Tag Archive | Bible

Holy Spirit Qualified

Mar14

Requirement for leading people to the Lord:

for he (Barnabas) was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord.
Acts 11:24 NASB

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
Acts 2:4 NASB

but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
Acts 1:8 NASB

And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all.
Acts 4:33 NASB

Have you received the Holy Spirit? Then you are qualified to share the gospel.

🌹For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,
2 Timothy 1:7‭-‬10 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

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Proclaim His Excellencies

Mar13

Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.
Acts 4:13 NASB

Do people around you recognize you as different? Different from the world? Set apart?

But know that the Lord has set apart the godly man for Himself; The Lord hears when I call to Him.
Psalms 4:3 NASB

Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine.
Leviticus 20:26 NASB

Were Peter and John uneducated men? Untrained? In whose eyes?
Are you educated?
Are you recognized as having spent time with Jesus? In His word daily? In prayer daily? Seeking His face daily?

We should not look like the world.
We are to be a people set apart.

🌹But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
1 Peter 2:9 NASB

Holy God, give me understanding of Your word and the wisdom to speak it wisely and bodly with confidence; proclaiming Your excellencies, the One who brought me out of darkness into Your marvelous Light. In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon 

God of The Impossible

Mar10

But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.
Acts 2:24 NASB

Jesus, our Savior rose from the dead because it was IMMPOSIBLE for Him to be held in its power! If death cannot hold Jesus from accomplishing the Father’s plan through obedience, what does that say to us who believe?

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
2 Corinthians 9:8 NASB

We have everything we need in abundance to sufficiently accomplish God’s will in our lives. He has a plan for each of His children and will abundantly supply for His glory in the church and in our Savior Jesus Christ.

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20‭-‬21 NASB

The key to the abundant working of God in our life is to ask, believing.

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
Romans 11:36 NASB

With God all things are possible!!

And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Matthew 19:26/Mark 10:27/Luke 18:27 NASB

For nothing will be impossible with God.”
Luke 1:37 NASB

Recommended reading: Acts 25-36

🌹And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
Hebrews 11:6 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Unwavering Belief

Mar9

yet, with respect to the promise of God, he (Abraham) did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God,
Romans 4:20 NASB

Abraham contemplating his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and considering the deadness of Sarah’s womb; did not — listen — did NOT waver in unbelief when it came to God’s promise to build a nation of descendants from him and Sarah.
(Romans 4:19)
That is faith. God keeps His promises. Every One of Them!! God can do the impossible.

It is not up to us to fulfill His purpose in us, for we are feeble, wretched, sinful, weak people. But . . . God. He will work in and use those who believe, those who surrender their will to His will. Those who trust in His Word.

So, let us not waver in unbelief, but grow in faith, giving glory to God as He works in and through us. His will be done.

And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.”
Mark 9:23 NASB

“I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.
Job 42:2 NASB

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13 NASB

🌹Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Splendorous Word

Mar8

Make me understand the way of Your precepts, So I will meditate on Your wonders. Psalms 119:27 NASB

Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; Speak (Meditate) of all His wonders (wonderful acts). Glory in His holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad. Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face continually. Psalms 105:2-4

🌹On the glorious splendor of Your majesty And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate. Psalms 145:5

Continually Seeking Him, 

Sharon

In the Morning, Jesus

Mar7

In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.
Psalms 5:3 NASB

My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him.
Psalms 62:5 NASB

I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me and heard my cry.
Psalms 40:1 NASB

I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait, And in His word do I hope.
Psalms 130:5 NASB

My soul waits in silence for God only; From Him is my salvation.
Psalms 62:1‭ NASB

O Lord, lead me in Your righteousness because of my foes; Make Your way straight before me.
Psalms 5:8 NASB

Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.
Psalms 33:20‭

For our heart rejoices in Him, Because we trust in His holy name.
Psalms 33:21 NASB

🌹Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Exult

Mar6

Exult: to show or feel a lively or triumphant joy; rejoice exceedingly; be highly elated or jubilant:

And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; Romans 5:3 NASB

We show triumphant joy in our tribulations?!

We rejoice exceedingly in our tribulations?!

We are highly elated, jubilant in our tribulations?!

Do we, really? It is so easy to take the path of “O woe is me” when tribulation, suffering, or persecution comes. But 

. . .You have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 1 Peter 2:21‭-‬23 NASB

Jesus is our example and

If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 1 Peter 4:14 NASB

That is how we rejoice in tribulations!

Personally I have found that during times of tribulation and suffering God is the closest. I am more aware of His presence and I grow tremendously as I trust that He is doing a good work in me. And this is why I rejoice in tribulation:

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 NASB

🌹God, help us to exult in tribulation.

Continually Seeking Him, 

Sharon 

Blessings of Trust

Mar3

But he who trusts in the Lord, lovingkindness shall surround him.
Psalm 32:10b

Are you trusting in God? God says if you are then lovingkindness shall surround you. God also blesses those who give attention to the word.

He who gives attention to the word will find good, And blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.
Proverbs 16:20 NASB

Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones; And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.
Psalms 32:10‭b-‬11 NASB

Do you consider yourself a righteous person? Those who are clothed in the righteousness of Christ will rejoice, being glad in Him. He is our refuge.

But let the righteous be glad; let them exult before God; Yes, let them rejoice with gladness.
Psalms 68:3 NASB

Be glad in the Lord, you righteous ones, And give thanks to His holy name.
Psalms 97:12 NASB

🌹The righteous man will be glad in the Lord and will take refuge in Him; And all the upright in heart will glory.
Psalms 64:10 NASB

The more you know the word, the more you will trust the Word, Jesus. The bigger your trust grows, the bigger your joy and gladness grows turning into praise, glory and thankfulness to our God.

May the righteousness of Christ abiding in you bring you much joy, gladness, and thankfulness as you trust in Him.

To God be the glory!!

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Obedience from Suffering

Mar2

Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation,
Hebrews 5:8‭-‬9 NASB

The Son of God suffered. The Son of God!!! And yet we expect a perfect, smooth ride through life when we are merely adopted children of God.

He learned obedience from the things He suffered.
This really jumped off the page as I read it. Obedience brings suffering?! That isn’t what we expect, is it? Looking over my life as a child of God I have experienced much suffering. And it was at those times that I was close to God. I cried out to Him in fervent prayer. I grew in my walk. I learned. I was obedient. Thank You, Jesus for Your example. Through suffering You showed us what humble obedience to the will of God looks like.
We need affliction to teach us submission. (1)

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions.
Colossians 1:24 NASB

The Christian life is not an easy road. It is not enough to make a profession of faith but not have a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. We must heed His Word and obey Him. If Jesus is our Savior, He must also be the Ruler, Prince, of your lives. We must be willing, submissive, to let Jesus reign over us. If Jesus isn’t our Ruler, He isn’t our Savior.

And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
Luke 9:23 NASB

🌹Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon


(1) Matthew Henry’s Commentary; BibleGateway.com, passage Hebrews 5:8-9

New Every Morning

Mar1

Came across this and just had to share again . . .

I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” 

Lamentations 3:19-24

Have you ever experienced bitterness? That something that is hard to bear, distressing, painful, grieving your soul that brings the taste of bitterness? Remember lest that bitterness turns to fierce, cruel, ruthless, relentless or hostile bitterness, that there is hope.

This is our hope: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”

God has a plan and sometimes that plan doesn’t sit well with us causing bitterness. Take your bitterness to the Lord. His compassions never fail. He is faithful. Trust Him and wait on Him. He is our portion. He is all we need and the answer to all our woes and bitterness. He will renew you with His faithfulness and compassion every new day. Praise the Lord God Almighty.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Reblog June 9, 2014 indasharonjesus.org