Jesus made a big deal about the Holy Spirit. He promised he would send the Spirit after he returned to the Father. He said the Spirit would dwell in his disciples. Because of this they would be able to speak boldly as his witnesses. The Spirit would remind them of all that he taught. He …
Tag: Holy Spirit
Do We Resist the Holy Spirit?
As I began thinking about and working on my upcoming message for Sunday, I came across this question: How many of us pause to consider the ways in which we inadvertently quench the Spirit's work in our lives individually and in our churches corporately?Sam Storms How might an individual Christian do this? Maybe these are …
“Come!”
This is from the last (and today’s) Advent Project devotional: the Scripture, reflection, and prayer. I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him …
Church, the Holy Spirit, and Learning to Rely on God Rather than Our Institutions
I had a church history professor who was fond of saying, “The church institutionalizes how the Holy Spirit moved last.” He’s right. When a movement of the Spirit comes along, and people are saved and there is revival in the church, there is the innate human tendency to want to replicate this result by nailing …
Continue reading Church, the Holy Spirit, and Learning to Rely on God Rather than Our Institutions
The Work of Grace
O Gracious God, by your Son, Jesus Christ, you call us forth from sin and into the baptism of new life. Help us work out our salvation with the fear and trembling necessary for any genuine disciple. Forgive us when we imagine you are done with your re-creative work in us.Common Prayer: A Liturgy for …
Praying for Forgiveness?
Forgiveness is a funny thing. You see, as Christians we believe that when Jesus was nailed to the cross, he willingly bore the sins of the entire world—past, present, future. Transposing this into a more personal key, Christ’s gift of reconciliation covers every inch of my wrongdoing and brokenness. Nothing remains unforgiven. No wound untouched …
Sin, Church Conflict, and the Need for Confession in Public Worship
Over the last five years or so, I have had at least half a dozen pastor friends who have had to leave or resign from their churches on account of various kinds of congregational dysfunction or confict. Even though it's true that I don't know many of the details about these individual stories, it almost …
Continue reading Sin, Church Conflict, and the Need for Confession in Public Worship
Making Every Effort When There’s Nothing You Can Do: More Thoughts on Spiritual Formation
The process of Christ being formed in us, the process of maturation every believer is called to undergo, is called spiritual formation. In other words, the process of transformation, of growing in Christ, is the work of the Holy Spirit. Through the prophet Ezekiel, the Lord told his people, “I will put my spirit within …
Who Am I Really?
Husband. Father. Pastor. These are roles I currently have, roles that constitute both my responsibilities and relationships. They define my activities, my routine, what I do from day to day. And sometimes I can allow these roles to define who I am; and in the process I can forget that there’s more to me than …
grace notes 