Friendship with the Holy Spirit..Craig Denison Ministries;

Friendship with the Holy Spirit

Craig Denison Ministries;

Weekly Overview:

As believers, we’ve been given the Holy Spirit as a Helper, Teacher, Friend, and seal for the promised inheritance of eternal life with God. His presence, guidance, and wisdom in our lives are our greatest gifts while here on earth. Through him we have access to direct connection with our heavenly Father. Through him we receive spiritual gifts to empower us. And through him we are able to bear the incredible fruit of abundant life. Open your heart and mind to all that the Holy Spirit would give you, show you, and lead you to this week.

Scripture: “The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.” Psalm 25:14

Devotional:

In friendship with the Holy Spirit we begin to experience a sense of wholeness and joy unattainable through any other relationship or aspect of life. Rapid and wonderful transformation results when you discover the wealth of love that comes with continual, real friendship with the living God. In friendship with God comes peace, security, honesty, healing, and freedom. As you live your life in step with the Spirit, you experience what Adam and Eve experienced as they walked with God himself in the Garden of Eden. You discover the vast reservoir of love, affection, and perfect help that’s available to you in the Holy Spirit. Open your heart today to receive a fresh revelation of God’s desire for friendship with you through the Holy Spirit.

Jesus says in John 15:15, “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” God longs for friendship with his people. And through the Holy Spirit we have a continual connection with God available to us. The Spirit desires to do life with you. He wants to guide you, speak to you, and love you. He wants to satisfy your longing for relationship and can do so in greater ways than you can imagine.

John 14:16-17 says, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” By God’s grace you have been filled with God himself. You have dwelling with you the same Spirit who authored Scripture, raised Christ from the dead, empowered the disciples, and hovered over the waters at the creation of all things. And Scripture says that he longs to help you! Jesus calls him the “Helper.” How incredible is the grace of our God to offer us relationship with the Holy Spirit! How great is his love that he would send his Son to die that we might have abundant life for all of eternity, including right now!

So, how do we grow in friendship with the Holy Spirit? How do we allow him to satisfy our desire for relationship? Psalm 25:14 says, “The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.” And Ephesians 4:30 says, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Friendship with the Holy Spirit starts like any other true friendship. We must respect, love, and make time for him. We must learn what he likes and dislikes. And we must apologize when we do something that hurts him. The Holy Spirit has feelings like any other person. But he is also full of grace, forgiveness, and unconditional love. Friendship with him comes about by following his leadership, making time to ask him how he feels about things, and following his guidance away from a lifestyle of sin into the righteousness available to you through Christ Jesus.

The Holy Spirit is waiting right now to guide you into friendship with him. He’s excited about the idea of pouring out his love and affections on you. He longs to lead you away from the sins that hurt you and grieve him. And he longs to guide you toward a life of walking with him in relationship. Spend time in prayer being filled with the Holy Spirit afresh and making room to discover the reality of his presence in your life.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s desire for friendship with you.

“No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” John 15:15

“The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.” Psalm 25:14

2. Ask the Holy Spirit to pour his love out on you. Ask him to make the reality of his nearness known to you. Be filled with desire to live your life in relationship with this real, tangible God who loves you.

3. Ask the Holy Spirit what he likes and doesn’t like. Open your life and let him speak to you about whatever is causing you trouble. Ask him how he feels about relationships, situations, thoughts, and perspectives you have. The Spirit loves to speak to us and help us.

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:16-17

Often we separate out what we think God cares about and what just seems to be normal, worldly parts of life. But God wants to be involved in every part of our lives. He wants to be there for us in everything we do. He wants to fill us with grace and joy to do all the things set before us, from taking out the trash to washing dishes to leading thousands of people in prayer. Allow the Holy Spirit to come in and work in every area of your life and discover the wealth of knowledge and love your God has to share with you.

Extended Reading: John 14

Are You Hated Like Jesus Is Hated?..Lynette Kittle

 Are You Hated Like Jesus Is Hated?

By Lynette Kittle

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first” - John 15:18

Do you feel like everyone loves you? Is that how you sincerely believe Christians are to live on Earth? Scriptures such as Romans 12:18 seem to tell us, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Also, does it seem unwise to you to tell people what the Bible says about how they live because you feel it will push them away from God? And maybe push them away from you, too? Do you look at other believers who speak God’s truth concerning sinful activities and attitudes as trouble-makers? 

Although no one wants others to hate them, if no one hates us, maybe we need to look at how we live our lives. If we live for God, Proverbs 29:27 assures us, “The righteous detest the dishonest; the wicked detest the upright.” 1 John 2:15 explains, too, how if living in the world isn’t causing discomfort and looking at us with disdain, we might love it more than God. 

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.”

Jesus Told Us So
Although some don’t understand the hatred when it comes, Jesus warned us, “Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you” (1 John 3:13). Yet, some believers try to lay low by not speaking God’s truth in situations because they don’t think it’s the Christian thing to do, or it might not go over well and offend or anger someone else. But when we look at how Jesus walked on Earth, He told the truth, and yes, it upset people. It did cause some to hate Him. Matthew 10:22 reveals the rewards for all willing to endure being hated for Jesus’ sake.

“You will be hated by everyone because of Me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”

God’s Clear Warning
In our lives, are we asking ourselves how, in today’s age, if we truly follow God, how could we possibly not be hated? Isaiah 5:20 warns, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” Whether we like it or not, evil being called good and good being called evil has flooded our secular world, seeping into many Christian churches, schools, and organizations. If we truly believe God’s word is true in the Bible, we cannot escape drawing lines in the sand that we will not cross. And when we do, again, like Matthew 10:22 explains, when we stand firm, we will be saved. We also want to remember that although others seem to hate us, it’s God they hate. The rejection is real, but in truth, it’s God they are really rejecting. John 15:23 explains, 

“Whoever hates Me hates My Father as well.”

Intersecting Faith and Life:
Are you willing to be hated because you love God? If not, ask Him to examine you and reveal where your heart truly lies, with the world or God. If with the world, ask God to show you areas where you are tied to it and need to be freed from its hold in your life.

The Standards That Matter..Meg Bucher

 The Standards That Matter (2 Corinthians 10:12)

By Meg Bucher

“Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.” 2 Corinthians 10:12 (ESV)

2 Corinthians 10:12 is aimed at the false teachers of Paul’s day. They thought so highly of themselves that they failed to see that their measure of righteousness was a faulty one. Paul is reminding his readers that the standard above all standards is Jesus. And God’s standards on our lives mean more than anyone else’s … even our own. It’s in our human nature to seek confirmation for a job well-done and a path well-traveled. We look for evidence that we’ve done the best we can do with what we’ve been given, but our measure of righteousness is focused on man, not God.

No human standard that will ever fulfill us. Only Christ’s approval will provide the peace we are seeking in this life. The world’s standards will tell us that we need to achieve certain benchmarks to be happy. One after another we will reach, pass, and move on to the next one… never feeling fully satisfied.

There’s only one way for each life to attain true peace. That’s why comparison is so dangerous. We chase someone else’s benchmark, and all the while miss our own. Jesus died so that we could stop chasing aimlessly.

Live according to God’s standards, which you can find in His living and active Word. The more time we spend with Him, the further anchored we will become in His purpose for our lives. All other standards will will become foolish when we are rooted in Christ.

Let's pray now that our measure of righteousness would be fixed in Christ and no other worldly standard:

Father, we praise you for your protection and your guidance. Thank you for your Living Word, which guides our lives perfectly, and your son Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, which grants us the grace to interpret it. Forgive us for forging our own way, the world’s way. Bless our lives to seek your way. For we know your way is always bigger and better than anything we could ever ask for or imagine.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

A Prayer for Our Children to Know God's Love..Kristine Brown

 A Prayer for Our Children to Know God's Love

By Kristine Brown

"And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is." Ephesians 3:18 NLT

It's hard to grasp that anyone could love my kids more than I do. Yet there is One whose love for them surpasses my own. As much love as I have for my children, Jesus loves them more. But do they understand how much? When our children are under our protective care, we try to do everything right. We sing, "Jesus loves me, this I know," and read Bible stories like David and Goliath or Jonah and the whale. All the while, we hope God's love seeps into those little hearts. We also hope they choose to love him back. Because we know this incredible love will carry them through their teens, the young adult years, and the rest of their lives. 

Sometimes I question whether I've done enough. I wonder if I planted the right seeds for deep-rooted faith to grow. But all my efforts can lead me to think their faith journey is up to me. When in truth, God is guiding their steps. When I want to explain to my kids about God's love for them, I struggle to find the right words. Are they old enough to comprehend his sacrifice? How do I explain? I want their young minds to understand all he gave for us so that they can know the breadth of his love. Ephesians 3:18 is one of my favorite verses for kids and adults alike. Paul gives a perfect description of God's perfect love for his people. A message easily understood by both young and old— God's love for us has no boundaries.

"And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is." Ephesians 3:18 NLT

Reading these words brings me comfort when I second-guess myself as a mom. Reading them to my children reminds them they can always count on God's forever love. His love for them will never change, no matter what they face in this world. Let's pray this prayer together for our children to know God's Love.

Let's pray:
Dear God,
Thank you for your love. There is nothing else like it. And thank you for my children. I understand your love for them reaches beyond any distance mine could ever reach. Help them to know your love. I want to be able to comfort them and reassure them everything will be okay, but there will be times I'm unable to be there for them, especially as they get older. Thank you for surrounding them with your love, Father. Thank you for guiding my kids as they learn to trust your loving care. 

Lord, when my children are afraid, help them know how wide your love is. When they feel discouraged, help them know your love extends to the greatest lengths for them. When they are sad or lonely, let them know even the tallest mountain cannot compare to the height of your love. When they feel alone, help them know the depth of your love. As they grow and learn more about you each day, I pray this incomparable love will pierce their hearts and change their lives forever. May our children make the ultimate decision to love you because you first loved them. In the name of your Son Jesus, I pray, Amen.

Overcoming the Barrier of Inadequacy..Dr. Charles Stanley

 Overcoming the Barrier of Inadequacy

Dr. Charles Stanley

2 Corinthians 2:14-17

No one likes feelings of inadequacy, but they are something we must learn to handle, as none of us can avoid them permanently. Tragically, though, many people live with a cloud over their head because in their thinking, they never measure up. For some, this may be due to childhood experiences that negatively affected their self-image. For others, the problem stems from a lack of success related to work, relationships, marriage, parenting, or any number of things.

The area Paul deals with in today's passage is our Christian life. He asks a question that points to a common insecurity: "Who is adequate for these things?" (v. 16). Have you ever avoided serving the Lord in ways that challenge your comfort zone? If so, you've probably missed a tremendous opportunity to overcome feelings of inadequacy. He's promised to lead us "in triumph in Christ," (v. 14) but unless we believe Him and step out in faith, we'll never experience the life He has planned for us.

Feeling inadequate is not a sin, but using it as an excuse is. When the Lord challenges you to do something that you feel is beyond your abilities, you have two options. You can focus on Christ and proceed in triumph or focus on yourself and withdraw in defeat.

It's really a matter of faith. God would never ask you to do something without empowering you to accomplish it. This doesn't necessarily mean you will do it perfectly, but each step of obedience is a victory. The alternative is to play it safe, but then you'll miss out on God's best for your life.