GEMS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR SATURDAY JUNE 8, 2013
PROVERB:
The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. Proverbs 11:3.
PROMISE:
The Lord watches over all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy. Psalm 145:20
PRAISE:
Accept, O Lord, the willing praise of my mouth, and teach me Your laws. Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. Psalm 119: 108, 111.
June 9, 2013
Abandon: June 7, 2013
TODAY’S WORD FOR FRIDAY JUNE, 7, 2013
ABANDON
DEFINITION:
To leave completely; forsake; desert; to give up; to discontinue; to relinquish; to withdraw from; to give up hope.
SCRIPTURE:
My loved ones and my friends stand aloof, and my relatives stand a far off. Psalm 38:11.
My God, My God, why have You forsaken me? Psalm 22:1
At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. II Timothy 4:16.
Jesus said, I will never leave you nor forsake [abandon] you. Hebrews 13:5.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Some years ago when we were involved in a large feeding program for inner city families in the greater Los Angeles Area, we met a dear woman, whose name was Mae Raines. She lived in a very poor area of south Los Angeles. Mae was known as "God's Angel" to her community. She came to our warehouse center two to three times a week and filled her car to the roof with food. She then distributed this food to the neediest people in her community.
I remember the day she came to our warehouse to pick up food and she had in her arms a little 3 day old baby. This baby was what they called a "druggy" and had been abandoned. Mae could not allow this baby to die so she took him in and began the process of making him well. The baby was constantly shaking as his body was going through withdrawal from the drugs his mother had used during her pregnancy.
We watched this boy grow. It was the love of a Christian mother, Mae Raines, over several years that soon brought him to the place where he could live a normal life. Yes, this baby was abandoned, but a loving lady, "GOD'S ANGEL," saw to it that this boy could live and today he is living a normal life.
We can also remember watching TV reports many years ago of all the babies who were abandoned in Romania under the dictatorship of their former leader. When freedom came their way the terrible situation of these orphan children became international news. Soon many of these abandoned children were adopted and began to live a normal life because someone loved them. The lives of hundreds of children were literally saved. Their stories of how love and care changed the course of life for these abandoned babies are heart-warming and inspirational.
We can only imagine how abandoned the disciples and the followers of Jesus felt when they saw Jesus crucified and His body laid in a tomb. They had put all of their trust in Jesus and now their hopes had vanished. In Luke 24:13-19, we read of two followers of Jesus walking and talking on the road to Emmaus. Jesus appeared to them in His resurrected body and they did not recognize Him. Jesus asked them what they were talking about. With saddened faces they explained that they were talking about the crucifixion of Jesus. They said that they had hoped that Jesus was the one who was going to redeem Israel. They felt so abandoned.
Jesus then explained to them from the scripture why He had to suffer and die. He explained also all the references in the scripture beginning with Moses and the prophets concerning Himself. As Jesus was talking to them, the scripture says that soon their eyes were opened and they saw their Messiah, the resurrected Christ. He had not abandoned them. He was right there walking beside them.
When you feel abandoned or feel confused, the Word of God is always the best place to look for comfort and insight. What a wonderful promise we have that Jesus will never leave us nor forsake us. Others may abandon us but Jesus never will. He who gives himself to God will never be abandoned by God. We may abandon God but He continues to walk beside us, waiting for us to open our eyes and acknowledge Him as our Savior.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 119:105.
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
PRAYER:
I come to you today knowing the promise from Your Word that assures me that You will never leave me nor forsake me. Help me today to reach out to someone that feels abandoned and needs my love. May I share with them the love that You have given me. Bless my family and give each one of us a servant's attitude as we face life today.
ABANDON
DEFINITION:
To leave completely; forsake; desert; to give up; to discontinue; to relinquish; to withdraw from; to give up hope.
SCRIPTURE:
My loved ones and my friends stand aloof, and my relatives stand a far off. Psalm 38:11.
My God, My God, why have You forsaken me? Psalm 22:1
At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. II Timothy 4:16.
Jesus said, I will never leave you nor forsake [abandon] you. Hebrews 13:5.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Some years ago when we were involved in a large feeding program for inner city families in the greater Los Angeles Area, we met a dear woman, whose name was Mae Raines. She lived in a very poor area of south Los Angeles. Mae was known as "God's Angel" to her community. She came to our warehouse center two to three times a week and filled her car to the roof with food. She then distributed this food to the neediest people in her community.
I remember the day she came to our warehouse to pick up food and she had in her arms a little 3 day old baby. This baby was what they called a "druggy" and had been abandoned. Mae could not allow this baby to die so she took him in and began the process of making him well. The baby was constantly shaking as his body was going through withdrawal from the drugs his mother had used during her pregnancy.
We watched this boy grow. It was the love of a Christian mother, Mae Raines, over several years that soon brought him to the place where he could live a normal life. Yes, this baby was abandoned, but a loving lady, "GOD'S ANGEL," saw to it that this boy could live and today he is living a normal life.
We can also remember watching TV reports many years ago of all the babies who were abandoned in Romania under the dictatorship of their former leader. When freedom came their way the terrible situation of these orphan children became international news. Soon many of these abandoned children were adopted and began to live a normal life because someone loved them. The lives of hundreds of children were literally saved. Their stories of how love and care changed the course of life for these abandoned babies are heart-warming and inspirational.
We can only imagine how abandoned the disciples and the followers of Jesus felt when they saw Jesus crucified and His body laid in a tomb. They had put all of their trust in Jesus and now their hopes had vanished. In Luke 24:13-19, we read of two followers of Jesus walking and talking on the road to Emmaus. Jesus appeared to them in His resurrected body and they did not recognize Him. Jesus asked them what they were talking about. With saddened faces they explained that they were talking about the crucifixion of Jesus. They said that they had hoped that Jesus was the one who was going to redeem Israel. They felt so abandoned.
Jesus then explained to them from the scripture why He had to suffer and die. He explained also all the references in the scripture beginning with Moses and the prophets concerning Himself. As Jesus was talking to them, the scripture says that soon their eyes were opened and they saw their Messiah, the resurrected Christ. He had not abandoned them. He was right there walking beside them.
When you feel abandoned or feel confused, the Word of God is always the best place to look for comfort and insight. What a wonderful promise we have that Jesus will never leave us nor forsake us. Others may abandon us but Jesus never will. He who gives himself to God will never be abandoned by God. We may abandon God but He continues to walk beside us, waiting for us to open our eyes and acknowledge Him as our Savior.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 119:105.
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
PRAYER:
I come to you today knowing the promise from Your Word that assures me that You will never leave me nor forsake me. Help me today to reach out to someone that feels abandoned and needs my love. May I share with them the love that You have given me. Bless my family and give each one of us a servant's attitude as we face life today.
Helper: June 6, 2013
TODAY’S WORD FOR THURSDAY JUNE 6, 2013
HELPER
DEFINITION:
One who gives assistance or support; a co-worker who gives aid.
SCRIPTURE:
I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever, that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him, nor know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17.
These things I have spoken to you while still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. John 14:25.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
As the time drew near for Jesus death, Jesus predicted His death and resurrection on three occasions (Matthew 16:21, 17:22-23, and 20:17-19). The disciples could not understand what Jesus was telling them. They could not comprehend the importance of Jesus dying. They had been with Jesus, seen His miracles and listened to His teaching, but they could not fully grasp it all. Jesus knew that after He was gone and no longer right with them, the disciples would need help. He promised them that His Father would send them another Helper, the Holy Spirit. Last Monday we discussed some thoughts on the Holy Spirit and the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives, but there is more.
The Holy Spirit has a significant role in the life of every believer. Jesus assured the bewildered disciples that the Holy Spirit would be their Helper. He would teach them all things and would help them remember all that Jesus had said to them. Through the work of the Holy Spirit the disciples came to a clear and accurate understanding of Jesus and all that He had taught them.
In John 16:13, Jesus told the disciples that the Holy Spirit would help them by guiding them into all truth. The Holy Spirit guides us to know the truth about Jesus and leads us to discern the difference between right and wrong.
When we do wrong the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin. In His teaching concerning the Holy Spirit, Jesus said, “When He comes, He will convict the world concerning sin.” John 16:8
Paul writes of other helps we receive from the Holy Spirit. If we have doubts about our salvation, the Holy Spirit gives us assurance we are truly a child of God and will spend an eternity with our Heavenly Father. Paul says, the Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God. Romans 8:16
In times of trouble our Helper, the Holy Spirit, prays for us. “The Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words.” Romans 8:26. How comforting it is to know that when we are at a loss to know how to pray, but most desperately in need of prayer, the Holy Spirit is interceding for us.
God’s goal for each of His children (all who believe in Him) is to make us like Christ. The process of becoming like Christ is called sanctification. Sanctification means to make holy as Christ is holy. Sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit. Paul states this in II Thessalonians 2:13, “God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit.” There is nothing we can do to make ourselves holy and worthy of salvation. It is only by the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit we can become like Christ.
We may not always be aware of the Holy Spirit but He is always within us to be our Helper. The Holy Spirit helps us by:
• Teaching us all things
• Guiding us into all truth
• Convicting us of sin
• Interceding for us
• Sanctifying us
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 119:105:
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
PRAYER:
Thank You, Lord, for sending the Holy Spirit to be my Helper. Thank You for the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit that makes me more Christ-like. Help me to be obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
HELPER
DEFINITION:
One who gives assistance or support; a co-worker who gives aid.
SCRIPTURE:
I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever, that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him, nor know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17.
These things I have spoken to you while still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. John 14:25.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
As the time drew near for Jesus death, Jesus predicted His death and resurrection on three occasions (Matthew 16:21, 17:22-23, and 20:17-19). The disciples could not understand what Jesus was telling them. They could not comprehend the importance of Jesus dying. They had been with Jesus, seen His miracles and listened to His teaching, but they could not fully grasp it all. Jesus knew that after He was gone and no longer right with them, the disciples would need help. He promised them that His Father would send them another Helper, the Holy Spirit. Last Monday we discussed some thoughts on the Holy Spirit and the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives, but there is more.
The Holy Spirit has a significant role in the life of every believer. Jesus assured the bewildered disciples that the Holy Spirit would be their Helper. He would teach them all things and would help them remember all that Jesus had said to them. Through the work of the Holy Spirit the disciples came to a clear and accurate understanding of Jesus and all that He had taught them.
In John 16:13, Jesus told the disciples that the Holy Spirit would help them by guiding them into all truth. The Holy Spirit guides us to know the truth about Jesus and leads us to discern the difference between right and wrong.
When we do wrong the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin. In His teaching concerning the Holy Spirit, Jesus said, “When He comes, He will convict the world concerning sin.” John 16:8
Paul writes of other helps we receive from the Holy Spirit. If we have doubts about our salvation, the Holy Spirit gives us assurance we are truly a child of God and will spend an eternity with our Heavenly Father. Paul says, the Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God. Romans 8:16
In times of trouble our Helper, the Holy Spirit, prays for us. “The Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words.” Romans 8:26. How comforting it is to know that when we are at a loss to know how to pray, but most desperately in need of prayer, the Holy Spirit is interceding for us.
God’s goal for each of His children (all who believe in Him) is to make us like Christ. The process of becoming like Christ is called sanctification. Sanctification means to make holy as Christ is holy. Sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit. Paul states this in II Thessalonians 2:13, “God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit.” There is nothing we can do to make ourselves holy and worthy of salvation. It is only by the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit we can become like Christ.
We may not always be aware of the Holy Spirit but He is always within us to be our Helper. The Holy Spirit helps us by:
• Teaching us all things
• Guiding us into all truth
• Convicting us of sin
• Interceding for us
• Sanctifying us
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 119:105:
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
PRAYER:
Thank You, Lord, for sending the Holy Spirit to be my Helper. Thank You for the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit that makes me more Christ-like. Help me to be obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Listening: June 5, 2013
TODAY’S WORD FOR WEDNESDAY JUNE 5, 2013.
LISTENING
DEFINITION:
Hear attentively; pay heed.
SCRIPTURE:
Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you: O Israel, if you would listen to Me. Psalms 81: 8
Man’s steps are ordained by the Lord. How then can man understand His way? Proverbs 20:24.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
One of the most important lessons we can learn in life is how to listen to God. In our complex and even hectic lives, nothing should be more important, more urgent, more necessary, and nothing more rewarding to a believer in Jesus Christ than hearing what God has to say to us.
Most of the time, we as believers, get so preoccupied by our work and schedule that we do not take time to listen to what God has to say to us. Let us remind you that listening to God demands a two way conversation. It involves both talking and listening. Most of us talk a lot to God but do very little listening.
The Bible assures us that God does speak to us today. In Hebrews 1:1-2 it says, “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son.” Our God is not silent. He is alive and active. He speaks to us individually, through His Word, in a way that we can hear Him, receive His message, and obey Him. We see in the scriptures that God can speak to us through visions, symbols and parables. He will communicate to us in a way we will understand.
In the Old Testament God spoke to Isaiah in visions (Isaiah 6), to Jacob in a dream (Genesis 28:220, and to Abraham and Moses personally (Genesis 18, Exodus 31:18).
Jesus is not only God’s Son, but He is God and the exact representation of God. He is the same God who spoke in the Old Testament. What Jesus speaks is the full revelation of God.
The Word of God contains nothing but truth, therefore, we must take what we read personally and allow His Holy Spirit to open our hearts so we will have a deeper understanding of what God is saying to us. The only possible way that we can experience the wonderful abundant life that our Lord offers us is to listen to what God is saying to us through His Word. Jeremiah reminds us in Jeremiah 33:3 that if we listen and pay close attention to what He is saying to us, He will certainly “tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”
This verse opens up with the words, “Call upon Me and I will answer.” How can God respond to us unless we call upon Him and then listen? God is faithful to answer. The question is, “are we faithful to call and then listen?” Do we pay attention? Paul says to us in Hebrews 2:1: “We must pay careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.”
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 119:105.
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
PRAYER:
Help me, dear Lord, to set apart a time each day just to listen to You. Help me to understand that this time needs to be spent first with my communication to You through prayer; and reading of Your Word, patiently, in an attitude of prayer, listening and looking for Your direction for me.
LISTENING
DEFINITION:
Hear attentively; pay heed.
SCRIPTURE:
Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you: O Israel, if you would listen to Me. Psalms 81: 8
Man’s steps are ordained by the Lord. How then can man understand His way? Proverbs 20:24.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
One of the most important lessons we can learn in life is how to listen to God. In our complex and even hectic lives, nothing should be more important, more urgent, more necessary, and nothing more rewarding to a believer in Jesus Christ than hearing what God has to say to us.
Most of the time, we as believers, get so preoccupied by our work and schedule that we do not take time to listen to what God has to say to us. Let us remind you that listening to God demands a two way conversation. It involves both talking and listening. Most of us talk a lot to God but do very little listening.
The Bible assures us that God does speak to us today. In Hebrews 1:1-2 it says, “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son.” Our God is not silent. He is alive and active. He speaks to us individually, through His Word, in a way that we can hear Him, receive His message, and obey Him. We see in the scriptures that God can speak to us through visions, symbols and parables. He will communicate to us in a way we will understand.
In the Old Testament God spoke to Isaiah in visions (Isaiah 6), to Jacob in a dream (Genesis 28:220, and to Abraham and Moses personally (Genesis 18, Exodus 31:18).
Jesus is not only God’s Son, but He is God and the exact representation of God. He is the same God who spoke in the Old Testament. What Jesus speaks is the full revelation of God.
The Word of God contains nothing but truth, therefore, we must take what we read personally and allow His Holy Spirit to open our hearts so we will have a deeper understanding of what God is saying to us. The only possible way that we can experience the wonderful abundant life that our Lord offers us is to listen to what God is saying to us through His Word. Jeremiah reminds us in Jeremiah 33:3 that if we listen and pay close attention to what He is saying to us, He will certainly “tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”
This verse opens up with the words, “Call upon Me and I will answer.” How can God respond to us unless we call upon Him and then listen? God is faithful to answer. The question is, “are we faithful to call and then listen?” Do we pay attention? Paul says to us in Hebrews 2:1: “We must pay careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.”
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 119:105.
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
PRAYER:
Help me, dear Lord, to set apart a time each day just to listen to You. Help me to understand that this time needs to be spent first with my communication to You through prayer; and reading of Your Word, patiently, in an attitude of prayer, listening and looking for Your direction for me.
Obedience: June 4, 2013
TODAY’S WORD FOR TUESDAY JUNE 4, 2013.
OBEDIENCE
DEFINITION:
Comply; submit; be in compliance with; respond as directed.
SCRIPTURE:
Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and observe it. Luke 11:28.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Do you realize that obedience brings blessing? Jesus gave us simple illustrations when He was on this earth that serve as stepping stones to life’s most wonderful blessings.
In Luke 5:3 Jesus gave us one of those stepping stones. He gave Peter the opportunity to experience that obedience brings blessings early on in his relationship with Jesus as one of His disciples. The Lord wanted to use Peter’s boat as a floating platform so He could stand on it to talk to the multitude of people that were surrounding Him, hoping to hear Him speak.
Jesus asked Peter, one of His future apostles, to push his boat a little way from shore. This in itself was not a significant or remarkable request but Peter’s compliance paved the way for a life-changing blessing.
The noisy crowd received the first blessing of Peter’s obedience. They could now hear clearly the words of Jesus. At the conclusion of the lesson taught by Jesus, He asked Peter to put his boat out into the deep water and let down the nets in his boat for a catch.
This was a second opportunity for Peter to say yes or no. Peter probably leaned to decline the suggestion because he was a seasoned fisherman and he had fished all night with no results. Normally fish were netted at night in shallow water. The fish would go to deeper water during the day, to deep to be netted. If Peter thought it was useless to try to fish at this time, it is understandable. His thoughts most likely were that here was a young teacher, a carpenter, not a fisherman was asking him to go fishing again at a time when fish normally could not be netted.
The new disciple made a decision that demonstrates to us today that by responding in obedience to the request of God, Peter started on a lifetime journey of faith with God. Peter chose to obey and leave the consequences in the hands of Jesus. It was through Peter’s obedience that Jesus demonstrated His power and sovereignty to Peter and his partners. Not only did they fill their boat once with fish, but twice. This was truly proof positive that being obedient to God always brings blessing.
There are three reasons for us to consider today why obedience to God is critical for a successful Christian life. First: Obeying God in small matters is an essential stepping stone to receiving God’s greatest blessings. God’s greatest blessings will come to us, as Peter learned, when we are willing to do something that appears very insignificant.
Secondly: our obedience always benefits others. Look at how many people were blessed because Peter was obedient. God often rewards others, many times those that are the closest to us, as a result of our obedience.
Thirdly: when we obey God, we will never be disappointed. God rewarded Peter for his obedience with an abundance of fish. This was his livelyhood and he and his partners had fished all night with no response. When God blesses He blesses abundantly.
Perhaps you have hesitated to obey God because you fear the consequences of your decision. You need to remember that the Lord commands us to fear Him above all else. When you choose to obey the Lord, He will bless you. Obedience is the key that opens the door to blessing. This is a principle we all need to learn today.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 119:105:
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
PRAYER:
Thank You for the assurance that I get from Your Word that being obedient to You in small things will help me be obedient to You in all things. Make this a reality in my life. Help me to understand that when I am obedient to You that others will be blessed and that I will never be disappointed.
OBEDIENCE
DEFINITION:
Comply; submit; be in compliance with; respond as directed.
SCRIPTURE:
Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and observe it. Luke 11:28.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Do you realize that obedience brings blessing? Jesus gave us simple illustrations when He was on this earth that serve as stepping stones to life’s most wonderful blessings.
In Luke 5:3 Jesus gave us one of those stepping stones. He gave Peter the opportunity to experience that obedience brings blessings early on in his relationship with Jesus as one of His disciples. The Lord wanted to use Peter’s boat as a floating platform so He could stand on it to talk to the multitude of people that were surrounding Him, hoping to hear Him speak.
Jesus asked Peter, one of His future apostles, to push his boat a little way from shore. This in itself was not a significant or remarkable request but Peter’s compliance paved the way for a life-changing blessing.
The noisy crowd received the first blessing of Peter’s obedience. They could now hear clearly the words of Jesus. At the conclusion of the lesson taught by Jesus, He asked Peter to put his boat out into the deep water and let down the nets in his boat for a catch.
This was a second opportunity for Peter to say yes or no. Peter probably leaned to decline the suggestion because he was a seasoned fisherman and he had fished all night with no results. Normally fish were netted at night in shallow water. The fish would go to deeper water during the day, to deep to be netted. If Peter thought it was useless to try to fish at this time, it is understandable. His thoughts most likely were that here was a young teacher, a carpenter, not a fisherman was asking him to go fishing again at a time when fish normally could not be netted.
The new disciple made a decision that demonstrates to us today that by responding in obedience to the request of God, Peter started on a lifetime journey of faith with God. Peter chose to obey and leave the consequences in the hands of Jesus. It was through Peter’s obedience that Jesus demonstrated His power and sovereignty to Peter and his partners. Not only did they fill their boat once with fish, but twice. This was truly proof positive that being obedient to God always brings blessing.
There are three reasons for us to consider today why obedience to God is critical for a successful Christian life. First: Obeying God in small matters is an essential stepping stone to receiving God’s greatest blessings. God’s greatest blessings will come to us, as Peter learned, when we are willing to do something that appears very insignificant.
Secondly: our obedience always benefits others. Look at how many people were blessed because Peter was obedient. God often rewards others, many times those that are the closest to us, as a result of our obedience.
Thirdly: when we obey God, we will never be disappointed. God rewarded Peter for his obedience with an abundance of fish. This was his livelyhood and he and his partners had fished all night with no response. When God blesses He blesses abundantly.
Perhaps you have hesitated to obey God because you fear the consequences of your decision. You need to remember that the Lord commands us to fear Him above all else. When you choose to obey the Lord, He will bless you. Obedience is the key that opens the door to blessing. This is a principle we all need to learn today.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 119:105:
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
PRAYER:
Thank You for the assurance that I get from Your Word that being obedient to You in small things will help me be obedient to You in all things. Make this a reality in my life. Help me to understand that when I am obedient to You that others will be blessed and that I will never be disappointed.
Holy Spirit: June 3, 2013
TODAY’S WORD FOR MONDAY JUNE 3, 2013.
HOLY SPIRIT
DEFINITION:
Third person of the Godhead
SCRIPTURE:
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him, and a voice came out of the heavens: You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased. Mark 1:10-11.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
The Godhead consists of three persons in one, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. At the time Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist all three members of the Trinity appeared together. The Holy Spirit descended on Jesus and the voice of God spoke from heaven affirming that Jesus was the divine Son of God.
Jesus, Himself affirmed that the Holy Spirit was the third person of the Godhead. In His last words to His disciples when He commissioned them to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” He proclaimed the three-in-one nature of God, the Father, God, the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
We know that Jesus was seen by many people while He was on earth; but no one has seen God’s face because of His awesome glory .When Moses asked God to show him His glory God told Moses: “You cannot see My face for no one may see Me and live.” Exodus 34:18-23. God did however allow Moses to see His back.
No one has seen the Holy Spirit, but He was depicted as a dove descending from heaven at the baptism of Jesus. While we cannot see the Holy Spirit, we can know He is there by what He does in the lives of all those who believe in Him. Jesus said the world cannot accept the Holy Spirit because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. John 14:17. Only those who know Jesus as their Savior can know the Holy Spirit.
Jesus knew that He would return to heaven and that His disciples were weak and did not fully understand what would be required of them once He ascended back to heaven. Jesus promised the disciples that God the Father would give them another Counselor (The Holy Spirit) to be with them forever. (John 14:16).
The Holy Spirit is available to all who accept Jesus as Savior and become a follower of Jesus. The Holy Spirit was sent not to just be with His followers but to be within them. Because the Holy Spirit lives in us Jesus is always with us and He will never leave us. When we have the Holy Spirit within us we have the presence of God with us at all times. It is the Holy Spirit who works in us to change us and help us become like Christ.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 119:105:
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
PRAYER:
Thank You for Your promise to never leave me. Thank You that You sent the Holy Spirit to be within me and show me how to be more Christ-like.
HOLY SPIRIT
DEFINITION:
Third person of the Godhead
SCRIPTURE:
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him, and a voice came out of the heavens: You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased. Mark 1:10-11.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
The Godhead consists of three persons in one, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. At the time Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist all three members of the Trinity appeared together. The Holy Spirit descended on Jesus and the voice of God spoke from heaven affirming that Jesus was the divine Son of God.
Jesus, Himself affirmed that the Holy Spirit was the third person of the Godhead. In His last words to His disciples when He commissioned them to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” He proclaimed the three-in-one nature of God, the Father, God, the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
We know that Jesus was seen by many people while He was on earth; but no one has seen God’s face because of His awesome glory .When Moses asked God to show him His glory God told Moses: “You cannot see My face for no one may see Me and live.” Exodus 34:18-23. God did however allow Moses to see His back.
No one has seen the Holy Spirit, but He was depicted as a dove descending from heaven at the baptism of Jesus. While we cannot see the Holy Spirit, we can know He is there by what He does in the lives of all those who believe in Him. Jesus said the world cannot accept the Holy Spirit because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. John 14:17. Only those who know Jesus as their Savior can know the Holy Spirit.
Jesus knew that He would return to heaven and that His disciples were weak and did not fully understand what would be required of them once He ascended back to heaven. Jesus promised the disciples that God the Father would give them another Counselor (The Holy Spirit) to be with them forever. (John 14:16).
The Holy Spirit is available to all who accept Jesus as Savior and become a follower of Jesus. The Holy Spirit was sent not to just be with His followers but to be within them. Because the Holy Spirit lives in us Jesus is always with us and He will never leave us. When we have the Holy Spirit within us we have the presence of God with us at all times. It is the Holy Spirit who works in us to change us and help us become like Christ.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 119:105:
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
PRAYER:
Thank You for Your promise to never leave me. Thank You that You sent the Holy Spirit to be within me and show me how to be more Christ-like.
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