I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD. Ezekiel 37:14
When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we receive His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God and He is a gift from God the Father that allows us to have a relationship with the Lord. The Spirit of God intercedes for us in prayer as He uses words that enter into the throne room of God when we can only moan and groan. He is our Counselor, our Teacher, our Comfort and our Guide. But the most important eternal promise we receive when the Spirit of God is placed in us is the seal of our salvation as we come alive spiritually for eternity. Amazing!
Do you realize the power you have living inside you? That power raised Lazarus from the dead, healed all kinds of diseases and delivered souls from bondage. That same power is found in you through Jesus. Jesus shows us this power through His indwelling peace. When we receive the Spirit of God, we have peace with God, not peace as the world gives, but the peace of God that surpasses understanding. It is peace that "settles" you. No matter where you are or what you are struggling with, God has settled your soul to have peace with Him.
The peace of God is a promise for you today. Claim it, speak it and live in it. Throw off the distractions of illness, financial loss, negative comments, guilt, and self-condemnation. And let the peace of Christ dwell in you richly. Nothing can interfere with the love Christ has for you and the peace that is yours by knowing Him. All these things on earth will pass away, but your security for eternity is fixed. Fix your eyes on Jesus by reading His Word. Get a verse today that you can claim as a promise and live beyond the struggles. Cast your cares upon the Lord for He cares for you.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
DAYSPRING
Through the tender mercy of our God;
whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us.
Luke 1:78 kjv
FROM THE FATHER'S HEART
My child, as surely as the sun descends, it will rise again the next day. I am your eternal dayspring, the rising sun of every morning. I am the One who shone on the world with My birth, and I am the One who shines in your darkness. I visited the world with My salvation. But I live in your heart daily, making you more and more like Myself—so you can shine for My glory.
A GRATEFUL RESPONSE
I face the midnight hours, tossing from the day's weariness. Worries stand in line, begging for attention. But all night, behind the scenes, You are intercepting my thoughts. When the dawn greets me, I feel refreshed. You, the dayspring, have renewed my heart.
SIMPLE TRUTH
Our light shines best when the Son is in full view.
whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us.
Luke 1:78 kjv
FROM THE FATHER'S HEART
My child, as surely as the sun descends, it will rise again the next day. I am your eternal dayspring, the rising sun of every morning. I am the One who shone on the world with My birth, and I am the One who shines in your darkness. I visited the world with My salvation. But I live in your heart daily, making you more and more like Myself—so you can shine for My glory.
A GRATEFUL RESPONSE
I face the midnight hours, tossing from the day's weariness. Worries stand in line, begging for attention. But all night, behind the scenes, You are intercepting my thoughts. When the dawn greets me, I feel refreshed. You, the dayspring, have renewed my heart.
SIMPLE TRUTH
Our light shines best when the Son is in full view.
Honest to God
How is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit?
—ACTS 5:3
A church with a heart for the poor held a pledge campaign to raise money for people in their community. Church members were generous, making large and sacrificial pledges of money.
One couple made an especially generous pledge, but when the time came to write the check, their pledge seemed too extravagant. Privately, they agreed to donate a smaller sum. The following Sunday after the offering was taken, the pastor noticed that the couple's check was smaller than he remembered their pledge to be.
"Is this what you pledged?" he asked them.
"Oh yes," they assured him. And then they dropped dead.
This might sound implausible, but something very similar to this happened in the time of the apostles when Ananias and Sapphira shortchanged a pledge they made to the Jerusalem church. The issue wasn't that God needed the extra drachmas; it was that the couple was dishonest before God.
As the apostle Peter said to Ananias, "You have not lied to men but to God" (Acts 5:4).
Lying damages a relationship. If you have been tempted to lie to God, ask yourself why you feel the need to hide the truth. Speaking the truth to God not only strengthens your relationship with him but also prepares you for trustworthy relationships with others.
Prayer
Lord, I want to be completely honest with you—about my sin, my feelings, my doubts, and my joys.
—ACTS 5:3
A church with a heart for the poor held a pledge campaign to raise money for people in their community. Church members were generous, making large and sacrificial pledges of money.
One couple made an especially generous pledge, but when the time came to write the check, their pledge seemed too extravagant. Privately, they agreed to donate a smaller sum. The following Sunday after the offering was taken, the pastor noticed that the couple's check was smaller than he remembered their pledge to be.
"Is this what you pledged?" he asked them.
"Oh yes," they assured him. And then they dropped dead.
This might sound implausible, but something very similar to this happened in the time of the apostles when Ananias and Sapphira shortchanged a pledge they made to the Jerusalem church. The issue wasn't that God needed the extra drachmas; it was that the couple was dishonest before God.
As the apostle Peter said to Ananias, "You have not lied to men but to God" (Acts 5:4).
Lying damages a relationship. If you have been tempted to lie to God, ask yourself why you feel the need to hide the truth. Speaking the truth to God not only strengthens your relationship with him but also prepares you for trustworthy relationships with others.
Prayer
Lord, I want to be completely honest with you—about my sin, my feelings, my doubts, and my joys.
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