Author: Ken Crawford

Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
— 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 NIV

There is such a powerful difference between “what we were” and “what we are.” (See also Colossians 1:21-23.) And that difference is not one we could achieve on our own. That difference is made possible by the work of the Holy Spirit who has made us clean (“washed”), given us pure hearts and made us holy (“sanctified”), and declared us innocent (“justified”). Paul appears to be reminding the Corinthians of their conversion where they called on the name of the Lord Jesus to save them, were baptized in his name, and received the gift of the Holy Spirit. Today, I want to encourage you to look back to the time you came to Christ and celebrate what you are now by the power of God’s Spirit and leave behind what you were before you came to know Christ. Remember what you are and don’t get dragged down by what you were!

Holy and Almighty God, thank you for your wonderful grace. I praise you for what you are transforming me to be. I thank you that I am not what I once was. I thank you that even when I stumble, Jesus’ blood continues to cleanse me and your Spirit is working to conform me to your holy character and your gracious compassion. Continue your work of transformation in me, I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
— Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV

Are you a dreamer? Even if you are not a dreamer, imagine the most highly impossible thing you could do to honor God. Then realize that God can do far more through you than that — more than you can even begin to imagine! And the power to do it? The power at work within you? Ah yes, you guessed it: It is the power of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 3:16)! The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work within each true follower of Jesus (Ephesians 1:17-20).

Father in heaven, you are holy and mighty and incomprehensible. I can’t begin to fathom your greatness, yet I can come to you as my Father because of your loving grace for me. Please empower me and use me to bring you glory and bring your grace to others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

On one occasion, while [Jesus] was eating with [the disciples], he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
— Acts 1:4-5 NIV

Jesus’ closest followers had seen him betrayed, crucified, and raised from the dead. They had been with the Lord after his resurrection — they had touched his scars, shared meals with him, and heard his voice. They had an incredible story to tell, and the world desperately needed to hear their message. However, they lacked one crucial ingredient to begin their mission: They did not have the Holy Spirit. Jesus told them to wait! In spite of the urgency of the disciples’ mission, everything was on hold until Jesus poured out the promised Holy Spirit. No matter how well we think we may be ready to do great things for God, we must also remember that we are not ready to begin without the power of the Holy Spirit!

Almighty God, thank you for being willing to share yourself and your power with me through the Holy Spirit. Forgive me when I try to operate by my own timing, my own sense of sufficiency, and my own wisdom and plans. I recognize my deep need for the Holy Spirit to move in me, to empower me, and to equip me for your work in the world. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

“If my people, who are called by my name,
will humble themselves and pray
and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways,
then I will hear from heaven,
and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
Chronicles 7:14

Our land is hurting and in deep need of God’s divine healing. This admonition from God addresses the critical fact that the sin and wickedness in our life as a nation has direct — and disastrous — effects on our health as a nation and as a global community. If we are going to call on God to heal our land, to heal our nation, and to heal our human community, it is vital that we are also forthright in changing our wicked ways. If Christians are going to take 2 Chronicles 7:14 seriously — we must address our sins.

National sins as well as personal and individual sins are expressed as wickedness in our homes and offices, school yards and town squares. They permeate the culture to infect many aspects of business, government, and even the church. They are fueled by social media, fear-based politics, and biased media attention.

Like a cancerous infection, this evil wickedness is spreading throughout our culture and the Church. It is time that the people of faith intentionally humble ourselves and pray and seek God’s face and turn from our wicked ways. Our faith in Jesus Christ calls for no less, and empowers us for so much more.

Father God, we come to you because the people of this nation and everything in it belong to you. We are not here by accident. You are the one who set us in this nation at this particular time for the glory of your name. But Father, people in this country are turning against each other. We no longer live like brothers and sisters. Brother has turned against brother and child against parent. But your word says that if we humble ourselves and turn from our wicked ways you will heal our land. Lord, heal our hearts, heal our land. Remove bitterness and resentment from our hearts and help us to live as brothers and sisters. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. — 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 NLT

Scripture calls us to two powerful principles through this passage. First, the message given to us by the apostles is not man’s opinion, but God’s truth — we must not ignore it! Second, God gives the Holy Spirit to Christians, not just a one-time or temporary gift of the Spirit but an ongoing and indwelling gift of the Spirit. Jesus promised something very similar during his ministry (John 7:37-39, as seen in tomorrow’s scripture). In other words, we cannot use up our supply of the Holy Spirit; the more we rely on and need the Holy Spirit, the more God gives us the Spirit. It’s impossible to do better than a never-ending supply of what we need to live for God!

O Father, Sovereign Lord, thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit who lives in me. Thank you even more for the continual outpouring of the Holy Spirit into my life as I need and rely on the Spirit to sustain, empower, and transform me to be more and more like Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.

God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
— 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 NLT

Scripture calls us to two powerful principles through this passage. First, the message given to us by the apostles is not man’s opinion, but God’s truth — we must not ignore it! Second, God gives the Holy Spirit to Christians, not just a one-time or temporary gift of the Spirit but an ongoing and indwelling gift of the Spirit. Jesus promised something very similar during his ministry (John 7:37-39, as seen in tomorrow’s scripture). In other words, we cannot use up our supply of the Holy Spirit; the more we rely on and need the Holy Spirit, the more God gives us the Spirit. It’s impossible to do better than a never-ending supply of what we need to live for God!

O Father, Sovereign Lord, thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit who lives in me. Thank you even more for the continual outpouring of the Holy Spirit into my life as I need and rely on the Spirit to sustain, empower, and transform me to be more and more like Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
— 2 Timothy 1:7 NIV

As Paul faced the challenges of imprisonment and impending death, he reminded Timothy in the next verse (2 Timothy 1:8) not to be ashamed of the message of Jesus or of him as Jesus’ messenger. This ability for Timothy (and for us) not to be ashamed comes from the Holy Spirit. The indwelling presence of the Spirit brings us power, love, and self-discipline. We shouldn’t be timid. The powerful presence of our almighty God lives within us!

Father, forgive me for the times I have been timid about my faith. I recognize that my timidity showed itself in those times when I didn’t depend on your Spirit to strengthen me and give me boldness to say the things I need to say in the ways I need to say them. Please fill me with your Spirit so that I can be a person of character and compassion, demonstrating power, love, and self-discipline in my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.
— Genesis 1:2 NLT

In the very first chapter of the Bible, we are taken to the formless emptiness before time began. We find the Spirit of God hovering over this formless and empty darkness, characterized as “the surface of the waters,” waiting for God to speak his creative word. God’s formative word set the power of the Spirit into creative work, ordering and making our universe and our world within it. However, isn’t it so sadly ironic that in the emptiness of our lives we so seldom cry out to God and ask for his Holy Spirit to come into our lives and bring the LORD’s creative order? Let’s ask for God’s Spirit, hovering above our messes, to enter into our lives and lead us to where we need to be and to bring the Father the glory he deserves!

O Sovereign God, I confess that I cannot order and control my life. I surrender to your grace and ask for your Holy Spirit to enter my world and bring your gracious and creative order and form your holy character and compassion in me. In the name of your Son and my Savior, I pray. Amen.

I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
— Ephesians 3:14-19 NIV

One of the best gifts we can give those we love is to pray for them. One of the most important prayers we can pray for other believers is the one Paul prays here. We can pray for those we love to be strengthened by God’s Spirit! Not only can we pray this prayer for them, but we can also let them know that we are praying this prayer for them. Why not copy Paul’s prayer and send it to a believing friend or family member and let them know that you have prayed this prayer for them today?

Father in heaven, I believe you are all powerful and that I cannot begin to understand your glory and might. I am humbled that you make that power available to me, and within me, through the Holy Spirit. Dear Father, there are those I love that I pray you will bless with your power. Please strengthen them with your power in their inner being. Please help them be aware of your presence in their lives through the Holy Spirit. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.