Metamorphosis (Jan 19, 2012)
For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord -- who is the Spirit -- makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. 2 Cor 3:17-18 nlt
THOUGHT: Caterpillar to butterfly -- the process of metamorphosis.
This is the word image painted for us in this message from Scripture. While most people are ordinary humans, with ordinary human powers, and ordinary human lives, we are called extraordinary because of the work of the Spirit. While most people are limited to their natural abilities, we are given the freedom to overcome our natural limitations and failures by the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to transform us to be more and more like Jesus. And how does this happen? Supernaturally, by the power of the Holy Spirit as we both contemplate and reflect the glory of Jesus.
PRAYER: Father, thank you for giving me the supernatural ability to become more and more like Jesus. O Holy Spirit, please take control and conform me to the character and compassion of Jesus as I commit to know him more fully and display his life to those around me more completely. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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True Worshipers (Oct 13, 2011)
[Jesus said,] "But the time is coming -- indeed it's here now -- when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth." John 4:23 nlt
This is the word image painted for us in this message from Scripture. While most people are ordinary humans, with ordinary human powers, and ordinary human lives, we are called extraordinary because of the work of the Spirit. While most people are limited to their natural abilities, we are given the freedom to overcome our natural limitations and failures by the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to transform us to be more and more like Jesus. And how does this happen? Supernaturally, by the power of the Holy Spirit as we both contemplate and reflect the glory of Jesus.
PRAYER: Father, thank you for giving me the supernatural ability to become more and more like Jesus. O Holy Spirit, please take control and conform me to the character and compassion of Jesus as I commit to know him more fully and display his life to those around me more completely. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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True Worshipers (Oct 13, 2011)
[Jesus said,] "But the time is coming -- indeed it's here now -- when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth." John 4:23 nlt
THOUGHT:
Genuine worship involves the Holy Spirit. Jesus had promised this kind of worship to the woman at the well in John 4. Jesus poured out his Spirit at Pentecost and the church was born. The early disciples were filled with the Spirit as they prayed and sang. We are encouraged to pray in the Spirit and to be filled with the Spirit as we worship. The time is here! True worshippers are not bound by place and time, but are connected to each other and to God in worship by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit!
PRAYER: O great God and Father of us all, make your presence known in your people in powerful ways as we seek to honor you and bless each other as we are filled with the Holy Spirit as we joyfully assemble together to worship you! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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Pray in the Spirit (Oct 11, 2011)
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people. Eph 6:18 tniv
PRAYER: O great God and Father of us all, make your presence known in your people in powerful ways as we seek to honor you and bless each other as we are filled with the Holy Spirit as we joyfully assemble together to worship you! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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Pray in the Spirit (Oct 11, 2011)
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people. Eph 6:18 tniv
THOUGHT:The Holy Spirit is our constant assurance of our access to the heart of God. The Spirit intercedes for us and communicates our words and our emotions according to the will of God. Like in all worship, the Holy Spirit fills us, is among us, and participates with us as we seek God. In prayer, the Holy Spirit also empowers and enables us as we pray. Prayer is much more than shouting words at heaven or begging God for help. Prayer happens because of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. God himself, in the Spirit, is praying with us and through us!
PRAYER: Father, please hear the prayer I share with you using words. Father, please hear the prayer I offer you that is deeper than words and beyond what my words can convey. Thank you for the Holy Spirit who intercedes, empowers, and makes possible this prayer. In Jesus' name I thank you. Amen.
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Prayer in the Power of the Spirit (Oct 12, 2011)
But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit. Jude 20 tniv
THOUGHT: So much of our physical world is dependent upon power. Yet the spiritual world is even more about power than the physical world. One of the great avenues of power -- a place where power is available to us and flows through us -- is prayer. We are commanded to rely on this power and not our eloquence, position, or physical might. So as we pray each day, let's consciously invite the Holy Spirit into our prayer life and ask the Spirit to empower our prayers.
PRAYER: O God, you are holy! I thank you, Father, for hearing my prayer. I thank you, Jesus, as I pray in your name. I invite you, Holy Spirit, to enter and to intercede for me as I pray. Please empower my prayers to be effective and a blessing, both to those for whom I pray and also to you, O God, the One to whom I pray.
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Hear what the Spirit Says! (Oct 18, 2011)
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Those who are victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death. Rev 2:11 tniv
THOUGHT:
PRAYER: O God, you are holy! I thank you, Father, for hearing my prayer. I thank you, Jesus, as I pray in your name. I invite you, Holy Spirit, to enter and to intercede for me as I pray. Please empower my prayers to be effective and a blessing, both to those for whom I pray and also to you, O God, the One to whom I pray.
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Hear what the Spirit Says! (Oct 18, 2011)
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Those who are victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death. Rev 2:11 tniv
THOUGHT:
I remember the old Wolfbrand Chili commercials when we would see a steaming bowl of chili and a voice off camera would say something like, "When was the last time you had a big, steaming, bowl of Wolfbrand Chili? Well, that's too long!" Let's re-phrase that. When was the last time you were part of a church that called all its members to fast, pray, and open Scripture and then ask God to help the church hear the message the Spirit has for them? "Well, that's too long!" Jesus challenges those who heard his message to really listen -- not just with their ears, but also with their hearts. Let's be God's people who hunger to hear what the Spirit is seeking to say to us through Scripture!
PRAYER: Father, forgive us -- forgive me! We have very seldom sought to hear your voice and your Word and the message the Spirit has for us in that Word. More than forgiveness, O God, give us a yearning to hear the message the Spirit has for our congregation at this time, with our challenges and opportunities. I ask this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
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Be Filled with the Spirit (Jan 22, 2012_
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Eph 5:18-21 nlt
THOUGHT: When someone is drunk, we talk about them being "under the influence." When a person is a follower of Jesus, he or she should be under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Paul lists five ways that we fill ourselves with the Spirit. Four we would normally identify with worship -- speaking to one another in song, singing, making music in our hearts, and giving thanks to God. Paul adds a fifth way to turn loose the Spirit in our lives: submitting to one another as part of our worship of Jesus.
I don't know about you, but there are times when I have not wanted to do each of those things, but in doing it with a genuine desire to honor the Lord, I find myself blessed and empowered in ways I would never have expected. But we shouldn't be surprised: the Bible tells us that when we do these things, God's Spirit fills us!
PRAYER: Loving Father, thank you for entering into me through the Holy Spirit. I am going to try to do all I can to worship you with my words and with my relationships, trusting that you will empower me with your Holy Spirit. Please help me see your presence and power in my life as I do these things. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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Fruit of the Spirit (Jan 21, 2012)
PRAYER: Loving Father, thank you for entering into me through the Holy Spirit. I am going to try to do all I can to worship you with my words and with my relationships, trusting that you will empower me with your Holy Spirit. Please help me see your presence and power in my life as I do these things. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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Fruit of the Spirit (Jan 21, 2012)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.Against such things there is no law. Gal 5:22-23 tniv
THOUGHT: Sometimes we confuse "fruit of the Spirit" by calling them "fruits of the Spirit." This seems like such a small thing; but, unfortunately, this small thing can lead us to a dangerously false conclusion.
The fruit of the Spirit involves all nine of these qualities. We can't excuse a lack of growth in one area or another as simply not having all the fruits of the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is working to create the character of Jesus in us (2 Cor. 3:18; see Gal. 4:19). He wants to see us growing in each area and not excuse ourselves from one of these qualities of Jesus. I don't know about you, but there are several in which I need to grow -- but I believe the Spirit is making progress in them. Let's keep encouraging each other to let the Spirit lead us to become more like Jesus in every way!
PRAYER: O Precious Father, God Most High, thank you for your patience, grace, and forgiveness. I want the Holy Spirit to lead me and empower me to grow in every way, but especially so that I can be more like Jesus in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Thank you for hearing my prayer offered in Jesus' name. Amen.
PRAYER: O Precious Father, God Most High, thank you for your patience, grace, and forgiveness. I want the Holy Spirit to lead me and empower me to grow in every way, but especially so that I can be more like Jesus in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Thank you for hearing my prayer offered in Jesus' name. Amen.
Source: Used with permission from "Heartlight" http://www.heartlight.org - Please note 'The SpiritFire daily devotional' written by Phil Ware is part of a new year long devotional walk focused on the blessing of the Holy Spirit in our lives - You can subscribe - It's FREE! Just send a blank email to: join-spiritfire@maillists.heartlight.org
