The Lord is the Spirit

 and Happy Father's Day

First, I want to say "Happy Father's Day" to all of the dads out there.
     If your dad has moved on to the next life like mine has, I want you to know how much my heart breaks with you. We will all be reunited someday.
     Remember also our Father, our Creator who looks after you day and night. Give Him your praise and love always. He has sent to each of us a Helper so that we'll never be alone.

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

John 14:26 ESV

William Newell wrote this a long time ago:

“Many sincere people are yet spiritually under John the Baptist’s ministry of repentance. Their state is practically that of the struggle of Romans Seven, where neither Christ nor the Holy Spirit is mentioned, but only a quickened but undelivered soul in struggle under a sense of ‘duty,’ not a sense of full acceptance in Christ and sealing by the Holy Spirit.”

If this sounds like you; if your "state" is one of struggle, then maybe you haven't fully accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior. Pray about it. Seek help and guidance from the Lord, and from your Pastor or Elders.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

2 Corinthians 3:17 ESV


You may also like:
- "Father's Day" from 2015
- "Returning Home" from 2019 (my husband and I reconciled approximately 4 months later)

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Please join me this week in praising the Holy Spirit. Pray that those who consider themselves Christians yet bear no fruit come to question whether the Spirit is living within them. Let's pray that if they are not yet truly saved, they seek Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Let's pray that if they are saved, they grow in their faith and strive to become more Christlike. May we recognize those who are living on either cusp and offer them discipleship. Pray for words, encouragement, and guidance to help those who are lost. 

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @7DegreesOfMe
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#7thHourPrayerPower #bibleverse #bible #HolySpirit #Christian #salvation #comfort #discipleship #wisdom #fruitofthespirit #bearfruit #FathersDay #helper

John 7:37-39

 

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

John 7:37-39 NKJV

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Please join me this week in praising the Holy Spirit. Pray that those who consider themselves Christians yet bear no fruit come to question whether the Spirit is living within them. Let's pray that if they are not yet truly saved, they seek Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Let's pray that if they are saved, they grow in their faith and strive to become more Christlike. May we recognize those who are living on either cusp and offer them discipleship. Pray for words, encouragement, and guidance to help those who are lost. 

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @7DegreesOfMe
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#7thHourPrayerPower #bibleverse #bible #HolySpirit #Christian #salvation #comfort #discipleship #wisdom #fruitofthespirit #bearfruit

My writing process

 

Every morning, as soon as I wake up, one of my first thoughts is what am I going to write? Most of the time, a thought comes to me right (unintended pun: write/right, lol) then. I quickly pour my coffee, sit down at my laptop, and away I go.

     Other times I have to go through several Bible verses before I find one that speaks to me. Then, once in a blue moon, no words seem to come at all. Those are the days that I feel kind of empty like the Holy Spirit stepped away and left me alone to fend for myself. 

     I know He didn't, but I think those days serve an important purpose. They remind me that my words come from Him, that I am dependant on Him, and that sometimes, I need to ask Him for help - even though He knows what I need.

     This isn't to say that my words are God-breathed, but I think it's safe to say (and hopefully doesn't come across as boastful in any way - I'm not perfect and am very aware of that) they are God-inspired. I trust that whatever I write, God will use it to reach at least one person. I trust that it will be the exact thing that someone needs to read today.

     The Holy Spirit lives within each of His children. If He is such an integral part of our being, shouldn't we take the time to build a relationship with Him? Study the Bible and get to know His character. Ask God to reveal His presence to you. 

     Maybe you read about my big God experience, but in case you missed it, you can read it here: Faith as a mustard seed.

Luke 12:12 speaks to me (and to you):

The Holy Spirit will give you the words to say at the moment when you need them. (The Voice)

 For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” (NKJV)

You may also like:

- "Using our spiritual gifts" (update on this: I'm still writing her story and all of the other people's stories that God has brought to me. It's taking a lot longer than I anticipated. Stay tuned, though.)

- "Waiting for words"

Or click here for all my posts about writing 

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Please join me this week in praising the Holy Spirit. Pray that those who consider themselves Christians yet bear no fruit come to question whether the Spirit is living within them. Let's pray that if they are not yet truly saved, they seek Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Let's pray that if they are saved, they grow in their faith and strive to become more Christlike. May we recognize those who are living on either cusp and offer them discipleship. Pray for words, encouragement, and guidance to help those who are lost. 

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @7DegreesOfMe
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#7thHourPrayerPower #bibleverse #bible #HolySpirit #Christian #amwriting #comfort #discipleship #wisdom #fruitofthespirit #bearfruit #amediting

The fruit of light

 

I couldn't figure out where to stop and start with today's scripture, so I narrowed it down as best as I could (this is all really great information. I love how Paul explains things!)

6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

“Awake, O sleeper,

    and arise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you.”

15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Ephesians 5:6-21 ESV

(Emphasis mine)

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Please join me this week in praising the Holy Spirit. Pray that those who consider themselves Christians yet bear no fruit come to question whether the Spirit is living within them. Let's pray that if they are not yet truly saved, they seek Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Let's pray that if they are saved, they grow in their faith and strive to become more Christlike. May we recognize those who are living on either cusp and offer them discipleship. Pray for words, encouragement, and guidance to help those who are lost. 

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @7DegreesOfMe
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#7thHourPrayerPower #bibleverse #bible #HolySpirit #Christian #salvation #comfort #discipleship #wisdom #fruitofthespirit #bearfruit

To bear fruit

 

I love this photo. When I first glanced at it, it reminded me of babies wrapped in blankets. The figs are the babies' heads, and the leaves are the blankets. It made me think of how the Holy Spirit wraps us up in His loving arms when we are babes in Christ. He protects us just as these leaves are protecting their precious fruits. Eventually, the leaves will open and the fruit will mature. It will be picked and eventually offer nourishment to a stranger.

To bear fruit is to be Christlike. The Spirit gives us this fruit. I really like what David Guzik (EnduringWord.com) wrote:

Fruit has several important characteristics.
· Fruit isn’t achieved by working, but is birthed by abiding.
· Fruit is fragile.
· Fruit reproduces itself.
· Fruit is attractive.
· Fruit nourishes.

     I often think of the barren fig trees in the Bible. One was a parable (Luke 13:6-9) and the other an event where Jesus cursed the fig tree for not bearing any fruit. (Mark 11:12-20) Non-believers watch believers. I believe they want to see that we're different, that we have special "insight" and peace. They even recognize the ways in which we're different. How many times have you had a non-believer ask you to pray for them? I think that shows that they want to believe, that they know there's truth to what we say, but they're just not quite there yet.

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

You may also like:
- Bear more fruit
- My word produces fruit

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Please join me this week in praising the Holy Spirit. Pray that those who consider themselves Christians yet bear no fruit come to question whether the Spirit is living within them. Let's pray that if they are not yet truly saved, they seek Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Let's pray that if they are saved, they grow in their faith and strive to become more Christlike. May we recognize those who are living on either cusp and offer them discipleship. Pray for words, encouragement, and guidance to help those who are lost. 

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @7DegreesOfMe
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#7thHourPrayerPower #bibleverse #bible #HolySpirit #Christian #salvation #comfort #discipleship #wisdom #fruitofthespirit #bearfruit

Have you not known?

Daily Bible Verse

Have you not known?

Have you not heard?

The everlasting God, the Lord,

The Creator of the ends of the earth,

Neither faints nor is weary.

His understanding is unsearchable.

Isaiah 40:28 (NKJV)

God searches our hearts

Daily Bible Verse

I, the Lord, search the heart,

I test the mind,

Even to give every man according to his ways,

According to the fruit of his doings.

Jeremiah 17:10 (NKJV)