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Tag Archives: Holy Spirit

The Road to Damascus

14 Mar

Acts 9:3-6
As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.  He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.  “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

We all make mistakes.  The unfortunate thing is, that sometimes we compound these mistakes by going off into a totally wrong direction.

In this section of Scripture we find that Saul (later to become Paul the Apostle) has become self-deceived.  He thought that by persecuting the church, he was in the center of God’s will for his life.

It took a wilderness journey and a voice from heaven to knock him off his horse and break through his defenses.  Apparently there was no other way to get through to him.  He needed to be shaken up in order for God to get his attention.

As we spend time in the wilderness we should be open for the Lord to wake us up and turn our lives around.  Every once in a while God has a life altering event waiting for you just around the next corner.  We need to be prepared and open for these heavenly interruptions.

As you go before the Lord today, make sure that you reaffirm your intention to obey Him no matter what comes your way.  Let Him know that you will remain true to Him even if it calls for you to change your plans.

 
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Posted by on March 14, 2012 in Daily Thoughts

 

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Majesty

13 Mar

Psalm 36:5-6
Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.  Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep.  O LORD, you preserve both man and beast.

The majesty of nature is indescribable.  I have taken pictures and videos of mountains, lakes, and rivers that have left me breathless.  Yet when I return home and look at them, they don’t come close to the experience of actually being there.  Nothing gives you the sense of wonder like standing in the wild and experiencing the real thing.

It is the same with God’s love, His faithfulness, His righteousness, and His justice.  You can read about it in the Bible.  You can tell about how God has poured them into your life.  Yet, until someone actually experiences these things for themselves, they will never really understand the full impact.

God is a person.  He can be described and read about.  But there is only one way to fully appreciate His awesome majesty.  You must come face to face with Him for yourself.

Take the time to enter the presence of the Lord.  Worship and praise Him for who He is and what He has done in your life.  Let His majesty overwhelm you the same as a view of mountains and lakes. Experience God today in the beauty of His holiness.

 
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Posted by on March 13, 2012 in Daily Thoughts

 

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Protection

12 Mar

Psalm 91:9-13
If you make the Most High your dwelling – even the LORD, who is my refuge – then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.  For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.  You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

One of the major themes throughout the Word of God is, “Fear not!”  We can rest assured in the shelter of the Lord.  We don’t need to worry over the path ahead.  We know that the Lord has everything under control.

But there is a big “if.”  If you make the Lord your dwelling place and refuge.

Would someone observing you for the first time say that you seem to live in the presence of God?  Is your whole life wrapped up in seeking Him?  Is He your refuge and dwelling place?  Do you run to Him first in times of trouble?

These are the questions for you to ponder today as you are quiet in the presence of the Lord.  If you cannot answer them affirmatively then you need to move closer to God.  You need to seek the guidance of His Spirit to show you the path toward intimacy with the Lord.

Even if you can answer yes to the above – your relationship needs constant cultivation in order for it to keep from becoming stagnant.  Go to the Lord today for a fresh touch of His presence.  Receive what you need to get you through this day victoriously.

 
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Posted by on March 12, 2012 in Daily Thoughts

 

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Waiting for God

03 Mar

Lamentations 3:22-24
Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”

Never get the idea that God is just waiting for us to mess up so that He can strike us down.  It is just the opposite.  He is looking out for our best.  The Lord wants each of us to experience the ultimate fulfillment in life.

To bring this about, He walks with us, guiding us each day – showing us compassion and faithfulness.  Let’s face it, if it were God’s goal to judge us, He would not have to wait long for us to make a mistake.  Each one of us has a personal history such that if He wanted to, the Lord could lock us in Hell and throw away the key.

The fact is, God has proven His intent through the death and resurrection of Christ.  He loved us enough to go to the cross.  He wouldn’t have done that if He was intent on condemning us.

Come to God today in a spirit of expectancy.  Be ready to hear and obey His plans for your life.  Wait on Him in the stillness of trust and dependancy.  Spend some time just listening for that still, small voice inside you.  It will be well worth your time.

 
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Posted by on March 3, 2012 in Daily Thoughts

 

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Chariots of Fire

18 Feb

II Kings 2:11-12
As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.  Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father!  My father!  The chariots and horsemen of Israel!”  And Elisha saw him no more.  Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them apart.

It doesn’t happen very often – a supernatural, miraculous, awe-inspiring vision of God.  Moses, Mary, Paul, Jacob, Hagar, and Peter, they all got a glimpse into the spirit-world that was life changing.

Chances are you will never experience anything like these people.  You may never see chariots and horses of fire.  You may never experience the sight of angels ascending and descending.  But…as you spend quality time in God’s presence, you are giving Him permission to work in you a life-changing event.

God can speak to you in ways that are as real to you as seeing a chariot of fire.  Many people ask me how they can hear from God.  I tell them all the same thing – be listening.  God knows you personally.  The Lord knows exactly what it will take for you to know that you have heard from Him.  The Lord has your address, He knows where you live and how to get to you.  All you can do is listen and wait.

Be open to His Spirit today.  Be ready and listening.  Who knows, you may be that one in a million that receives a “sky-opening” vision.  But if not, you can still hear something from God that will turn your life around.

 
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Posted by on February 18, 2012 in Daily Thoughts

 

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