pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: Holy Spirit


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Small Seeds

Reading: Mark 4: 30-34

Verses 31-32: “It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed… it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants”.

Today we continue in Mark 4 with the planting of seeds. Yesterday we heard the call to scatter seeds of faith, trusting God to root, grow, and mature both our faith and the faith of others. Yesterday we heard that we are all called to plant seeds. Perhaps knowing that his audience then and that followers down through the ages would question or even balk at their ability to do this, Jesus continues with today’s parable.

Jesus begins by asking, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like”? Well, it is not what we or the world think. Jesus shares this illustration: “It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed… it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants”. He chooses the smallest of all seeds. And yet the tiny seed produces a large plant which blesses the birds of the garden. Small gifts… big results. That is God’s kingdom at work. In the kingdom of the world, we think size matters. Larger bank accounts, bigger houses, fancier clothes – big seeds. But what difference do these things make in areas that really matter? None. It is the faithful, small gifts and actions that really build the kingdom of God. It is the many small words and humble actions of faithful followers that build the kingdom of God. Yes, you may hear a wonderful sermon today and you may be moved by the beautiful music. But if your time in church does not lead you to be Christ’s light and love in the world for the rest of the week, then how did worship matter?

The Holy Spirit gifts all believers. All of us have gifts to use in the building of God’s kingdom. How will you use the gifts and talents that God has given you to plant seeds for the building of the kingdom here on earth?

Prayer: Lord God, use me today to be a part of transforming the world. May I begin today with each I meet, pouring your love and grace into their lives. Amen.


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Divine Wisdom

Reading: Psalm 20

Verse 7: “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God”.

Photo credit: Patrick Fore

In Psalm 20 David offers a prayer for military victory over the enemy. He asks for protection, help, and support. He knows that the Lord “saves his anointed”. Although it may seem different to pray for victory in battle, I think most of us ask God to grant us victory pretty regularly. It may be victory over an addiction or a sin we’ve been struggling with. It may be to receive that promotion over the competition or to find the right home in the right neighborhood. It may be to feel progress in our grief or to put depression or stress or anxiety behind us. It may be for physical healing or spiritual wholeness.

David bases his prayer request on his faithful walk with God. He does not need to introduce himself to God before kneeling in prayer. David has sacrificed for God, he has come to the altar with gifts, he has been anointed or blessed by God. He is praying from a place of deep relationship with God. When we lift our petitions to the Lord our God do we come from the same place as David? Do we seek to have the heart of God within us through prayer and study and worship? Do we regularly talk with God so that we have an intimate and personal relationship? Do we sense, invite, and follow the lead and guide of the Holy Spirit?

In verse seven we read, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God”. David differentiates his prayer and desires from the ways of the world. Those kings who rely on chariots and horses or on jets and tanks or on economic might or political alliances are relying on earthly power. David relies on heavenly power to gain victory over the enemy. His trust is built on his faithful walk and alignment with God’s will and ways. When we pray for the desires of our hearts or even for the needs we have do we do so from a place of divine Wisdom and connection? If so, we too will “rise up and stand firm”. May it be so for us all.

Prayer: Lord God, in those moments of quiet, still my voice and draw me into your holy presence. Tune my ears and my heart to the soft whisper of your voice. Lead me to walk in your will and in your ways. Amen.


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Send Me!

Reading: Isaiah 6: 1-8

Verse 8: “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us'”?

Photo credit: John Thomas

As we continue today in our passage from Isaiah 6 we see the divine’s response to Isaiah’s concerns over his sins and over his unworthy status. One of the seraphs takes a coal from the fire on the altar and touches Isaiah’s lips with it. The creature speaks these words to him: “Your guilt is taken away and your sin stoned for”. Cleansed by fire, Isaiah is readied for service.

We too can struggle with our own uncleanliness, with our guilt and shame. In his abundant mercy and grace God has provided a way for us to experience what Isaiah experienced. Through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus we can be made clean, we can have our guilt and shame removed. We too can hear, “Your guilt is taken away and your sin stoned for”. Through our relationship with Jesus, God’s love readies us for service too.

God then speaks in verse eight. The Lord asks, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us'”? This is a somewhat rhetorical question. There is not a whole group of prophets standing before God. There is just one. In the same way, when the Holy Spirit whispers in our heart or nudges our hands or feet towards action, there is but one being spoken to. While the Spirit may speak the same words to many, it is on an individual basis that we must respond. Isaiah’s response is: “Here am I. Send me’! When God calls or when the Holy Spirit guides, may we too respond, “Here am I. Send me’!

Prayer: Loving and gracious God, thank you for your abundant love that calls out to me. Thank you for your unending grace that readies me for service. Atune my ears to hear and my heart to respond when you call. Thank you, Lord. Amen.


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Holy Spirit Filled

Reading: Acts 2: 14-21

Verse 17: “I will pour out my Spirit on all people”.

Photo credit: Emily Crawford

In our passage for today Peter responds to the amazed and perplexed crowd. They are amazed by the word of God that has been placed in their hearts and are perplexed by the means of receiving this word. Amazed and perplexed is an uncomfortable place to be. Some in the crowd try and wiggle out of this place, trying to dismiss this phenomenon to “too much wine”. Peter quickly dismisses this notion and turns to scripture to explain what has just happened. Using scripture to make sense of this experience to the Jews, the people of the book, is Spirit inspired. It is perfect. Peter connects something they know well to something new that they just experienced to help them make sense of their new reality.

Joel speaks of all people – men and women, young and old, even servants – receiving the Holy Spirit. Filled, they will dream dreams, have visions, and prophesy. The same Holy Spirit fills us with all of these things. Joel also speaks of blood, fire, smoke, and darkness. These signs and wonders are symbolic of change. There is a present reality as well as a future promise to these words. The present reality is that Spirit led disciples will work for the transformation of the world. The future promise is that Jesus Christ will one day return in glorious fashion to complete this transformation, making all things new.

You and I are called to live at the intersection of Joel’s words. You, me, and all disciples are called to be Spirit led Christians seeking to transform lives and this world. Our work foremost is to love God and one another. It includes making our world a more just and equitable place. Our work calls us to be humble servants and bold proclaimers of truth. Led by the Spirit we too will be transformed as we transform those around us as we bring the kingdom of God to earth. May you and I be filled with the Holy Spirit each day, bringing love, hope, peace, justice, mercy, and salvation in the name of the Lord. May it be so!

Prayer: God and Spirit in one, fill me with your powerful wind today. Rush into my heart and then lead and guide me to do your work in this time and place. Use me to draw others into your love and saving grace today. Amen.


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Amazing and Wonderful

Reading: Acts 2: 1-13

Verse 4: “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues as the Spirit enabled them”.

Photo credit: Jordan Wozniak

Shavuot, or the Feast of Weeks, comes fifty days after the day of the Passover. This great Jewish festival celebrates two things: the wheat harvest and the giving of the Torah, or the Law. Many Jews from all over the world come to Jerusalem to celebrate these two blessings from God. During one of these large gatherings almost 2,000 years ago a mighty wind blew through Jerusalem and filled a house where some followers of Jesus were gathered. Curious, a large group of Jews from all over the world gathered around that house.

“What seemed to be tongues of fire” settled on those inside the house. The promised Holy Spirit had arrived and drew a crowd. “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues as the Spirit enabled them”. Enabled by the power of the Spirit those inside began to witness to those outside. These men and women from Galilee spoke in languages from all over the known world. Jews from all over the world heard the “wonders of God” – the good news of Jesus Christ – for the first time. They were both amazed and perplexed. Considering how abnormal all of this was, their response is pretty normal: amazed and perplexed. I know what I am hearing. How can this be?

Through the power of the Holy Spirit, God spoke into the hearts of both believers and the Jews, to those inside and those outside. It was a powerful moment for both groups. Being filled with the Holy Spirit was inspiring for the believers. To hear the good news of Jesus Christ for the first time, in your native language, would also be incredible. What an amazing and wonderful God! A great number of people will come to faith in Jesus Christ this day. Many of those will return to their parts of the world a new creation in Christ. The church will continue to grow and spread. More on all of this tomorrow!

For today, though, let us recall our experiences with witnessing to the good news of Jesus Christ. When was your amazed and perplexed moment – that moment you realized the Jesus was your Lord and Savior? What led you to belief? And when have you had the privilege of witnessing for Christ, telling another of his unconditional love and unending grace? May our amazing and wonderful God continue to work in and through you and me, changing the world.

Prayer: Lord God, enable me by the power of your Holy Spirit to speak of your love and grace. Guide me to witness to the hope I find in Jesus Christ, my Lord. Open hearts and minds to receive the good news today. Amen.


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Knowing Hope

Reading: Ephesians 1: 15-19

Verse 18: “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you”.

Photo credit: Nick Fewings

Today’s passage is about Paul’s thanks and prayers for the church in Ephasus. It can also be read as a prayer for each believer and for the church universal. In verse fifteen Paul gives thanks for the church’s faith in Jesus and for their love for the faithful. In verse seventeen Paul prays that the Holy Spirit bring wisdom and revelation from God. Receiving these blessings from the Spirit will help them to know God better and better. Each believer will grow closer and closer to Jesus. Witnessing to Jesus’ love will be the outpouring of the church. As a part of a local church and as a member of the larger body of Christ these too are my prayers locally and globally for the church.

In verses eighteen and nineteen is a blessing prayer. In verse eighteen Paul prays, “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you”. Faith is both a matter of the heart and mind. Receiving God’s wisdom and guidance are important. Knowing the hope to which we are called is essential. Hope is both a now and future thing. The future holds the “glorious inheritance” of life eternal. The now contains the “incomparably great power” that we receive in this life. In and through the power of Jesus’ name we can do great things for the Lord and for our world. We can feed the hungry, clothe the naked, bring justice to the oppressed, liberate the captive, comfort the grieving… In and through Jesus we can change the world. May it begin today.

Prayer: Lord of all creation, thank you for the Spirit that teaches, guides, and realigns me with your will and ways. Thank you for the hope for today and for one day with you. Use me today to help others find hope through a relationship with you. Amen.


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Clothed in Power

Reading: Luke 24: 44-53

Verse 47: “Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached… to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem”.

Photo credit: Fuu J

As Luke draws his gospel to a close Jesus appears to the disciples one last time before he ascends into heaven. In this last encounter Jesus again teaches them. He “opened their minds” so that they could understand how all scripture points towards Jesus himself. He gives them their marching orders, saying, “Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached… to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem”. The disciples are to be “witnesses” to all of this. To accomplish this big task, Jesus again reiterates that he will send the promised Holy Spirit to “clothe” them with power.

The Holy Spirit continues to clothe you and me in power. The task of all disciples remains the same: to share the good news of Jesus Christ with the world. In order to share the good news we must first know it ourselves. Jesus poured his knowledge of God into the disciples and the Holy Spirit would continue to teach, remind, reveal, prompt, encourage… them in the ways of the Lord. In our Bibles we have the source of knowledge, the words of life. As we delve daily into the scriptures, the Holy Spirit works within us to help us to understand and apply the word to our lives. Through this process we are also clothed with power, made ready to share the good news of Jesus Christ with a world in need.

Today we close with these words of prayer from the apostle Paul: “I pray that your heart will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he has called” (Ephesians 1:18). Clothed with power, filled with confident hope, may we go forth into the world to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

Prayer: Lord God, clothe me with your power and fill me with hope as I walk in the world today. May the light of Christ shine into the darkness, helping others to know the saving power of Jesus Christ. Amen.


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Our Task

Reading: Acts 1: 1-11

Verse 8: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses… to the ends of the earth”.

As Luke continues the story of Jesus in his second book he summarizes the life and ministry of Jesus, including the forty days between his resurrection and the day Jesus ascended into heaven. We celebrate Jesus’ ascension in today’s passage. In verses four and five Luke recounts one of those forty days – the day Jesus promised the gift of the Holy Spirit.

As Jesus gathers this one last time with his disciples, they still don’t quite get the bigger picture. They ask if this is the time that Jesus will “restore the kingdom of Israel”. After a dismissive response – it’s not for you to know – Jesus gets to what is now important. In verse eight he tells the disciples, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses… to the ends of the earth”. Starting in Jerusalem and then moving to Judea, they will move on to Samaria and eventually to the whole world. The disciples will go forth to witness to the good news of Jesus Christ. In an ever-widening circle the good news will radiate out from Jerusalem. Jesus then ascends into heaven, disappearing into the clouds. Two angels tell the disciples that Jesus will one day “come back in the same way”. We await that day.

As the disciples waited, they did not wait idly. They got to work organizing the church. Ten days later the Holy Spirit descends on Pentecost. Filled with the Holy Spirit the disciples and then the apostles and eventually the followers begin to preach the good news, working towards the ends of the earth.

Sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with all the world remains a work in progress. Almost 2,000 years later this remains one of the central tasks of the church – to make new disciples for the transformation of the world. It is the task of all who wait upon the Lord. It is my task. It is your task. It is our task. May we each faithfully witness to the power and love of Jesus Christ today and every day, doing our part to bring the good news to all people!

Prayer: Lord God, with all that I meet and interact with, may I be a witness to the life that Jesus Christ offers. May I bring Christ with me into all of my conversations, words, and actions. In all may you be glorified. Amen.


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God’s Servants

Reading: Acts 1: 15-17 and 21-26

Verse 24: “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen”.

At the time our passage today takes place, about 120 people were part of the Jesus movement. What will become the church is just starting to form. As Peter speaks he addresses a need: “one of our number” is no longer with them. Judas has fulfilled his role and there is a felt need to replace him. Twelve was the number Jesus chose, it matched the number of the tribes of Israel. A new disciple felt right.

Churches and really all organizations function this way. There is a process used that determines those needed for both functionality and to accomplish the mission or task. This usually begins with design and planning but is often tweaked as needs define themselves. Periods of stability and balance alternate with times of change. In the early church there will not be twelve forever. Other leaders are added as the ministry expands: Paul, Timothy, Silas, Steven… Others will step up and fill roles and lead as needed.

Peter establishes the criteria for the one who will replace Judas. The new disciple must have experience – they must have been around and known Jesus. Through prayer the group chooses Matthias to become an official witness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He had revealed the faith plus the gifts and talents to be a leader and witness for the faith. God continues to work in this way. People in our churches demonstrate faith and show ability to serve in various roles. Through prayer, discernment, and Holy Spirit guidance these men and women take on responsibility for the functioning and work of the church.

Matthias and Barsabbas were both willing to be considered. Both were willing to serve God and the newly forming church. As we now reflect on the need for leaders and servants in our churches today, where and how can we each serve God and the church?

Prayer: Lord God, continue to raise up leaders and servants among your church. There is much work yet to be done as we seek to build your kingdom here on earth. Show us the way. Amen.


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Overcoming

Reading: 1st John 5: 4-6

Verse 4: “Everyone born of God overcomes the world”.

Today John shares some great encouragement for our walk of faith. In verse four he writes, “Everyone born of God overcomes the world”. At many points in our journeys of faith this is an important reminder. At times we will feel hard pressed or worn down. At times we will feel stressed or we will feel inadequate. At times we will face illness or even death. At times we will feel all alone. At times we will feel pressured to do this or to be more like that. This world has much to throw at us that will tempt us to turn from our faith to the “pleasures” or “stress relievers” of this world.

John also shares why we can overcome: faith in the one who overcame all of this and more. Jesus took on flesh and faced betrayal, abuse, rejection, fear, hunger… and even death. Jesus experienced all that we will ever experience and overcame it all. In each case Jesus turned to God, obeying the commands to trust in God and to let the Spirit guide. With this obedience and a healthy dose of love, Jesus overcame all things – even death on a cross. Setting the example for us, we see that we too can overcome all that life tosses our way. Through faith in Jesus Christ we too can experience victory over this world and one day will rejoice in victory over death. Thanks be to God!

Prayer: Loving God, thank you for the example set by Jesus. Though I may struggle and even fail sometimes, my rock tells me it is possible. Keep me walking faithfully, day by day. Amen.