Presence Of The Holy Spirit August 14, 2018

Romans 8:14  (NIV)

14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.

The Holy Spirit is God's seal on us. The Spirit lives in us and his presence in us means we are God's temple. The Spirit works to transform us to be more like Christ. The Spirit helps us produce the virtues of Christ — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, self-control, and faithfulness. The Spirit intercedes for us when we pray, communicates the groanings of our heart when we don't have words, and fills us with power when we worship. In addition, the Spirit is our assurance that we are God's children. We are his. His future, his blessings, and his grace are ours.

Thought for today:  Do I acknowledge the Holy Spirit’s presence in my life?

Greater Love August 13, 2018

John 15:13 (NIV)

13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Words communicate and explain. We can tell someone we love them. We can explain how precious they are to us. Actions validate and confirm. When we sacrifice our preferences for another, we show our respect and affection. When we sacrifice ourselves, our wishes, and our preferences for a friend we give the greatest of all gifts and prove our love beyond any doubt.

Thought for today: How do I show love?

Godly Discipline August 12, 2018

Proverbs 3:11-12  (NIV)

11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline,
    and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
    as a father the son he delights in.

Discipline, even when it is not falsely confused with punishment, is considered onerous, irritating, and unnecessary. The lazy and sinful part of us wants no boundaries, even if they are good, and no direction because it might conflict with what we want to do. But the Lord disciplines out of love to bless us. It is a sign of his delight. Why? Because he is not content to leave us unchanged, unmotivated, and disinterested. He wants to move us closer to our goal: Jesus!

Thought for today: Do I welcome correction?

The Holy Spirit’s Indwelling August 11, 2018

Romans 8:11  (NIV)

11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

Romans 8 reminds us again and again of the blessings of the Holy Spirit living in us, God's children. The Spirit in us is our guarantee that we will be raised from the dead! Because the Spirit that gave Jesus life and raised him from the dead is in us, we can have confidence in our resurrection. Mortality will not claim us. The Holy Spirit's life-giving power is stronger than death. We will live! Even though our bodies may die, the Spirit of God animates, inspires, and empowers us to victory.

Thought for today: Do I acknowledge the presence of the Holy Spirit

No Withholding August 10, 2018

Psalm 84:11  (NIV)

11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
    the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
    from those whose walk is blameless.

These promises are made to the true worshiper (see Psalm 84. This worshiper delights to be in the presence of God and yearns to be with God in worship when he cannot be. This worshiper trusts fully in God as his source of strength, hope, victory, and joy. For this worshiper, God has left this incredible set of promises! Very similar to Romans 8, and its hallmark passage in verse 28, God promises to work out things for good and bless those who "love him and are called according to his purpose" "all things in Christ" and withhold nothing that is good (Rom. 8:32). Why? God is for us! He is our sun and shield, he lavishes his grace and glory upon us, and he will not withhold any good thing from us.

Thought for today: Do I truly, deep down in my heart believe in his promises?

Reflections Of August 9, 2018

Psalm 103:8  (NIV)

8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
    slow to anger, abounding in love.

God is holy, righteous, and just. But, as important as these qualities are, he reveals them within his compassion, graciousness, patience, and overflowing mercy and love. We can not only obey, worship, and reverently respect God, we can also love, appreciate, and adore him! Maybe the greatest challenge, however, is to reflect the character of God in our own lives!

Thought for today: Does my daily walk line up with my Sunday talk?

Commands August 8, 2018

Proverbs 10:8  (NIV)

8 The wise in heart accept commands,
    but a chattering fool comes to ruin.

When you hear a command from Scripture, do you wince? How about rationalize? How about transferring the responsibility to someone else? Or, do you obey to honor the Father? A wise heart accepts the commands of God as a blessing and a safeguard. A fool finds a way around the personal application of the command. Let's ask ourselves honesty, "Which of the two am I?"

Thought for today: Do I fight against what God tells me to do?