Beyond Sunday

Open Yourself to the Power of the Holy Spirit • Day 29

April 04, 2022 Season 3 Episode 29
Beyond Sunday
Open Yourself to the Power of the Holy Spirit • Day 29
Show Notes Transcript

Throughout Lent, we’ll be publishing daily devotionals written and narrated by members of our congregation. This year, our theme is Transformed in Christ. Today's episode is narrated by Aaron Engelman, and features a reflection written by Roger Theimer, followed by an application written by Roger Theimer.

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Thanks for listening!

Today’s Truth that Transforms:

“Open Yourself to the Power of the Holy Spirit”

Scripture from Luke and John 

13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Lu 11)

 15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.  (Jo 14)

How are we “Transformed in Christ” and shaped to be more like Him?

Did Jesus depend on the Holy Spirit. Yes! Of course! The Holy Spirit is a person of the Godhead, the Trinity, just like Jesus. But when Jesus humbled himself to take on the full experience of our humanity, He stepped out of His divine prerogatives and no longer had face-to-face contact with God. He then showed how important it was to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading. We also need the Holy Spirit to lead, encourage, comfort and keep us in deep relationship with God. What does Jesus teach about the Holy Spirit? The greatest is that we should pray to receive Him! Jesus certainly prayed this for us. He makes it clear in all these encouragements that we should open our hearts and welcome His fully coming into our lives. Have your asked for this yet today? 

How do you see this “Truth that Transforms” working in your life? 

The following is an application story written by Roger Theimer. After you read it, ask yourself the same question. “How do I see this ‘Truth that Transforms’ working in my life?

I spent some of my early growing up years living in west Texas. This is the desert part of Texas, flat and barren. From my perspective, I thought the whole world looked this way. I remember visiting my grandparents in Oklahoma. As a child I once asked them, “What did you do with all your tumbleweeds? Do you sweep your streets to get rid of them?” Of course, now I know better. The world is interspersed with deserts and with green, flourishing places. So, it is in the Bible, both wilderness areas and land flowing with milk and honey. But notice in the Bible it is often in the wilderness, in the dry and empty places, that God meets in a special way with His people. The children of Israel wandered in a desert. They learned about depending on God. Mt. Sinai is in a desert. They learned about following God above all else. And Jesus? He began His ministry with 40 days of testing. Where? In the desert! What is it about deserts that people encounter God? Sometimes we need to remove distractions from our lives and remind ourselves how much we need God. We need to open our heart to His Holy Spirit. We need to thirst for Him. Hunger for Him. Seek Him. And that’s a reminder of today’s word for us. Put some separation from our busy-ness. Or maybe we are going through a tough season that feels like a desert. Even that might better tune our ears to hear what Jesus teaches us today: “Remove your heart from other distractions. Ask for what it is that your truly need: the Holy Spirit!”