God Is Awesome!

Be an Agent of Forgiveness

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

John 20:21-23 NIV

So often when we think of the Holy Spirit we think of the gifts of the Spirit. Isn't it interesting that after his resurrection, when Christ appeared to his disciples, that with the first breath of the Holy Spirit he empowers them to forgive? 

In a sense, forgiveness is the fulcrum of our faith. We need to be forgiven. We need to forgive. We forgive because Christ forgave us. Everyone around us needs to know that in Christ their sins are forgiven. 

Father, thank you that in Christ we are forgiven. Everyone we know needs to be forgiven. May we be agents of forgiveness to everyone around us today!

Power and Strength for You

Proclaim the power of God,

   whose majesty is over Israel,

   whose power is in the heavens.

You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary;

   the God of Israel gives power and       
      strength to his people. 

Praise be to God!

Psalms 68:34-35 NIV

Yes or No

Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.

James 5:12 NIV

Two things to remember. One is that humility,is knowing that God is Sovereign over everything, not me. The second is that the truth is easy to remember. 

We Seek, He Sanctifies.

For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

John 17:19 NIV

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

Ephesians 5:25 NIV

As I was reading this morning in John I thought about how I, as a husband and a father, need to continue to seek God in order to sanctify my marriage and my family. I don't mean this as a guilt bomb, but, as a word of exhortation, an encouragement to push on, to go forward, to not give up.

I may not know exactly how, but the Holy Spirit will work. My role is to seek God. Every time I pray, alone, with my wife, with my children, the Spirit works to sanctify us. Every time I read the Bible and seek to do what it says the Spirit sanctifies me and my family. Every time I try to act in faith, to do something in Jesus' name, the Spirit works to sanctify me. 

Our work is to believe in and seek Christ. His work is to send the Holy Spirit to sanctify us through and through.

Father, I pray that as we go out into the world today that you would protect us and use us to glorify your Name. Grant us at least one redemptive moment, action or conversation. Praise be to you in us today!

He Told You So

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33 NIV

The desired state of being is peace. The reality is there's going to be trouble. The need is to be courageous in Christ. The reason is because Christ overcame the world already! 

Lord, we look to you to be our peace in the trials that we will encounter today. Give us the strength and courage we need to fight the good fight in Christ. Thank you that you have already overcome the world and sent you Spirit within us to give us the courage and strength we need. Be glorified in us today!

He Chose You

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.

John 15:16-17 NIV

It never ceases to amaze me that God chose me. My whole life sees to be an enigma. The student that teachers said, "Oh no, not him" who became a teacher. (A middle school teacher of mine literally fell out of his chair spinning around when he heard I became a teacher.) If there is such a thing as Attention Deficit Disorder I still have it. When I was in school a ruler was what teachers used to "help" you pay attention and stay focused. I question just about everything, stumble easily, I'm wrong more often the right, have to do things more than once, learn the hard way, discern mostly with hindsight, remember that I should of prayed first, and I know most of my motives are completely self-centered. 

Yet, Christ chose me. And he chose you...