Text: Mark 16:17-20

17 And these signs shall follow them that believe;  In my name shall they cast out devils;  they shall speak with new tongues;  18 They shall take up serpents;  and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them;  they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.   20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen. 

 

 

Thursday, 1^st August 2024

                                              THE HOLY SPIRIT MOVES US 2

Text: Mark 16:17-20

Memory verse: Hebrews 2: 4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will. Hebrews 10: 16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them.

I have tried to make it a practice of calling upon the Holy Spirit as much as possible. I often try to do this at the beginning of my workday, asking for the Spirit to be present and guide my efforts and labours for the day. In fact, before writing these devotional series about the Holy Spirit and other devotionals, I asked for that same Spirit to guide and sustain me in the grace. You might consider writing a reminder on your desk, something I have done in the past, or setting a reminder on your phone. Plus, it can literally be as simple as praying “Come, Holy Spirit” at the start of your day. While I think the first step to seeing the Holy Spirit move in our lives is to simply invite His presence, it is also important to actively set time aside to reflect on how the Spirit has showed up for you. How the Holy Spirit helps to navigate to avoid some obstacles with colleagues? How did the Spirit give me the necessary courage not to give in to temptation? How did the Holy Spirit give me the right words to say over the phone to a struggling family member? This type of prayerful practice whereby we review the previous day, intentionally reflecting on where we both accepted and rejected God’s grace. It can help us learn from the day to grow in holiness.

Similarly, I think it can be a wonderful practice to consider how the Holy Spirit has made Himself present throughout the day. And we can do this by looking for the effects of the Spirit. Or, as Apostle Paul tells us, the fruits of the Spirit, which include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Did someone offer us a word of encouragement as we were struggling in the midst of self-doubt? Did we witness something beautiful on our way to work that rekindled our hope? Did we feel a sense of peace and courage as we endured a challenging set of circumstances? In other words, did the Holy Spirit make Himself known to me without my realizing it at the time?

The more we invite and reflect on the Holy Spirit the better we will be able to discern God’s will for our lives. We’ll be able to choose the path of peace and love more easily because we would have learned to recognize it. We will be able to see how the Holy Spirit is leading us in our lives, and how we are being called to live out our calling in the world. This has borne out in my own faith life, and I have had countless experiences. In fact, each time I have needed to make a major decision in my life, pursue a new job, move to a new city, end a relationship, when to start a course, I have always asked for the Holy Spirit’s guidance, and I have never been disappointed. Whether I receive wisdom and guidance through a person or group of people just when I need it, stumble upon the right Scriptural passage in prayer, or receive a confirming sense of peace that indicates a path forward, the Holy Spirit has always showed up. Ultimately, to make room for the Holy Spirit we only have to ask, and then be on the lookout since the Spirit of God remains ever eager to enter and make His love and peace known both to us and everyone else in our lives.

 

CGDS HYMN 24: SS&S 30: 

STAND UP, STAND UP FOR JESUS

1. Stand up, stand up for Jesus

ye soldiers of the cross.

lift high his royal banner,

it must not suffer loss:

from victory unto victory

his army he shall lead,

'til every foe is vanquished,

and Christ is Lord indeed.

2. Stand up, stand up for Jesus,

the trumpet call obey.

forth to the mighty conflict

in this his glorious day:

ye that are men now serve him

against unnumbered foes.

let courage rise with danger,

and strength to strength oppose.

3. Stand up, stand up for Jesus,

stand in his strength alone.

the arm of flesh will fail you,

ye dare not trust your own:

put on the gospel Armor,

each piece put on with prayer.

where duty calls, or danger,

be never wanting there.

4. Stand up, stand up for Jesus,

the strife will not be long.

this day the noise of battle,

the next the victor's song:

to him that overcometh

a crown of life shall be.

he with the King of glory

shall reign eternally.

 Prayers

1.  Lord Jesus, move me out of my comfort zone into Your desire for me.

2.  LORD God Almighty, lead me by Your Spirit to become Your son beyond being Your child in Jesus’ name. Amen.    

3.  Pray for others in this regard.