Good morning Lord Jesus, In the early morning I begin my day by seeking your Spirits presence to continue doing a new work in me..
Yesterday,, I looked at the Holy Spirit proceeding from God, being completely God, and yet part of the triune of God. Today I also look at Jesus as a source from whom the Holy Spirit proceeds.
The incarnation of Christ was the act of deity taking on flesh and entering into community, entering into the neighborhood with men and women and journeying in life with them. It was a relational move by God in which inaccessible, intangible divinity became accessible, real, and tangible, in the everyday life of humanity. God changed forever the way He would be encountered from an exclusive “temple” based “you must come to me” to an inclusive “personal” based “I will come to you” reality. God moved from leading His people from a distance through the exhortation of prophets and words carved in stone, to leading by example through personal discipleship in the Word made flesh.
It’s the Holy Spirit that makes anything resembling Jesus’ incaractional living possible in me. For it is the penetration and presence of the Holy Spirit in my being that is my incarnation. Any hope I have of my life imitating Jesus’ life in character, love, submission, mission, ministry, and power completely depends on the indwelling of Him in me through His spirit.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” I must continue to prioritize and set aside time to take in deep breaths of His spirit. I must keep as a priority to continue pushing deeper into the Holy Spirit and seeking His indwelling both individually in my life, and collectively in the life of my church., as if my life and the life of his church I am trying to establish on earth completely depends on it. Because it does!
John the Baptist says Jesus baptism will be one the Holy Spirit and fire, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Matt. 3:11) Luke tells us the pouring out of the Holy Spirit was as fire, “And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
Read today, Matt 3:11; 2 Cor. 3:17-18; John 4:14, 20:21-22; Acts 2:1-3.
My family, Pray for Jesus to give you the renewed life-giving breath of the Spirit today. Set aside time to breath it in. As you breath it in, I pray that like a breath blowing over warm coals, the breath of the Spirit rekindles a fire of passion in you. A burning of the first love you had in Christ. (Rev. 2:4). May a flame of compassion consume you for your brothers and sisters around you who’s coals are dark and cold so that you actually hold out to them the light of the Gospel, the spark to create a fire in them. In Jesus’ name. Please pray the same over me. God bless you my friends!
In the comments block below, Please share any prayer requests for a renewing breath of Christ’s Spirit. Please share any stories of renewal to give us hope and reasons to praise.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community/Toney UMC
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
In July I will step out of pastoring Toney UMC and pour completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods. Please pray over this season in my life and that of my family. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You