The post, dated August 6, 2017, features a message accompanied by a video link. It reflects on a time when the author’s hair still retained some color, suggesting nostalgia and a change over time. The video likely complements this sentiment, offering a glimpse into their past.
Message from August 6, 2017 when my hair still had some color!
Take the helmet of salvation and the
sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Ephesians 6:17 NIV
The Scriptures are inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16-17), and the Spirit helps us understand the will of God (1 Corinthians 2:6-16). God’s message of truth is much more than just the words of mere mortals; it is God’s will given by his Spirit (1 Thessalonians 4:8). Scripture has its origins in the Spirit of God, even though it was proclaimed by human messengers (2 Peter 1:19-21). In other words, I must not neglect the Scriptures as the word of God. They must be allowed to teach, rebuke, correct, train, and equip me to live the life of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). I must allow the Spirit to use God’s word to convict me and work on the attitudes of my heart as I am trained to distinguish good from evil (Hebrews 4:12-13; Hebrews 5:11-14). Another important thing that catches my attention today is that I must “take” God’s word. I must intentionally choose to pick it up, use it, and depend upon it, inviting the Spirit to lead me in the way of God!
Holy God, thank you for giving me your word in Scripture. Thank you for pouring out your truth through human messengers inspired by the Holy Spirit. Thank you for the work of the Spirit to convict and enlighten me through your word. As I seek your will in your word, I ask today that the Spirit be active and lead me in the way you want me to go. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses,
so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
— 2 Corinthians 12:9
Today’s Word
While other preachers in Paul’s day were parading and bragging about their credentials, Paul refused to get into such self-centered contests to prove he was the most impressive of Jesus’ disciples. Even though he had the religious education and Jewish pedigree to silence his rivals, he preferred to acknowledge the areas of his weakness where God triumphed over his limitations. God had taught Paul that heaven’s power was most on display in Paul’s weakness, like Jesus’ power over the evil one, which he demonstrated through the cross — the ultimate sign of weakness (Colossians 2:12-15). God demonstrated his power through what Paul did in his weakness so the glory could go to God! Let’s be careful about determining someone’s ministry worthiness based on his or her resume or reputation. Instead, let’s honor people in whom God’s grace has triumphed through their weakness!
Our Prayer
Almighty and loving Father, thank you for sustaining and enabling me to serve you in ways I would never have dreamed of doing. Please help me serve you faithfully as I depend upon your grace in my weakness. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, when we were God’s enemies,
we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more,
having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
— Romans 5:9-10
Today’s Word
Jesus did more than die for our sins; he lives as our resurrected Lord. So, since God emptied heaven of the Son, had him die on the cross for our sins, and then raised him from the dead to save us, imagine what God has in store for us now that he has saved us! We have only seen the beginnings of God’s love for us, and even though what we have seen is amazing, God will do more than we can ask or imagine for us through the power and presence of our resurrected Lord and Savior, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit that he gives us (Ephesians 3:20-21).
Our Prayer
Holy Lord, we look forward to the day we get to see you and experience your grace in all its glory when we meet Jesus in that glory. Please inspire us to be courageous and confident when facing challenges in the future. We want to live faithfully and victoriously before others, knowing Jesus is alive forever for us. Father, we believe that the best of what Jesus wants to do in us and through us lies ahead, so use us to your glory. In Jesus’ name, we know we are forgiven as we pray confidently and anticipate our future glory with him. Amen.
Has it ever occurred to you that the Bible
doesn’t ever just say that God loves us?
Instead, it says:
“God demonstrates his own love for us in this…”
(Romans 5:8).
“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son…”
(1 John 4:10).
“For God so loved the world that he gave…”
(John 3:16).
For God, love is more than an emotion or intention. True love — redemptive love, God-styled love — is defined by actions and the emotions that launch those actions! Jesus showed God’s love for us by sacrificing everything for us. He did it when we most needed it. He demonstrated God’s love for us while we were sinners, powerless, ungodly, and even enemies of God!
Our Prayer
Father, thank you for loving us. We love you for what you’ve done. We love you for who you are. We love you for your promises. We love you for your faithfulness. Most of all, dear Father, we love you because of Jesus, who showed us how much you love us. Please empower us to show our love by serving and giving to others as Jesus did for us. In his name, we pray. Amen.
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless,
Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man,
though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.
— Romans 5:6-7
Today’s Word
Christ died for the ungodly. That’s us! We were included in this reality before Jesus! Christ died for me, you, those you love, and even those who do not love you. Without Jesus’ sacrificial death and God’s amazing grace, we could never save ourselves by our deeds or make ourselves fully righteous. Jesus did for us what we could not do: he lived a perfect life and died a horrible death to pay off the debt of our sin — something we did not have the power or resources to pay. He did it for us, not because we were good enough to be worthy of his sacrifice, but because we could never do enough to be found worthy without him!
Our Prayer
Loving God, we thank you. Sacrificial Savior, we praise you. Holy Spirit, we live through your power. Words cannot adequately and fully express our thanks for the gift of your grace that cost you so much yet means so much to us. We give all honor, glory, and praise to you, GOD, our Father who sits on the throne, the Lord Jesus Christ who went to the cross, and the Holy Spirit who empowers us to live transformed lives. We pray this based on the authority of Christ Jesus, whose grace makes us worthy to come into your presence, dear Father, and through the intercession of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. — Galatians 5:22-23 NIV
Sometimes we misunderstand “fruit of the Spirit” because we say “fruits of the Spirit.” This difference 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 Corinthians 3:18; see also Galatians 4:19). He wants to see us growing in each area; we should not excuse ourselves from any one of these qualities of Jesus. I don’t know about you, but there are several areas 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 and more like Jesus in every way!
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 and more like Jesus in love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Thank you for hearing my prayer offered in Jesus’ name. Amen.
And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. — Ephesians 4:30 NLT
Some other translations say “do not grieve the Holy Spirit.” Two truths scream to be heard. First, the way we live matters deeply to the Spirit! Second, we can actually oppose and wound the Spirit of God who lives in us. As Galatians 5:13-21 reminds us, feeding the fleshly, sinful side of ourselves puts us at war with the Spirit of God. Things like telling lies to each other, acting out our anger, stealing, sharing unwholesome talk among ourselves, living with rage and brawling, and slander are all activities that bring the Holy Spirit sorrow (Ephesians 4:25-32). Living under the influence of the Spirit empowers us to go beyond these bad qualities as we are conformed to be more and more like Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 5:22-26).
Sovereign God, I confess that I sometimes ignore the impulse of the Holy Spirit inside of me and act in ways that are inconsistent and hurtful to you. I want to be like Jesus — more and more under the influence and control of your Holy Spirit. Please open my eyes to your will, your presence, and your character as the Spirit leads me. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away [a veil like the metaphorical veil that kept the Jews from understanding the old covenant]. 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 Corinthians 3:16-18 NLT
A caterpillar changes into a butterfly — the process of metamorphosis. This type of transformation is the word image painted for us in this message from Scripture: “…as we are changed into his [Jesus’] glorious image.” While we are ordinary humans, with ordinary human powers and ordinary human lives, we can become extraordinary because of the work of the Spirit. While we are limited to our natural abilities — however well we may have developed them, 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 transformation happen? It happens supernaturally, by the power of the Holy Spirit as we both contemplate and reflect the glory of Jesus.
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 knowing him and displaying his life to those around me. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. — 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV
When this was written, temples were the places where the gods were thought to live. More than places of worship, these were places of presence. So when Paul reminds us that we are temples of God’s presence through the Holy Spirit, he is saying something quite profound. God lives in us! We are the places of God’s dwelling. We are holy temples, not because we cleansed ourselves or made ourselves into some incredible dwelling place but because God bought us and sanctified us with the price of Jesus’ life. We are his purchased prime real estate so that his glorious presence can be seen in the world in which we live. As the place where God lives by his Spirit, we are challenged to honor and glorify God with our bodies, his temples. No matter how you may look at your physical appearance, remember this: You are holy, precious, and glorious because the King of Glory has made his home in you through the Holy Spirit!
O Father, today’s passage reminds me of your incredible nearness to me, even within me. Forgive me when I have not realized your presence in me through the Holy Spirit. Forgive me when I have devalued myself and my body as a temple of your holy presence. Please be glorified in who I am, what I say, how I live, and what I think. To you be glory, in Jesus’ name and through your Spirit’s presence. Amen.
Ken Crawford 