INVOCATION.... d365.org (Rebecca Poe Hays)Is there anything more promising, more hopeful than the birth of a child? In the cradle, the world is alive with possibility.
The same God who birthed the world into existence, and all the promise that is held by creation, is still at work bringing new life through the Spirit.
Prepare yourself now for the possibility of your own renewed birth, for the assurance of something new.
SATURDAY, May 25 "Adventurously Expectant"
Romans 8:15-17 (The Message)
This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we’re certainly going to go through the good times with him!
Our adoption is sealed by flame,
Marked with love by Father and Son.
We are Children of God.
Through good and bad,
Poverty and prosperity,
Persecution and praise.
Resurrection life is a roller-coaster rideOf highs and lows.
May we always be
Adventurously expectant,
Searching and seeking
For the revelation of our next mission,
To receive our inheritance,
To rejoice as a family together.
Spirit-Born into the Family of God.
Amen!
BENEDICTION... d365.org (Rebecca Poe Hays)
The sun gives rise to the newness of every day.
The moon and stars provide just enough light
To remind us of tomorrow.
The moon and stars provide just enough light
To remind us of tomorrow.
The Spirit of God is at work in every moment,
So walk in whatever light you have,
Giving birth to the promise of God in you.
So walk in whatever light you have,
Giving birth to the promise of God in you.
FRIDAY, May 24 "Trials to Peace"
John 14:27 (CEB); Isaiah 26:9 (MSG); Philippians 3:20 (CEB)
Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. ... Don’t be troubled or afraid.
When your decisions are on public display,
everyone learns how to live right.
everyone learns how to live right.
Our citizenship is in heaven. We look forward to a savior that comes from there—the Lord Jesus Christ.
Three verses. (Thankfully short!) Three devotional sources today. Again, d365.org is a repeat verse from earlier in the month (May 8). Walk Thru the Bible focused today on the need for friction (trials) to achieve perfection, noting an Isaiah scripture. And finally, Our Daily Bread and a Philippians passage spoke of our heavenly citizenship. How in the world might all three tie together into a daily memo from God? Ponderings....
When we are reborn in the Spirit, we are nothanded a guarantee as well to a life without trial. All will not suddenly become easy. In fact, much will be harder. It needs to be that way for us to grow both spiritually and physically. (History has proven that our race thrives under distress and grows complacent under prosperity.) Yet, we are better able to cope with difficulty because we have the assistance and comfort, the PEACE, that comes through the presence of God's Spirit. It is always easier to face a challenge with a friend by your side! This peaceful state of being is our heaven in this time and world. In my mind our heaven is the peace that results from our relationship with God. Here and now. Through thick and thin, poverty and prosperity. Trials only make the relationship stronger.
Our Spirit-born trials bring us closer TO God and the heaven-like peace that comes from a relationship WITH God.
THURSDAY, May 23 "Anew"
John 14:25-26 (CEB), Philippians 3:13 (CEB)
I have spoken these things to you while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I told you.
....I do this one thing: I forget about the things behind me and reach out for the things ahead of me.
There is some assurance that I AM remembering my Bible more when I find the Scripture reading for the day and think, "We just did that one!" And sure enough, searching my blog, I found the John passage was used just earlier this month! Checked the Lectionary, and yes, the John verses 25-26 were listed twice! Hmmm....So for variety, I decided to venture into my Walk Through the Bible devotional and found the Philippians passage for today. It seemed the two could connect....
The Holy Spirit stirs a rebirth within us. We are Born Anew to live and praise as if God is alive within us. We have the assurance of new outlooks, new hopes, new approaches, new relationships....through Spirit Birth. This birth allows us to forget the past, to forget old mistakes and sins, and strive to do and be something totally new. And all along the way, we have a wonderful Spirit presence reminding us of just what ANEW really means!
With the gift of Spirit birth, what NEW possibility might you explore today? What's on my agenda?
BENEDICTION... d365.org (Rebecca Poe Hays)
The sun gives rise to the newness of every day.
The moon and stars provide just enough light
To remind us of tomorrow.
The moon and stars provide just enough light
To remind us of tomorrow.
The Spirit of God is at work in every moment,
So walk in whatever light you have,
Giving birth to the promise of God in you.
So walk in whatever light you have,
Giving birth to the promise of God in you.
WEDNESDAY, May 22 "Spirit of Truth"
I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can’t take him in because it doesn’t have eyes to see him, doesn’t know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you!
Advocate, Helper.
Companion, Friend.
The Holy Spirit has many names.
Truth is another. God's truth.
God in our hip pocket.
Always with us.
Always loving us.
Always providing guidance.
A cheer when we succeed.
Encouragement when we struggle.
We struggle often.
We make mistakes.
We may forget our Spirit is there.
But Truth never leaves us.
Check your pocket,
Find the Spirit of Truth,
Maybe today is a great day
For a little chat
With God's Truth.
TUESDAY, May 21 "Because"
John 14:11-14 (Good News Translation)
Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. If not, believe because of the things I do. I am telling you the truth: those who believe in me will do what I do—yes, they will do even greater things, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask for in my name, so that the Father's glory will be shown through the Son. If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it.Spirit-Born means to live with God within us. Spirit-born means we have the opportunity to speak and do like our parent-God. With the help of the Spirit, we have been given the opportunity to become God-like on God's behalf. The proof is in our actions.....in what we DO. May we take action within our families, our churches and communities, and our world BECAUSE of what we believe, BECAUSE of the Spirit alive within us. Starting today....
MONDAY, May 20
"Spirit Residence"
John 14:8-10 (The Message)
Philip said, “Master, show us the Father; then we’ll be content.”
“You’ve been with me all this time, Philip, and you still don’t understand? To see me is to see the Father. So how can you ask, ‘Where is the Father?’ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you aren’t mere words. I don’t just make them up on my own. The Father who resides in me crafts each word into a divine act.
SUNDAY, May 19 PENTECOST SUNDAY!
"Happy BIRTHday"
Psalm 104:24, 27-30 (The Message)
What a wildly wonderful world,God!You made it all, with Wisdom at your side,
made earth overflow with your wonderful creations....
All the creatures look expectantly to you
to give them their meals on time.
You come, and they gather around;
you open your hand and they eat from it.
If you turned your back,
they’d die in a minute—
Take back your Spirit and they die,
revert to original mud;
Send out your Spirit and they spring to life—
the whole countryside in bloom and blossom.
to give them their meals on time.
You come, and they gather around;
you open your hand and they eat from it.
If you turned your back,
they’d die in a minute—
Take back your Spirit and they die,
revert to original mud;
Send out your Spirit and they spring to life—
the whole countryside in bloom and blossom.
Creation is not finished!
Creation happens anew each day.
A physical new birth or Spirit born.
With the Spirit, all things can be created anew.
Today is a day of rebirth,
A BIRTHING day for the Spirit within us.
A BIRTHDAY for the community we call church.
A day to 'spring to life' and blossom
In God.
Happy BIRTHday!
Is it wrong to 're-issue' scribbles? I guess it's just another form of rebirth! But my Pentecost drawing from last year was the SAME scripture....It works!
Is it wrong to 're-issue' scribbles? I guess it's just another form of rebirth! But my Pentecost drawing from last year was the SAME scripture....It works!
SERMON NOTES: Acts 2:1-21 Rev. Katy- Our Sanctuary is aflame with Pentecost!
- The tongues of fire are in front of us, but we might not understand or recognize them.
- Do we need a translator?
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