Tag: Holy Spirit

Psalm 40:1 – Are You Patient?

“I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.” (Psalm 40:1)

If you struggle with patience like me, this is a great verse of promise to call on while waiting on God’s timing. The psalmist trusted God, and we, too, can muster up the same belief in our Creator. God always responds, but perhaps his response is different from what we expected or hoped.

Context (Psalm 40): What a beautiful psalm of expectant praise in the midst of trials! The psalmist shares his experiences of patience and how blessings surround him alongside the trials. The confident hope is palpable that God will care and come to the rescue. In the waiting, the psalmist worships and remembers God’s provisions. Continue reading “Psalm 40:1 – Are You Patient?”

Romans 8:11 – What’s Inside?

“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.” (Romans 8:11)

That same Spirit of God “lives in you.” This verse makes that bold statement, and the promise to follow is hard to believe. When we are feeling weak or unsure of ourselves, we need to remember we have that same power of God living inside us. Why do we put boundaries on what God can do?

Context (Romans 8:1-30): Paul’s teaching is all about what life in the Spirit is all about. That is, what does living a life with Jesus as our King look like? When we let the Holy Spirit reign in our hearts, our lives start to look a lot clearer and freer. Being made right with God is the ultimate cleansing most people miss out on. They are too busy chasing some other shiny object instead of leaning into a spirit-filled life. Continue reading “Romans 8:11 – What’s Inside?”

Titus 3:5 – Sweet Mercy

“[H]e saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:5)

Far too often Christians strut around touting their salvation as if it was something they deserved for righteous living. That’s not a good look on us! Our salvation is not based on anything we do or have done. This memory verse helps us keep that truth straight. We only have this hope because our God is merciful.

Context: Our verse of the day is part of a section called, “Do What is Good.” The author starts by pointing to elected officials challenging them to do good and quickly shifts to us and our own sinful tendencies. The generosity of God to his disobedient followers knows no bounds. That’s the tone of the texts surrounding our verse today. Continue reading “Titus 3:5 – Sweet Mercy”

Numbers 2:1-34 – Keep God in the Center

Read Numbers 2:1-34

With so many of God’s people roaming around in the wilderness, it makes sense that God would command them to be orderly. I can just imagine the chaos of establishing a highly mobile residence in a desert-like region like that if each tribe didn’t have their assigned space.

When it came time to move, there was also an order for leaving established for the clan leadership to follow. I had a flashback to being in school, choosing line leaders, and lining up at the designated time to walk the halls. Classrooms also had their dismissal order to follow. Having an orderly progression helped us students know when and where to move. For the Israelites’, God thought of everything! Continue reading “Numbers 2:1-34 – Keep God in the Center”

Luke 3:7-18 – John’s Message

Read Luke 3:7-18

We met John in our last Advent reading. His preaching was certainly no nonsense as he prepared the people to meet Jesus. By this time, Jesus was all grown up. You may recall earlier in Luke when John’s mother, Elizabeth, was visited by Jesus’ mother, Mary, while pregnant with Jesus. Even while in his mother’s womb, John couldn’t stay still in Jesus’ presence. John could sense even then that Jesus was someone to be honored and celebrated.

How does John describe Jesus in this passage? As someone “greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals.” Imagine having grown up as cousins with Jesus, the Messiah. For others to be ready to meet the Messiah, the people needed to act. Here, John gives them tangible examples of changes they should make to be ready for Jesus. Continue reading “Luke 3:7-18 – John’s Message”

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