Day: September 23, 2024

Spirit of God Gives Insights

Churches aren’t perfect because
churches are full of imperfect pple.
Paul writes to the believers at
Corinth to correct errors in their
public & private behaviour which
are detracting from their witness.
These include factions, immorality
and lawsuits between believers.
And Paul set forth godly guidelines
for conduct consistent with the
grace of God given by Christ.

Lord, we Seek Your Insight:
I thank my God… that you were
enriched by Him in… all knowledge…
God, no eye has seen, no ear heard,
no mind has conceived what You
have prepared for those who love
You, but You have revealed it to us
by Your Spirit. The Spirit teaches
us all things, even the deep thing
of God (1 Corinthians 2:4-5, 9-10).
What we have received is..the Spirit
who is from God, so that we may
understand what God has freely
given us. This is what we speak…
in words taught by the Spirit,
explaining Spiritual Realities
with Spirit-taught words (v12-13).
Who can know the Lord’s thoughts?
Who knows enough to teach him?
But we understand these things,
for we have the Mind of Christ (v16)

Lord, when we need insights and
direction or facing challenges,
we tend to seek worldly counsel.
But there is a more reliable and
excellent source of ultimate
knowledge, the Holy Spirit.
Thank You Father for giving us
the Holy Spirit who lives inside us.
O Spirit, do make clear spiritual
realities to us and enable us to
make correct decisions. Amen.

Lord, as I ponder on Scripture
each day, they lead me to see
Your instruction and direction.
As I consider my convictions and
as I think about the things people
are saying, I can sense Your voice.
And as I bring issues before You
and consider the circumstances,
I can see evidence of Your leading.
When I take all these together, I get
a sense of how You’re leading me.
Confirm Lord the inner impression
with Your Secrets and peace. Amen.

Lord, let me see as U see to enable
me to act according to Your vision.
And I also need to know clearly
Your will for only then can I be
confident of doing the right thing.
Lord, it can be very challenging
to decipher Your sovereign will.
Plant Your thots in me & move me
as You desire; for Your Word says:
we Have the Mind of Christ. Amen.

Christ Frees Us from Condemnation        & Inspiring hymn “And Can It Be”

Backgrounder on Romans 6-8:
Paul anticipates questions arising
fr hearing gospel of grace. If God’s
grace is free, then am I free to sin?
If I am free from the law, then can
I ignore the ethical demands of
the law? Paul has no illusions that
becoming a Christian means the
end of your troubles. But the life
-giving Spirit provides confidence,
for victorious Christian living
in the storms of everyday life.

Charles Wesley is probably the
greatest hymn writer the church
has ever known. From the time of
conversion in 1738, Wesley wrote
an average of two hymns a week
for 50 years composing five to six
thousand hymns during his lifetime.
Most of these hymns were written
as he travelled with his brother John,
ministering to thousands of poor
farmers and illiterate coal miners.
These were people at the margin
of society, people most churches
did not bother to think about. It
was for them that Charles Wesley
composed his hymns, where
people experienced the love of God.
The vastly popular hymn “And Can
It Be” was inspired by Romans 8.

Lord, we’ll Flow with the Spirit:
There is No Condemnation for
those who are In Christ Jesus,
who do not walk according to the
flesh but according to the Spirit.
For the law of the Spirit of life
in Christ Jesus has made me
free from the law of sin and death…
For those who live according to the
flesh set their minds on the things
of the flesh, but those who live
according to the Spirit, the things
of the Spirit (Romans 8:1-2, 5).
The Spirit helps us in our weakness.
We do not know what we ought
to pray for, but the Spirit intercedes
for us… He who searches our hearts… intercedes… in accordance with the will of God (v26-27).
And we know that in all things God
Works for the Good of those who
love Him, who have been called
according to His purpose (v28).

Lord Jesus, No Condemnation are
two of the most beautiful words.
Yet some days they are hard to
believe, hard to really take hold of.
On one hand, I may be quick some-
time to blame others for the problem
but deep down I condemn myself.
Help me Lord to live in the reality
of the freedom that comes from
Your grace and be at peace. Amen.

Father, forgive me for the times
that I wrongly think You want
to punish me for my failures.
For Jesus took my punishment
and gave me His righteousness.
Because of that Father You see me
as perfect and precious. And Lord,
help me to better understand Your
grace and mercy so that I might be
more gracious and merciful. Amen.

Holy Spirit, help me in my weakness
by interceding for me and thru me.
You know the will of the Father
and You know what to pray for.
Guide me and teach me especially
when I have exhausted all words.
Help me to communicate to God
my deepest thoughts, feelings,
fears and doubts, so that my
prayers are pleasing to God. Amen

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s Blood;
Died He for me who caused His Pain
For me, who Him to death pursued;
Amazing love! how can it be That
Thou my Lord, should Die for me?..
He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His Grace!
Emptied Himself of all but love
And bled for Adam’s helpless race;
‘Tis mercy all, immense and free
For O my God, it found out me…
No condemnation now I dread
Jesus and all in Him is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head And
Clothed in righteousness divine;
Bold I approach th’ eternal throne &
Claim the crown, thru Christ my own.