Hope in the Spirit

Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have receive mercy, we do not lose heart. (2 Corinthians 4:1)

Paul had the ministry of preaching to the Gentiles.

Paul was not sufficient of himself to attain the knowledge of the gospel truths which he preached. His sufficiency came from God. It was the Spirit of God Who enabled him to preach the Word powerfully. (2 Corinthians 3:5-6)

Paul used great boldness of speech. He knew the Spirit of God was working in him and through him to free sinners. It is the Spirit of God who takes the veil away. It is the Spirit of God who gives liberty from the bondage of the sin Adam gave us. By the Spirit of God we hope and behold the glory of the Lord.

The whole Christian life is from faith to faith. All Christians need the mercy and grace of God from time to time. 

Christians are fallible. But as Christians, we do not lose heart. We have a living hope in the Spirit of God.

Silent Prayer

Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.

—1 Samuel 1:13

Prayer can be silent.

Hannah, who longed for a child of her own, visited the temple and spoke in her heart as she prayed.

Her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard.

Eli the priest saw, and misunderstood what was happening.

Hannah explained  to him that she was pouring out her heart before the LORD (1 Samuel 1:15).

God heard Hannah's silent prayer request, and gave her a son (1 Samuel 1:20).

God searches our hearts and minds (Jeremiah 17:10).

He sees and hears our every prayer.

We can pray with full confidence that He will hear and answer us.

We can continually praise Him, ask Him for help, and thank Him for blessings.

Remember: Our God hears us, answers us, and fills our hearts with peace, when we pour out our hearts to Him.

Confess our Sins

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. —Psalm 32:1


Hiding our sins is a terrible thing to do.

King David was an example of this.

The surface of his life looked fine.
But his interior life was really bad.
After his sins of adultery and murder, David thought he had successfully hidden his treacherous acts (2 Sam. 11–12).
But God’s intense conviction after Nathan’s confrontation caused him to realize that denying the presence of sin in his life weakened the foundation of his spiritual life.
To prevent his spiritual state from worsening, David acknowledged his sin to God in repentance (Psalm 32:5).
As a result, God covered David’s sin and gave him the joy of forgiveness.

We too will experience God’s grace when we confess our sins to Him.
God will completely forgive and cover our sin.
Let us confess our habitual sins, our secret addictions, and our hidden vulnerabilities before God.
It is when we uncover our sins in repentance that God will cover them.

 

Forgive me O God!  And cover all my sins.

 

 

The Virtue of Waiting

Waiting is hard.

We wait in traffic,

We wait in the queue,

We wait in the line...

We wait in the grocery store,

We wait in the gas station,

We wait in the clinic...

We wait in the cold and dark,

We wait in the heat and rain...

We twiddle our thumbs,

We stifle our yawns, 

We fret inwardly in frustration...

In Psalm 40:1-3, David says, 

“I waited patiently for the Lord;

And He inclined to me,

And heard my cry.

He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,

Out of the miry clay,

And set my feet upon a rock,

And established my steps.

He has put a new song in my mouth—

Praise to our God;

Many will see it and fear,

And will trust in the Lord.” 

David waited and waited and waited for God to answer his prayer. 

Yet as he looks back at this time of delay, he praises God. 

Waiting is good, 

Here we develop the virtues of submission, humility, patience, joyful endurance, persistence in well-doing...

Virtues that take years to learn.

Have Thine own way, Lord! 

Have Thine own way!

Thou art the Potter, 

I am the clay;

Mold me and make me after Thy will,

While I am waiting, yielded and still. 

Waiting for God is never a waste of time.

Shine, Jesus Shine

The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned. —Matthew 4:16

The Gospel is the single Light so bright that it illuminates the whole world with truth, justice, and love.

Jesus is everything that the world is longing and looking for.

And He has told His followers to display His light so that others will see and glorify God.

As Christians we must work hard to display the light of God’s love.

Perhaps then the people living in darkness would make an effort to see this great Light.