Father, it is clear that fidelity to You, the Holy Spirit in us, is of utmost importance. We were bought at a great price and if we say we love You, and in fact do love You, at least for a while, and then decide to kick You out of our lives, then we have committed the unpardonable sin which You defined in Hebrews 6:4-6.
Eat, drink, work, play…as unto the Lord.
Help us, today, to take care of the body you have given us and to be an effective witness, one that presents ourselves as a Temple of God. Give us, we pray, the self-discipline, buoyed by the power of the Holy Spirit to be as You Jesus, full of joy, humility and love.
In and of yourself, you cannot please God. He knew that!
The Holy Spirit is the gift You gave us. You did not leave us to our own resources. You told us that the Holy Spirit would teach us all things and help us to remember Your statements to us. You have told us that the Holy Spirit is the great Enabler, the Counselor and the Comforter.
I proclaim to know God. Does He truly know me, “intimately”?
Again we are taught that to “profess” to know You but to have impure thoughts and impure behaviors is not o.k. Help us, today, not to simply profess our faith, but to live our faith in complete obedience to Your word. Help us not to disqualify ourselves by misbehaving or worse yet, professing but not believing. We hear of dysfunctional families but You Father remove our stony hearts, replacing them with a new heart that is able to keep pace with Your perfect will, if we but seek You.
Too focused on heaven…Not likely!
Jesus, escaping to Your side is our hope and our aim. We know that when You appear, we will then appear with You, safely comforted and shielded from all sin, all suffering and every weakness that troubled us here. Help us today to set our minds on You, knowing that the present suffering can not be compared to the glory that awaits.
Where do you get comfort and counsel during chaos?
Jesus, for this wonderful set of facts, we are so grateful. You tell us, in the first person, that the Holy Spirit, having been sent, will convict the world of sin. Your crucifixion and resurrection, and the gift of the Holy Spirit to strengthen and teach us, is also a turning point in Your relationship with every person. You have planted the truth in our hearts, You have turned on a Light that either accuses us or excuses us.
Heaven, a destination you can’t possibly describe.
Father, indeed, ear has not heard not eye seen, Your equal. Those who pursue false gods are looking in the wrong places. You, Father, have revealed Yourself to all mankind; we all are Your people. Your truth is written upon our hearts and it is revealed and made known to us if we would but seek You.
The Devil made me do it!
Core Christian Value: As long as we inhabit this mortal body, we will face temptation. But, we never face it alone. God permits the test and as long as we rely on the power of the Holy Spirit, Satan loses.
Sealed by the Holy Spirit… How do you know?
Paul teaches us that those who love You and obey You are “sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise”. Father, for this degree of certainty, we are grateful.
Does the “law” redeem you or convict you?
We do not trust in our obedience to the law for our salvation. Only by the redeeming blood of Jesus, shed for us, can we ever hope to stand in Your Holy presence. That Father is what separates Christianity from every other belief system. We can not enter into Your presence stained by sin and Jesus takes away our sin, forever.