What a great day with the Lord we had this Sunday. We started a cool new series and had a wonderful Water Baptism service in the afternoon. We had the largest regular Sunday morning attendance since I became the Pastor four years ago. Easter was our largest Easter, then Sunday was the largest regular Sunday attendance.
Just so you know, the early service lost the offering competition yesterday according to Bill and LeRoy. However, per-capita giving was WAY higher in the early service.
I personally enjoyed the message Sunday more than usual. I think that most people think of the Holy Spirit as a power or force rather than a person. People seek power from God, but not the God who supplies and creates all power! Relationship is the portal to all God's blessings. After the services I thought people would like to study and read this segment of the message that hit on some of the things that the Holy Spirit does in our lives. He really is working on you all the time!
We are dependant on the Person of the Holy Spirit. Why?
-When I was a sinner, I did not know it,
until the Spirit of God convicted me. (John 16:8 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: .)
-When I was introduced to Jesus I did not believe,
until he convinced me. (1 Corinthians 2:4-54My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.)
-When I was contemplating Jesus, I wavered,
Until he cleared my questions. (1 Cor. 12:3 3Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.)
-When I was saved and forgiven I was not sure,
until he assured me. (Romans 8:16 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.)
-When I was bound by a sin, I was trapped in it,
Until he set me free. (Rom 8:1-2 1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. )
-When I was tempted to desert the Lord I struggled,
Until he led me. (Romans 8:14 14because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.)
-When I was confused, I did not know what to pray,
Until he prayed for me in ways that word can not express. (Romans 8:26 26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.)
-When I was depressed, I had no joy,
Until he filled me with hope. (Romans 15:13 13May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.)
-When I struggled with God’s will, I worried,
Until he made it clear to me. (1 Cor. 2:11 11For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.)
-When I thought God could not accept me, I feared,
Until he put a down payment on my life. (2 Cor. 1:21-22 21Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.)
-When I was nervous and timid,
he removed my fear. (Romans 8:15 15For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”, 1 Tim. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. KJV)
-When I witnessed to my friends they all mocked me,
Until the Holy Spirit of God proved them all wrong! (Romans 15:18-19 18I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done—19by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.)
-When I was a sinner, I did not know it,
until the Spirit of God convicted me. (John 16:8 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: .)
-When I was introduced to Jesus I did not believe,
until he convinced me. (1 Corinthians 2:4-54My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.)
-When I was contemplating Jesus, I wavered,
Until he cleared my questions. (1 Cor. 12:3 3Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.)
-When I was saved and forgiven I was not sure,
until he assured me. (Romans 8:16 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.)
-When I was bound by a sin, I was trapped in it,
Until he set me free. (Rom 8:1-2 1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. )
-When I was tempted to desert the Lord I struggled,
Until he led me. (Romans 8:14 14because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.)
-When I was confused, I did not know what to pray,
Until he prayed for me in ways that word can not express. (Romans 8:26 26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.)
-When I was depressed, I had no joy,
Until he filled me with hope. (Romans 15:13 13May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.)
-When I struggled with God’s will, I worried,
Until he made it clear to me. (1 Cor. 2:11 11For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.)
-When I thought God could not accept me, I feared,
Until he put a down payment on my life. (2 Cor. 1:21-22 21Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.)
-When I was nervous and timid,
he removed my fear. (Romans 8:15 15For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”, 1 Tim. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. KJV)
-When I witnessed to my friends they all mocked me,
Until the Holy Spirit of God proved them all wrong! (Romans 15:18-19 18I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done—19by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.)
All Scripture quotes from the New International Version, unless noted.
Have a blessed day.
No comments:
Post a Comment