask for the Holy Spirit's help and avail myself to good resources.
Another way the Holy Spirit works in my life is by pricking my conscience. As my faith has grown, especially since I've become a parent, it's become easier to recognize the world's spirit working through music, television, and movies. I don't want to expose my children to the world's spirit in the media any sooner than necessary, and as they grow, I plan to teach them critical thinking skills to evaluate what they see and hear. So I carefully monitor our family television viewing and what's playing on the radio in the van. But I've also learned that what isn't good for my children isn't good for me either, because I am God's child, as they are. That's why I try to read movie reviews before I watch a movie, to discern whether it will be pleasing to God for me to expose myself to certain images or ideas, even as an adult. This is a major change compared to what I listened to and watched before I became a mother. And I credit it all to the Holy Spirit sensitizing my conscience. Has your conscience become more sensitive lately?
Today, I'm going to ask God to send his Spirit so I can know the wonderful things He's freely given me. Will you do the same?
Copyright 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)