God's promises

Jeremiah 32:17 (NIV)

17 “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.

God the Father, creator of all things from the heavens to the earth. The prophet here declares there is nothing too hard for The Lord, who is sovereign over all cannot do.

I was fortunate to hear Dr. Billy Graham’s grandson, Will Graham, preach a beautiful sermon on God’s promises. God has made promises to us and will stand by those promises, for nothing is too hard for God to perform.

The problem is we don’t believe God. We hear the promise, but we don’t act on it.

An illustration was given about Abraham. God promised him a multitude of descendants. God promised him land as far as the eye could see. Now in order to have descendants that would fill this land Abraham would first need to have children, which he didn’t have.

Let’s make it clear, God’s promise was to keep Abraham, safe, alive, and to provide him children. Abraham heard the promise. When the time came though he didn’t trust the promise.

Abraham was passing through the land of the King Abimelech. Abraham was afraid that Sarah, his wife was too beautiful and the king might kill him to have her. So he told Sarah to tell the people that she was his sister and not his wife. It was a half-truth for Sarah was his step-sister. How insecure Abraham was in the face of the promises of God.

God came to king in a dream and told him that Sarah was Abraham’s wife and that he was not to touch her or he would surely die. The king went to Abraham and asked him what he had done. After a little chastising by the king, the king sent Abraham on his way with livestock, helpers, and other goods. Abraham prayed for the king’s family and all was made well.

Abraham could have saved himself some trouble just by remembering the promises God made him.

Keep your heart at peace

Mark 13:11 (NIV)
11 Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

There are times in life when we can be arrested justly or unjustly and then taken to trial. This verse reminds us not to worry about what we are going to say for the Holy Spirit will be speaking for us if we allow Him to intercede.

The Son of God died that I may always be with you as a companion. I am here to provide wisdom when the words you want to speak are too difficult. Remember that no matter what comes your way, this is the day the Lord has made, rejoice and be glad in it.

Remember Christ is watching over you as well and is speaking to the Father on your behalf.

"You will meet with a great deal of hardship in your way, but have a good heart on it, your warfare will be accomplished, and your testimony finished, and he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved.” ~Matthew Henry

Saul receives the Holy Spirit

Isaiah 63:10 (NIV)

Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. So he turned and became their enemy and he himself fought against them.

Their conduct was a rebellion against the Hold Spirit and the troubles they brought upon themselves. They revolted from their allegiance to God and took up arms against him: They rebelled, and vexed his Holy Spirit with their unbelief and murmuring, besides the iniquity of the golden calf; and this had been their way and manner ever since. Therefore God withdrew His protect and allowed war to be made with them.

This is the difference between the Old and New Testament. In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit could be pushed aside until He no longer remained with the people. In the New Testament the Hold Spirit could be ignored, but He was there always reminding the people of God’s love for them and making intercession as needed.

The Holy Spirit remains as a companion to the Christian. As Stephen looked up into the heavens he saw God the Father and Jesus the Son. For the Bible says, “But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” You see the Holy Spirit remain a companion with Stephen.

Sadly the people killed a man full of faith and The Holy Spirit, yet their own hearts turned in opposition as he performed great wonders and signs among the people. Sadly he was stoned to death by those who disagreed with him, while Godly men who were there mourned deeply for Stephen and buried him.

Know remember there was one standing there giving his approval for Stephen to be stoned. In fact he guarded the clothes of those who stoned him. We know this man as Saul, who later became called Paul after he accepted Christ into his life. Christ changed the life of Saul and therefore gave him a new name and filled him with The Holy Spirit.

Pushing away the Holy Spirit

Isaiah 63:10 (NIV)

10 Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. So he turned and became their enemy and he himself fought against them.

Here we are told the people rebelled against God. The Holy Spirit had been sent to be among them and yet they vexed the Holy Spirit with idols, unbelief and harsh words against God the Father.

So these people became an enemy against God. The protection given to them through The Holy Spirt was pulled away and they were left to themselves. A simple way of saying all this is either you are for God or you are against God. When you go against God then you walk away from the benefits of God: His protection and His wisdom.

When Christ died, rose again to life, and went to live in Heaven, Christ left with us The Holy Spirit that would always be a companion to us. In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit could come and go, but in the New Testament the Holy Spirit is always there. The difference was instead of the Holy Spirit leaving we grieve the Holy Spirit and ignore the companionship we have been given. We miss out on the many words of wisdom and therefore easily fall into the traps of the devil. It is as if we have turned our back on a good friend for a friend who is set out to destroy us.

Yesterday I heard a sad, but wonderful sorry of how a person had grieved the Holy Spirit and made their own choices. They were upset with the world. Parents who should have been concerned and caring made comments that were hurtful and destructive. Then the enemy’s snare comes along and pulls you in with others who are pulling away from God trying to find something to satisfy their lives. Many people turn to alcohol, drugs, and many other types of immoralities. At first it seems to satisfy their need. But the devil is sneaky that way. He makes something look good and then turns it into a horrible nightmare.

But the Holy Spirit continues to plead with Christ who pleads to the Father for mercy, love and grace to be put back into the person’s life. Fortunately this person called out to Christ and His love, mercy and grace came rushing in. This completely changed the person’s life and gave them a new reason to live.

If you are fighting against God, stop and surrender to Him. His love is waiting for you.

The presence of The Holy Spirit

Psalm 51:11 (NIV)

11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.

David understood when the Holy Spirit was with him that God was there with him too. David took comfort in The Holy Spirit for he knew God’s protection was close by. The protection came in many forms. David was protected from his own evil ways. David was protected from the evil temptations of others.

The Holy Spirit was a companion reminding David of God’s presence and love for him. In this verse David knew he had sinned and his fear was God was going to remove his spirit from David. But because David had repented and desired to be right with God the Holy Spirit remained with him.

In our Christian lives the Holy Spirit is a companion that remains with us. When we have failed in life and have fallen into temptation the Holy Spirit reminds us that Christ died for our sins and that grace is freely given when we repent.

There are some that do not understand grace. We fail, we repent and yet we keep feeling guilt and shame over our actions. This is not something we should be doing. The grace has been freely placed in our hands with the only condition of repentance. We are absolved of the sin we have committed. But let us not so easily return to the sin we have been removed from.

What people mix up is that there are consequences in life. Those consequences sometimes have a penalty associated with them, but the consequences are not from God; they are from our own actions. For example, you drink alcohol to access; did God make you drink the alcohol? Then you decide to get in a car and drive; did God make you drive? Then you crash into someone and people are hurt; who hurt the people, you or God? You see we bring consequences on ourselves. God through the Holy Spirit tries to warn us so we do take the actions that lead us to harmful consequences.

Holy Spirit, I don’t how to pray for the problems in my life. Like David, I’m worried that you will leave me although your word tells me others. So Holy Spirit, pray for me, pray for my sins, pray for the temptations that come at me and remind me that God and Jesus Christ love me dearly. Amen

The Trinity

John 14:26 (NIV)

26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

In Christian belief there is often a Christian doctrine referred to as the Trinity. There is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit are all God in one, but The Father is not The Son nor the Holy Spirit, and The Son is not The Father nor The Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is not The Father nor The Son, yet they are tightly interwoven. The best analogy I have used is you can hold an egg in your hand, yet it is a shell, a yoke and the white. It all makes up an egg and is one.

You will never find the word Trinity used in The Bible. It is a doctrine of man. It comes from the fact that The Bible talks about God the Father who watches over all. The Bible also talks about The Son of God, who is, who is yet to come, and who has come. The Holy Spirit is also mentioned as coming to men to guide them, enlighten them, and explain who The Father is to them. The Holy Spirit also came to The Son Jesus and declared Him to be son of God with the full authority of God. All of these are God, but also are individual apart from God The Father.

When Christ died and rose back to life, the Holy Spirit came to dwell in believers of Christ as a companion to speak up for them and relay their needs to Jesus, who was in direct contract with The Father.

The Holy Spirit will lead you in your life, if you allow it. Image this, The Holy Spirit is speaking to your heart saying, “I have been trying to talk to you for a while, but I’m not sure you are listening. God has given to you all the knowledge you need to live a righteous and holy life, but Christ knows you are fighting had against sin because He too also fought the temptations of the world. So when you have time, sit and just listen. Listen for the wisdom I can pass on to you. Listen when I warn you of the dangers of the world. Listen to the wisdom of The Father. Listen when I speak of the good things for. I promise I will always be there and never let you go. The Father, The Son are both with me and together we are here to help you.”

The Holy Spirit

Isaiah 40:31(NIV)

31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Good morning family, friends, loved ones, brothers and sisters in Christ and those who are a part of my life. This morning I feel compelled to try a different type of devotion. I hope it speaks to your heart, if it does, let me know. If it doesn’t, you can let me know that too.

The Holy Spirit abides with us. Through The Bible there of references of the Holy Spirit coming into the lives of people to direct them, lead them, and show them the truth about God.

Those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord has the Holy Spirt abiding with them constantly. The Holy Spirit is taking up for you and is letting Christ and God know of the special circumstances in your life. The Bible tells us, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” So you always have a companion that is close to you.

I know there are some people hurting out there. Some of you have had major heart breaks in your life. Some have been physically ill and have struggled just to endure each day. Let me say, The Holy Spirit knows those problems and is constantly telling Christ and God your needs. Your wants may not be answered, but remember your needs will be because we are reminded we often don’t know what we should pray for as we ought. Continue to pray my friends that Christ and God and never cease in doing so.

Many of you are weary and need your strength renewed to fight against whatever you are battling. Just know The Holy Spirt is listening and one day God himself will lift you up like eagle where you can soar above the problems and never.

God bless each of you and have a wonderful day.