Sunday, September 11, 2011

September 11, 2011 … The Spirit and God’s Will

[Sober remembrance of 9 - 11 - 01! – Ten Years Ago!] …

Passage of the Day: Ezekiel 36: 27 [see bold, underlined verse in context] …
[God through the Prophet to Israel] 26 “I will give you a new heart and put a new Spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. 28 You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God. … ”

My Journal for Today: There is no doubt, when one carefully studies both the Old and New Testaments, that the Holy Spirit has a pertinent, practical, and powerful ministry to shine God’s light on His will for His people (which is stated to Israel by God through His Prophet, Ezekiel, in today’s verse, but applies to all of God’s people by extension). Today’s verse, as well as Isaiah 63: 11 – 14, both written centuries before Pentecost, where God’s Spirit was given by God to His New Covenant Church, clearly indicate that it has been God’s purpose [i.e., His will], to guide all of His people to His way and to protect them through their (our) obedience to His will. And now, beyond Israel and His Old Covenant promises, God’s Spirit has been imparted to all believers to give all of His children clear direction and the covering of His power (see Romans 8: 14).

The ministry of the Holy Spirit is God’s light, shining on His path of righteousness to insure that His faithful and obedient followers would see His way clearly and follow His path (see Ps. 119: 105 – I hope you have that one memorized!). And as long as we, who are His followers (see another memorable verse Luke 9: 23), search for His light, trusting it from His Spirit, God will lead us on the right path (and a third verse we all should have in our hearts … Prov. 3: 5 – 6).

Are you, as I am, a follower of Christ – i.e., one of His disciples? If you respond affirmatively to that question, I would think that you would be feeling the weight of conviction, as am I, from God’s Spirit in this moment (and that is God, the Holy Spirit, shining His light on your - our - path). Therefore, we must ask ourselves how God can and will shine His light more clearly on our path; and the answer to that is through the Spirit’s most clearly defined source of light, … His Holy Word! If one believes the truth of 2nd Tim. 3: 16 – 17 as well as the reality of Isaiah 55: 11 and all of Psalm 119, you will believe as I do, that we Christians can best find God, the Holy Spirit, leading us by the light of His truth in and through His word. And when we do delve into God’s word, searching for His light, God will be there in the Person of His Spirit edifying and enlightening us to His will through His word.

My Prayer Today: Even now as I search your word, Lord, shine Your light on my path, precious Spirit! Amen

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