Tag: Holy Spirit

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He Does It All!

OCTOBER 6

MATTHEW 7:9_Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask…

One of the great mysteries of the spiritual life is the Trinity. The Triune God who functions as three-in-one. 

The Bible teaches God can function as: the Eternal Father, the Jehovah-Jireh provider, the I AM. The Bible teaches this same God can function as: the Son, Creator of all that exists, Christ, the Messiah who saves for eternity all who believe. The Bible also teaches this same God can function as: the indwelling Holy Spirit who comforts, teaches, and guides. No wonder He is all-powerful—He does it all! 

Jesus calls God, Father. So do I. Jesus taught to pray to God as: My Father, which art in Heaven. As a Jesus follower, you are a child of God. 2 Corinthians 1:3 (KJV), “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort” Be comfortable in God. He loved you before you loved Him. 

God wanted King David to know how to call upon Him. Psalm 89:27 (KJV), “He [King David] shall cry unto me [God], Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.”

God is all those things to me.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, I stand in awe of You and worship You as my Father. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.          

Christ teaches me God is my Father—I am His child!

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You Decide

OCTOBER 3

MATTHEW 7:8_and he that seeketh, findeth…

God does some seeking Himself. Proverbs 20:27 (KJV), “The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly.” Okay, so it sounds a little strange or even humorous in the King James, but if you translate belly and inward parts as the very depth of your being, you may do better. 

This verse tells something about your spirit. If you are a triune being: body, soul, and spirit—what is your spirit? Think of it as the part of your being which communes with God. It also is the part which is eternal. 

Your spirit is housed within the body, and you can’t see it. Yet, you know it is there because it communes with the Holy Spirit. This is what searches the innermost part of your being—kind of like a conscience. 

Your soul (mind, will, emotions) also is housed in the body, you can’t see it either. Yet, you know the soul is there because you think. You decide whether to follow God’s path or the devil’s. You can cry when you hurt and smile when you’re happy.

The body is the only part of your being you can see. One day it will die. The spirit will live on.

You have the freedom to decide where your spirit will live—for eternity.

PRAYER

God Who Sees, Help me as my spirit and the Holy Spirit guide me. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                   

Christ uses my spirit to lead me—I will follow!

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Knock!

MATTHEW 7:7_knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

Before your knock is answered be sure to answer the ultimate knock!

Remember your heart has a door. Jesus knocks on it. Revelation 3:20, “Behold, I [Jesus] stand at the door [of your heart], and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup [fellowship] with him, and he with me.”

It is impossible to become a disciple without answering the ultimate knock. And certainly if you desire to become a salty-lit-up disciple!

Jesus’ sermon in Matthew chapters five, six, and seven is an instruction manual on how to live once you’ve opened that door. Don’t forget the Salvation Post on August 29. You printed a page to record your Door Opening event.

Now you have become the knocker. The doors of life stand before you. The Holy Spirit dwells inside faithfully giving visions to accomplish and fulfill. All the visions fit according to the design and purpose God has for your life.

Knock on the doors which will bring fulfillment of your visions. Don’t give up. 

Knock!

PRAYER

King of Kings, I choose to answer Your knock—You choose to answer mine. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                             

Christ knows when I answer His knock—He hears mine!

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The Bottom Line

SEPTEMBER 21

MATTHEW 7:5_Thou hypocrite…

Jesus knew two things in the incident of the woman taken in adultery. He knew the condition of her heart now, and in her past. He knew the circumstances which led to this incident.

We can’t expect our earthly authorities to know all of this, but the Holy Spirit can reveal truth. Besides the fact that He knew her heart, Jesus had the ability to read her heart in her facial expressions and body language. 

There was something else Jesus knew: the hearts of the Scribes and Pharisees who brought her before Him. He knew more about them than they knew about each other, or even about themselves.

John 8:5-6 (KJV), “Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such [adulterers] should be stoned: but what sayest thou?’ 6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him …”

Jesus understood the real purpose for the Scribes and Pharisees bringing the woman. It had nothing to do with justice of the Law. It had nothing to do with adultery.  The bottom line was to bring Jesus down. At the time this occurred Jesus was in the temple teaching. The Pharisees’ goal was to cause Jesus to look ignorant before the multitude of followers who sat at His feet.

If Jesus were a true God-fearing Jew, He would uphold the Law. If He didn’t enforce the Law, then everyone in the temple that day would know Jesus was a heretic.

We’re not finished with this subject yet!

PRAYER

Father God, Help me become discerning of the hearts of others. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                                                                              

 Christ knows true hearts from false—He helps mine!

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Pray for Them!

SEPTEMBER 20

MATTHEW 7:5_Thou hypocrite…

Here’s the question: Did Jesus condone adultery by saving the woman? Did He let her get by (meaning no judgment or accountability) with adultery?

Getting by with something is not really what Jesus is about. Surely by now you know what Jesus is about: freedom! To get by with something will not free you from repeating it. 

If you are truly allowing the Holy Spirit to guide you on the path to freedom and you stumble, don’t be discouraged—you will be freed. Proverbs 24:16 (KJV), “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief [Hebrew translation is: evil].”

The difference in the one who rises, and the one who falls deeper, is that heart condition: the ability to see all sin is against God and the desire to be changed by His grace. There is a word for this condition—repent: to sincerely and deeply grieve over your path and strongly desire to change directions.   

The Bible teaches to pray for those in authority—all forms of authority. There is a need for authorities to be filled with the Holy Spirit and be receptive to the Spirit’s leading.

You want your authorities to have wise judgment concerning you.

Pray for them! 

I haven’t answered those first two questions yet—stay with me!

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, Fill all those in my authority with Your Holy Spirit. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.   

Christ knows my heart condition—He will reveal it!