Monday, August 21, 2017

The Surfer



The surfer glides over arduous waters
She rides the wave
With God’s help we too can often skim over
The troublesome times that come
We are overcomers, and Christ is the
Ultimate Conqueror over all that tries to defeat us

But, if the waters engulf us,
Jesus is only a whisper away
He will lend us His strong arm
And bring us to safety

We see that some trials are completely under our feet
While others require us to endure
Yet victory is sure

In the waiting, our character is formed
Like the sand inside the oyster that births a pearl
Our lives give glory to God no matter the circumstances
As we stay faithful to Him

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Tongues and the Infilling of the Holy Spirit



And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.  Romans 8:11

God wants us alive unto Him. He wants to quicken our bodies. His desire is that His life flows through us.
A significant way that we are empowered this way is through praying in tongues. When we pray in the Spirit we become more sensitive to the Spirit's promptings. We become conduits for the Lord to bless others through his power. Praying in tongues also opens the door for us to flow in the gifts of the Spirit.

Again and again in the book of acts, tongues is shown as the initial sign of the infilling of the Holy Spirit for believers.  The Bible says that when we pray in tongues we edify ourselves. In the Greek, the word “edify” means to charge like a battery.  The Holy Spirit is called our Helper, and when we pray in tongues He helps us.

If you have this gift, speak in tongues often. But do it privately. Do not draw attention to yourself.  If you don't have this gift, ask the Lord to fill you with His Holy Spirit. The only prerequisite to receive is that you must be born again. Confess to the Lord any known sin you may have. Understand that you cannot earn this gift; it is freely given.

Come before Him now and receive. He loves you and wants only what's best for you.