Category Archives: Holy Spirit

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June 13, 2016

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Church & Worship, Faith & Hope, Fruit of the Spirit, God's Word: The Bible, Holy Spirit, Knowing Him, Salvation: A New You

TESTING THE FAITHFUL

Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith. [2 Corinthians 13:5 (NLT)]

Netherlands How would we prove we are Christians? If we were Islamic converts to Christianity, seeking asylum in the United Kingdom or several other nations, an assessor would interview us to determine whether or not we actually are believers. Unfortunately, many of those doing the interviewing have no real understanding of Christianity themselves. Worse, as new Christians, we probably won’t know the answers to the sort of questions that are asked while those who are pretending to be Christian might have all the answers memorized. After all, back in Jesus’ time, the Pharisees had all the answers but were sorely lacking in faith. If we failed our interviews, we’d be subject to deportation. For a Christian, especially a Christian convert (an apostate), returning to one’s Islamic homeland could have dire (even fatal) consequences.

The following are actual questions asked by U.K. immigration officers. Can you answer them?
How many books in the Bible? 66—although the Catholic Bible has 73
How many books in the New Testament? 27
How many chapters in the book of John? 21
What is the date of Pentecost? Seven weeks after Easter
Who were the disciples? Simon Peter, Andrew, James son of Zebedee, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot

How did you do? Does knowing Bible minutiae define a true believer? If so, there are many (including me) who wouldn’t qualify. According to the American Bible Society and the Barna Group, only 60 percent of practicing Christians can name the first five books of the Bible, fewer know that Solomon was David’s son and less than half know that Elizabeth was John the Baptist’s mother. As Americans, we have no excuse for our lack of knowledge—nearly 90% of us own more than one Bible and we can openly gather in worship and Bible study. Consider the underground Christian church in Islamic nations—they must meet in secret and are lucky to have one or two Bibles shared by everyone.

If knowing Biblical details doesn’t prove one’s Christian faith, what does? If we had to do so, how would we prove our belief in Christ? Does church membership make us followers of Christ? Does being baptized make us true Christians? Does being raised by Christian parents make us believers? Instead, is it an unwavering love of God and belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior that is proof of our faith? Is the real evidence found not in knowing Bible facts but rather in our repentance from sin, obedience to God, humility, active prayer life, exhibition of the fruit of the Spirit, devotion to God’s glory and the love we have for one another?  I wonder—how well would I pass a test of faith? How well would you?

Your strong love for each other will prove to the world that you are my disciples. [John 13:35 (NLT)]

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. [Galatians 5:22-25 (NLT)]

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March 28, 2016

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Bible Stories, Faith & Hope, Holidays & Holy Days, Holy Spirit, Salvation: A New You, Thanks & Praise

EASTER – 2016

Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. [John 11:25 (NLT)]

Holy Name Catholic church

Father we thank you for the three days that impacted eternity for us all: the day of Christ’s birth, the day of His death and the day of His resurrection. Thank you for the gift of Christmas and sending your Son to us – to teach, comfort and lead us. Thank you for the sacrifice of Good Friday when you met our guilt with grace and redeemed us. Thank you for Easter and its hopeful message of sin’s defeat and everlasting life. Let your Holy Spirit fill us and gives us the power to live in faith and obedience so that we may become the people you want us to be.

O God,
who for our redemption gave your only-begotten Son to the death of the cross,
and by his glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of our enemy:
Grant us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live
with him in the joy of his resurrection;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
[1979 Book of Common Prayer]

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! [2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)]

Copyright © 2016 jsjdevotions. All rights reserved.
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February 4, 2016

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Church & Worship, Family, Friends & Fellowship, Holy Spirit, Salvation: A New You, Spiritual Gifts, Today: Make it Count, Wisdom & Guidance

WHAT KIND OF ASSIGNMENTS?

There are different kinds of gifts, but they are all from the same Spirit. There are different ways to serve but the same Lord to serve. And there are different ways that God works through people but the same God. God works in all of us in everything we do. Something from the Spirit can be seen in each person, for the common good. … One Spirit, the same Spirit, does all these things, and the Spirit decides what to give each person. [1 Corinthians 4:4-7,11 (NCV)]

checking blood pressureLike any good guest, when the Holy Spirit comes to us, He doesn’t come empty-handed—He brings a gift. It’s neither generic nor a “one-size fits all” sort of thing. He brings each of us our very own spiritual gift specifically designed just for us. Like any appreciative recipient of such a precious gift, however, it is our job to unwrap and use it.

Although they’re easily confused, spiritual gifts aren’t talents. Granted, they both come from God, can be developed with practice, and are intended to be shared with others. God is not wasteful, so our talents often complement our spiritual gifts but they’re not the same things. While we may be born with an innate talent or into a home where a talent is developed, our spiritual gifts don’t arrive until we accept Christ. Instead of a hostess gift, maybe a better analogy would be a welcoming gift. Our spiritual gifts are God’s way of welcoming us into the body of Christ. Paul listed various kinds of spiritual gifts in Ephesians, Romans and 1 Corinthians and no two lists are exactly the same. Although the Apostle listed some spiritual gifts, I seriously doubt that he listed them all. We have an unlimited God and I’m sure the Holy Spirit is not limited by Paul’s list when it comes to giving us gifts.

If you’re wondering about your special gift, look around your church family and notice the spiritual gifts that are being used. The people who are gifted in serving keep our churches running—they do the mailings, fold the programs, run the sound systems, and mow the lawns. Those gifted with hospitality serve the coffee, welcome people to the services, and offer their homes for small groups. We don’t just find those gifted with teaching in the classrooms, they’re the ones who show us how to apply the Bible’s teachings to everyday situations. Those gifted with faith are the prayer warriors and God-confident ones. Willing to take a risk and step out in faith, their faith spurs us all into action. Those faith dreams, however, can’t turn into reality without the people gifted with administration and organization. Nor are they possible without the people who quietly support and fund God’s work—the ones gifted with generosity. Without them, even the best laid plans would never materialize. Those gifted with leadership know how to get workers, motivate them, and delegate responsibility. We need the good decision making-skills and sound advice of those gifted with wisdom and profit from the scriptural insight of those gifted with knowledge. Without the words of those gifted with exhortation, the church won’t reach its full potential. Their encouraging voices strengthen and inspire their brothers and sisters in Christ. Those gifted with discernment can recognize truth from error, spot hidden agendas, and distinguish the phony from the sincere. Filled with compassion, those gifted with mercy minister to people in need; they mourn with those who mourn and minister to those in pain. Those gifted in prophecy can offer messages from God that reveal His purpose or guide actions. Those gifted with healing may have a healing touch or simply take people’s blood pressure, impart good medical information, or help heal emotional wounds. Those gifted with evangelism are the ones who can so openly and easily share their faith, something not all of us are comfortable doing, and those gifted in pastoring are the ones who so beautifully shepherd their flocks. Most of us are pretty limited in the talent department, but God has gifted us all with spiritual gifts and a special way to use that gift in the body of Christ.

We all have different gifts, each of which came because of the grace God gave us. [Romans 12:6a (NCV)]

Together you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of that body. [1 Corinthians 12:27 (NCV)]

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December 31, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, Faith & Hope, Holy Spirit, Knowing Him, Obedience, Salvation: A New You, Today: Make it Count, Wisdom & Guidance

I AM WHAT?

This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I have been sent out to tell others about the life he has promised through faith in Christ Jesus. [2 Timothy 1:1 (NLT)]

This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives. [Titus 1:1 (NLT)]

julia butterfly- NBG2122aweb“I am….” How would you finish that statement? I recently came across an Internet article by Mark Papadas in which he posits, “How a person finishes that statement defines who they are, their beliefs about themselves and the world, and the standards they live by.” While we commonly say that people will live up or down to our expectations, Papadas writes that, in reality, they will live up or down to their own expectations and adds that people rarely give conscious thought to what it is they expect from themselves.

The Apostle Paul certainly knew who he was and what he expected of himself. I wonder if the rest of us are that clear about our identity and purpose. Who am I? Am I a wife, mother, grandmother, homemaker, writer, volunteer, photographer, retiree, senior citizen, or friend? Yes to all but, while those words may describe me, none of them define me. We’re not our roles, resumes, paychecks, pasts or pedigrees and we mustn’t let those define us. We’re human beings and not human doings.

Who am I? I am a child a God and a follower of Christ. As such, I know He expects me to love Him completely and my neighbor as myself. As a child of God, what do I expect of myself? I should love God and man, repent and forgive, study God’s word and pray, be part of the church and spread the gospel, live an upright life and do God’s will. I want to be as much like Christ as humanly possible. Can I live up to my expectations? Probably not completely but, with the power of the Holy Spirit, I can sure try. Why? Because I am a child of God.

What you are is God’s gift to you, what you become is your gift to God. [Hans Urs von Balthasar]

For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. [Galatians 3:26-27 (NLT)]

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December 10, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, Forgiveness, God's Grace & Love, God's Promises, Holy Spirit, Peace of God, Salvation: A New You, Sorrow, Grief & Regrets, Temptation & Sin

CLEAN THOUGHTS

Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. … Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. … Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. [Psalm 51:2,7,10-11 (NLT)]

tropical water lily There’s a shampoo that claims, “I’m so good, I put clean thoughts in your head.” A nice idea and, if a shampoo could do that, the world would be a better place. Our heads often become filled with mind grime: worry, fear, anger, ingratitude, bitterness, envy, guilt and anxiety. That kind of dirt, while not as obvious as poor hygiene, is far worse than dirty hair. Unfortunately, no matter how you combine berry and tea extracts with orange flowers, the concoction can’t clean out the gunk that can fill our minds. There are, however, ways to put clean thoughts in our heads by availing ourselves of the Holy Spirit, prayer and scripture.

When our minds become filled with negative or troubling thoughts, we need to take a long shower with the Lord; better yet, soak in His tub and immerse ourselves in His word. Our thoughts will be cleansed with prayer, our souls reconditioned by God’s words, and the Holy Spirit will fill us with His light. We truly will emerge from that bath feeling refreshed and clean.

Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing pow’r?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;
There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,
Oh, be washed in the blood of the Lamb!
[Are You Washed in the Blood? (Elisha A. Hoffman)]

Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations. [Ezekiel 36:25-27 (NLT)]

But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. [1 John 1:7-9 (NLT)]

 

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December 2, 2015

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God's Grace & Love, God's Plan, God's Promises, Holy Spirit, Knowing Him, Salvation: A New You

ONLY ONE WAY

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” [John 14:6 (NLT)]

Santa Rose de Lima-Abiqui NMWhen my children were young, they sometimes balked at trying a new food that I’d prepared. After pointing out that, while I was short and could cook, I was not a short-order cook, I always offered them a simple choice: some or none. God gives us the same options regarding His son Jesus Christ: take him or leave him! Just as I didn’t offer my children a different entree, God doesn’t offer us any alternatives for salvation.

When Jesus said, “I am the way,” he was pretty clear on our lack of options. He didn’t say, “I am one of the ways.” He is the only way. He didn’t say there were several means to come to the Father; there was only one—and that was through Him. It’s not only an offer that can’t be modified, but it’s also an offer than no one else could ever make.

Moreover, there is nothing that we can substitute for belief. We can’t buy or bribe or our way into heaven. Being famous or even especially kind or generous won’t do it. Jesus is the way and he makes it abundantly clear that he is the one and only way. We must take His path and follow in His footsteps. He is the truth and the reality of God’s promises. He is the life and only with him will we have eternal life.

Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life. [1 John 5:12 (NLT)]

Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. [Ephesians 2:18 (NLT)]