Devotionals

Lenten Series: In Need of The Helper

Lent is a liturgical observance and season of reflection; not a biblical mandate. It is simply a time to remind ourselves and appreciate the abundant grace of Christ’s saving work on the cross. It is a time to press in deeper in submission to Christ’s authority as we prepare our hearts to celebrate, with exceedingly great joy, the resurrection that awaits every believer and follower.

In our Lenten daily devotionals, we will focus on our spiritual needs and desires and how the Helper is our Gift for strength and success if we will bow in greater submission to the authority of our King and the terms of His Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit.
Reflection: God’s Grace

Digging for Truth: For the past two weeks, we have explored some things that need to be put into place for us to receive, live, and walk with the Helper. Out of our spiritual hunger and thirst, we need to ask Jesus to baptize us and fill us with the Holy Spirit. We ask the Helper to bring a change to our desires, so we can walk in obedience and faith as we follow the living Word of God—Christ. All of this is possible only by the grace of God. Grace is our provision and the Helper is our power.
Grace for the Heart: Our King and Lord sits on the throne of heaven and his power is mediated through the Spirit. The Lord is the supreme Ruler of heaven and earth and no one else can control the Helper; we can simply listen and move as instructed. In our passage today, Jesus is talking to Nicodemus and telling him about the Spirit of God who cannot be manipulated or controlled and, like Jesus, the Helper comes with the mission to save the world one heart at a time (John 3:16). The Helper reveals Christ to us and to the world through the nature and character of God. You may be the face of Jesus for someone else, today.

John 3:8 NLT The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”

Challenge: The Helper takes us on a journey and each day we become aware that he is bringing different areas of our lives under the mantle of his righteousness. That includes things like our health, finances, attitudes, words, actions, etc. The transformation the Helper brings to us is a part of a life time process. We only learn and grow with God’s help; however, the more we cooperate the more we look like Jesus.

Prayer: Lord, we want to cooperate with your promise to be our Helper. This is what we desire most and we welcome your plan for our lives. We accept the work of our Holy Spirit Helper. Open our spiritual eyes to see the revelation of the work you are doing in us. We pray to be willing servants for you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Lenten Series: In Need of The Helper

Lent is a liturgical observance and season of reflection; not a biblical mandate. It is simply a time to remind ourselves and appreciate the abundant grace of Christ’s saving work on the cross. It is a time to press in deeper in submission to Christ’s authority as we prepare our hearts to celebrate, with exceedingly great joy, the resurrection that awaits every believer and follower.

In our Lenten daily devotionals, we will focus on our spiritual needs and desires and how the Helper is our Gift for strength and success if we will bow in greater submission to the authority of our King and the terms of His Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit.

Reflection: A New Life

Digging for Truth: No matter how far we have wandered from righteous living or what we have done in the past, when we confess our sin against God and others and turn to Jesus, we are offered a new life in Christ. God remembers our sin no more (Hebrews 8:12). With the Helper, we learn how to love like Jesus. To turn to Jesus is to leave a sinful life behind and obey his new righteous direction for our lives. Because we cannot make things right with our holy God without Jesus, we become dependent on what our sinless Christ alone can do to forgive us and bring us into fellowship with Father God.

There are many choices we make for our lives each day, but this is the biggest life choice any human being will ever make, because it carries with it the weight of eternity. When Christ comes to live in us, we may not see the change in our actions immediately, but there will be a supernatural change in our hearts as we obey the Helper. Obedience brings power for living the new life.

Grace for the Heart: In our passage today, Peter is preaching his first sermon since the Spirit of God filled the disciples at Pentecost. The man who out of fear denied three times that he even knew Jesus, is now unapologetically proclaiming him as Messiah with such convincing power three thousand people run to receive Christ. When God forgave Peter’s sin, the evidence of new life came out of him like a rushing wind.

Peter had no trouble leaving his old life behind, because he hated the shame and the failures of his past. We can all identify with Peter. Whatever is behind you, give it to Jesus and live in the victory of the new life!

Acts 2:37-38 NLT
37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Challenge: Christ calls us to live beyond our human capabilities and embrace Life in the Spirit. Don’t let anything stop you from receiving the power to proclaim, because God does not focus on your past sin, he focuses on Christ and the new life in you. “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

Prayer: Lord, if there is any sin we need to confess, we invite you to bring it to our awareness or remembrance. We want to be free from anything that would hinder us or hold us back from being powerful for your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Lenten Series: In Need of The Helper

Lent is a liturgical observance and season of reflection; not a biblical mandate. It is simply a time to remind ourselves and appreciate the abundant grace of Christ’s saving work on the cross. It is a time to press in deeper in submission to Christ’s authority as we prepare our hearts to celebrate, with exceedingly great joy, the resurrection that awaits every believer and follower.

In our Lenten daily devotionals, we will focus on our spiritual needs and desires and how the Helper is our Gift for strength and success if we will bow in greater submission to the authority of our King and the terms of His Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit.

Reflection: Willingness to Serve

Digging for Truth: As a part of God’s Family, you and I are called to have a willingness to serve others. Paul teaches us about this in his lesson to the Church in Philippi. He reminds us that in our flesh we have selfish ambition, and we tend to look out for our own interests. But, in the Spirit, there is humility as we take on the same attitude as Christ and in that place, we can look out for others as Jesus does (Phil 2:3-5).

Grace for the Heart: After washing the disciples’ feet, Jesus asked them “Do you understand what I was doing?” He preceded to remind them that they call Him “Teacher and Lord” and although they were right, because He is “OUR” Teacher and Lord, He was giving “US” the greatest example to follow on how to serve others. Remember, He washed every one of their feet, including Peter’s feet, who would later deny Him, and Judas’ feet, who would later betray Him. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them” (John 13:12-17). God blesses you and me when we serve one another, because we are offering an extension of His love to His Creation to His Family.

Mark 10:43-45 (NLT)

43 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Challenge: Friends, you and I have been made free through our salvation in Christ Jesus, and we are containers of His Spirit. Thus, He calls us to live in that freedom, and to not use it to satisfy our own sinful nature, as that has been laid down at His feet and forgiven. Instead, we are called to use our freedom in Christ to serve one another in love by the guidance of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:13). Allow the Spirit to use the freedom of your salvation in Christ today to serve one another in love.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to help be our reminder that we are to serve others. Help us, Holy Spirit, to put the interests of others before our own selfish interests. Use each of us today to serve someone else so that the love of Christ is spread into this hurting world. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Lenten Series: In Need of The Helper

Lent is a liturgical observance and season of reflection; not a biblical mandate. It is simply a time to remind ourselves and appreciate the abundant grace of Christ’s saving work on the cross. It is a time to press in deeper in submission to Christ’s authority as we prepare our hearts to celebrate, with exceedingly great joy, the resurrection that awaits every believer and follower.

In our Lenten daily devotionals, we will focus on our spiritual needs and desires and how the Helper is our Gift for strength and success if we will bow in greater submission to the authority of our King and the terms of His Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit.

Reflection: Jesus Baptizes with the Spirit

Digging for Truth: Kingdom ministry is not about one person doing everything; it’s about every child of God working in harmony together to fulfill the plan of our King for salvation. There is no place in ministry for micromanaging and arrogant leaders nor insecure and inactive spectators; both are counter-productive to God’s plan. Jesus is our Anointed Christ (Savior), King, and the Head of the Church; we listen to him and obediently follow.

Harmony is only possible when God’s people are willing to leave their controlling flesh behind and follow the indwelling vision of our heavenly Father. To do that, we need Christ to baptize all his children with the Holy Spirit. Jesus has to “breathe” on us the life of the unifying and empowering Spirit who helps us move in synchronicity as we reveal the living gospel (John 20:22). “One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all” (Ephesians 4:6). This is the vision of the Church living for God’s glory!

Grace for the Heart: Jesus is the true Baptizer of all that is holy. Only the Spirit can cleanse us from all that is unholy. We have to be breathless from our own “hot air” to breathe in the fullness of God’s satisfying love and supernatural power. Thank you, Helper, we can be saved by grace! When Christ baptizes human flesh with the Holy Spirit, it makes all the difference for the Kingdom! In the One Spirit we are many spirits; but in the many spirits is the ONE!

John 1:33 NLT John the Baptizer said, “I didn’t know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’”

Challenge: As we reflect today, let’s consider carefully what it means to be the Church—Body of Christ—ministering under One Head. The Helper makes all the difference in our personal lives and our corporate lives as the Body of Christ. Jesus said, “But when the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby) comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of Truth who comes from the Father, He will testify and bear witness about Me (John 15:26 AMP).

Prayer: Lord, thank you for baptizing us with the Spirit and the vision of heaven where all things flow in order and harmony for your glory. The Word is the Way. Impart to us today, through the Helper, a fresh vision for how we can participate in your plan and purpose. We will be praying and listening. It is our desire to reveal your glorious goodness as you offer the world salvation while there is still time. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Lenten Series: In Need of The Helper

Lent is a liturgical observance and season of reflection; not a biblical mandate. It is simply a time to remind ourselves and appreciate the abundant grace of Christ’s saving work on the cross. It is a time to press in deeper in submission to Christ’s authority as we prepare our hearts to celebrate, with exceedingly great joy, the resurrection that awaits every believer and follower.

In our Lenten daily devotionals, we will focus on our spiritual needs and desires and how the Helper is our Gift for strength and success if we will bow in greater submission to the authority of our King and the terms of His Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit.

Reflection: Obeying the Shepherd

Digging for Truth: Scripture teaches God IS love; his nature is pure Fatherly love for his creation. Therefore, he is faithful to all who come into his family through the covenant of love he offers in Christ and the work of grace for salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). When we accept Christ’s invitation to step into this covenant, we are saying we want to be bound to God’s love and covered by grace. That may sound all warm and fuzzy, and certainly God’s love is a miraculous and abundant gift, but let’s be real and restate what it means to connect to Christ’s sacrifice for salvation. God’s love covenant is based on spiritual reciprocity—God fills us with his merciful, sacrificial, and healing love [agape] and we return that love to God by obeying his commands—his Word.

Grace for the Heart: Grace, faith, and obedience all go together in Christ’s work of salvation. By grace—the unmerited favor of God—we receive spiritual gifts as we stand in a place of faith—trust—and act in obedience as we listen to our Shepherd. To accept Christ’s sacrifice is to deny ourselves [our will] and obediently follow like sheep wherever our Shepherd leads us. It reminds me of a song I learned, as a child, many years ago:

Savior, like a Shepherd lead us,
Much we need Thy tender care;
In Thy pleasant pastures feed us,
For our use Thy folds prepare:
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,
Thou hast bought us, Thine we are;
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,
Thou hast bought us, Thine we are.

The way God protects and guides us is not through force, it is through our obedience to the tender nudging of the Helper who actually gives us the ability to obey (John 14:15-17). God’s “folds” from this song, is about our obedience leading us to a place of resting in his promise to prepare, provide and protect his own.

Acts 5:32 NLT  “We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him.”

Challenge: As we reflect on our obedience to the Shepherd, today, let’s remember the covenant promise we willingly made to be bound to God’s love and covered by grace as we submit to his tender care. “Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Philippians 2:12-13).

Prayer: Lord, thank you for making our hearts your home and for dwelling with us each day. Thank you for the Helper who shepherds our will toward conformance to your will and plan for our lives. May the love you give to us, today, be returned to you through our faithful promise to love and honor your Word. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Lenten Series: In Need of The Helper

Lent is a liturgical observance and season of reflection; not a biblical mandate. It is simply a time to remind ourselves and appreciate the abundant grace of Christ’s saving work on the cross. It is a time to press in deeper in submission to Christ’s authority as we prepare our hearts to celebrate, with exceedingly great joy, the resurrection that awaits every believer and follower.

In our Lenten daily devotionals, we will focus on our spiritual needs and desires and how the Helper is our Gift for strength and success if we will bow in greater submission to the authority of our King and the terms of His Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit.

Reflection: Jesus is The Christ

Digging for Truth: Human flesh likes to feel important, so the temptation to exalt oneself will always be present. Satan is the author of selfishness and self-centeredness. Sin causes us, as human beings, to focus exclusively on self, be puffed up, and demand others listen and bow down to our ideas, thoughts, and plans. Therefore, a person can be preoccupied with titles and see himself or herself as more important or essential to life and society than anyone else. As we reflect on the truth, today, let’s confess taking a humble posture is not our first reaction when our flesh demands attention and recognition. It is painful to practice a spiritual fast—denying the desire to demand our own way by picking up the cross of sacrifice.

Grace for the Heart: Our flesh may vie for this place of exalted and exclusive importance, but we are fighting a losing battle. There is only One who deserves an exclusive position and title in the world—Christ the Messiah who is the truth and ONLY way to have fellowship or communion with Almighty God (John 14:6). We cannot know spiritual freedom apart from Jesus; he is God’s Word made flesh for our salvation (John 1:14). Oh, I know the world maintains there are many ways to know God, but that thought flows from the sinful flesh of people. There are not many saviors or messiahs; there is only ONE who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

Christ is the Creator of heaven and earth, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, and in order to know who we are and our role in the world we must accept and exalt Christ as his worshipers. By faith and obedience, we must take dominion over any rebellious thought that tries to exalt itself over this Truth, because it is the Christ who not only gives us access to the Father and rescues us from spiritual death, he is the Giver of every spiritual Gift and Blessing! Until we decide who Jesus is and begin to worship him as the Christ, the Helper is not positioned to bring the liberating power and abundant life God has designed for our lives. For this reason, the thief is busy spewing global deception.

Ephesians 4:8 NLT That is why the Scriptures say, “When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people.”

Challenge: Human thought that is generated from the flesh will one day be destroyed. “Therefore, God elevated him (Christ) to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil 2:9-11).

Prayer: Lord, we come with grateful praise to proclaim you are the Christ—the Savior of our souls and the King whom we desire to sit on the throne of our hearts. Your Word is not dogmatic; rather, your Word is the guiding Truth for salvation. You want the world to know the Christ. It may seem narrow to some, but to those of us who are being saved, we are grateful for the narrow way, because it makes righteousness easier to follow. Thank you for stripping away the things in our flesh the enemy tries to use and rob us. We submit our lives to you, resist the lies of the enemy, and long for the spiritual gifts you provide. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Lenten Series: In Need of The Helper

Lent is a liturgical observance and season of reflection; not a biblical mandate. It is simply a time to remind ourselves and appreciate the abundant grace of Christ’s saving work on the cross. It is a time to press in deeper in submission to Christ’s authority as we prepare our hearts to celebrate, with exceedingly great joy, the resurrection that awaits every believer and follower.

In our Lenten daily devotionals, we will focus on our spiritual needs and desires and how the Helper is our Gift for strength and success if we will bow in greater submission to the authority of our King and the terms of His Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit.
Reflection: Hungering for the Best

Digging for Truth: Over the years, I have received some of the most amazing gifts from loved ones and friends. I have valued and treasured each gift, because I knew they flowed from hearts of love. However, as much as I have valued these gifts of time, handmade gifts or purchased gifts, they cannot compare with the Father’s Gift for me of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said the Spirit was the best Gift ever; so, I need to value my Helper and hunger and thirst for what he brings to my life.

Grace for the Heart: If we are going to walk in the power of the Spirit, we must understand the great value of our Gift. Nothing in life could be better. The Helper brings us an awareness of God’s love, produces the fruit of the Spirit in us, convicts us when we are not consistent with the likeness of Christ, fills us with strength for our weaknesses, liberates us from lousy and destructive habits, fills us with joy unspeakable and full of glory, and brings healing to our spirits, souls [mind/will/emotions] and our bodies. When we hunger and thirst for these righteous things, we are positioned to receive the Helper (John 7:38-39).

Luke 11:13 NLT  So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

Challenge: Jesus tells us to ask. So, let’s begin by asking for the gift of hungering and thirsting knowing it leads us to acknowledge and value the Best Gift God desires to give us. To ask, seek, and knock is really a command; we are desiring a Gift in agreement with God’s will (1 John 5:14-15).

Prayer: Lord, we want to be mighty spiritual fruit bearers and we need the Helper. So, we come thirsty for the Living Water of the Spirit and ask for you to call us to drink. We come hungry for the Spirit of righteousness and ask for you to feed us the Living Bread. We long for the joy of spiritually dining at your holy table and living life with the Helper. Please fill us with the Spirit, Lord, because we hunger for the Best. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Lenten Series: In Need of The Helper
Lent is a liturgical observance and season of reflection; not a biblical mandate. It is simply a time to remind ourselves and appreciate the abundant grace of Christ’s saving work on the cross. It is a time to press in deeper in submission to Christ’s authority as we prepare our hearts to celebrate, with exceedingly great joy, the resurrection that awaits every believer and follower.

In our Lenten daily devotionals, we will focus on our spiritual needs and desires and how the Helper is our Gift for strength and success if we will bow in greater submission to the authority of our King and the terms of His Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit.

Reflection: Am I Waiting for Explosion of Power?

Digging for Truth: Let’s remember the world was in trouble and that is the reason the Father sent the Son…and the Son sent the Helper. Salvation is from God. Evil seeks to bring a moral and ethical decline to society and culture; but, God works to restore order, honor, and wholeness. With this in mind, as ministers of the healing gospel, God’s children need some power to thwart the ongoing chaotic work of darkness. We need the Helper.

Grace for the Heart: In the first two chapters of the Book of Acts, we know there is an explosion of power awaiting the disciples. The Helper arrives. The Spirit settles on the disciples and fills them with the nature of God and a holy passion to share the gospel. The moment the disciples become a host for the Helper, he brings maturity and understanding as the disciples begin to respond to the direction of God.

The Helper does more than regenerate our souls, he brings an awareness of Christ in us to our society and culture. As we look back through time, we know the God of history is the God of our today. We, too, can enjoy an explosion of power and a personal Pentecost in our temple, because God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34).
Ezekiel 36:26-27 NTL 26 And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart [heart of flesh]. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.

Challenge: If God commands our obedience, he makes a way for us to become obedient. If God commands we follow him, he will provide and open doors. God’s Word accomplishes everything it is sent to do in order to carry out his plan (Isaiah 55:11). Let’s remember God’s power is supreme and it is always driven by his goodness. “From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can snatch anyone out of my hand. No one can undo what I have done” (Isaiah 43:13 NLT).

Prayer: Lord, we ask you to send an explosion of power into our temples; fill us and flood our beings with your beautiful and glorious presence. Give us a passion to share the gospel. Please make our hearts tender and responsive to your Voice and help us to obey and follow your lead. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Lenten Series: In Need of The Helper

Lent is a liturgical observance and season of reflection; not a biblical mandate. It is simply a time to remind ourselves and appreciate the abundant grace of Christ’s saving work on the cross. It is a time to press in deeper in submission to Christ’s authority as we prepare our hearts to celebrate, with exceedingly great joy, the resurrection that awaits every believer and follower.

In our Lenten daily devotionals, we will focus on our spiritual needs and desires and how the Helper is our Gift for strength and success if we will bow in greater submission to the authority of our King and the terms of His Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit.

Reflection: Christ’s Glorified Presence in Us

Digging for Truth: In the Old Testament, the Lord spoke through Jeremiah and assured us that through Christ, a new covenant would be made for God’s children, and His instructions would live deep within them, and be written on their hearts (31:33). Friends, we are God’s children, and His instructions are written on our hearts. The Holy Spirit lives within you and me and is available all of the time to reflect Christ’s glorified presence within each of us. As our “full-time, 24/7, Advocate, or Holy Helper”, the Holy Spirit is constantly nudging you and me to press into God’s Truth (His Word), because it is written deep within our hearts, so that our words, actions, steps, and daily journeys can be guided by the Holy Spirit towards what God has for each one of us.

Grace for the Heart: Jesus told us that in order for us to receive the Holy Spirit (our Advocate) that He would need to go and be with the Father. Think about how many times throughout each day, week, or month, you dismiss or underestimate the Gift of the Holy Spirit within yourself. In every moment, you and I either glorify or dishonor Christ with how we live. Living an honorable life for Christ can only be made possible by the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ (2 Thes 1:12) and by allowing the Holy Spirit to stir and move within our hearts. It is the only way that Christ is glorified and witnessed through us.

John 16:7 But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you.

Challenge: Friends, we need to stop ignoring the magnitude of this Gift from God, the Gift to allow the Holy Spirit to be our One and only Advocate. By doing this we are honoring our position within God’s Family, with Him as the Father, Jesus as the Son, and the Holy Spirit as our Advocate. When we fixate on our “real” position within God’s Family, and understand that He lives within our hearts, we no longer want to make a practice of sin, but rather call on Him to help us stop sin before it happens so that we are reflecting Jesus in our lives and not Satan (1 John 3:9).

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for sending the Holy Advocate to help us with absolutely everything. Holy Spirit, please forgive us for the times when we have minimized the magnitude of Your presence within us and Your guidance for our lives. We want Christ to be glorified in our presence, and so please help each one of us to be more in alignment with You so that others may receive Christ through us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Lenten Series: In Need of The Helper

Lent is a liturgical observance and season of reflection; not a biblical mandate. It is simply a time to remind ourselves and appreciate the abundant grace of Christ’s saving work on the cross. It is a time to press in deeper in submission to Christ’s authority as we prepare our hearts to celebrate, with exceedingly great joy, the resurrection that awaits every believer and follower.

In our Lenten daily devotionals, we will focus on our spiritual needs and desires and how the Helper is our Gift for strength and success if we will bow in greater submission to the authority of our King and the terms of His Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit.

Reflection: How is God with Me?

Digging for Truth: God is Father, Son, and is presently in believers as God the Holy Spirit. As believers, God is with us and we are never alone. Never. Jesus promises his loving presence will be with his disciples to care for us even to the end of the age; he does so through the Holy Spirit (Mat 28:20). Truthfully, our Holy Helper is adequate to provide everything we need as his children who are called out of the world; we do not identify with a sinful world. Think about that statement for a moment. We are in the world temporarily; but, we identify as a Kingdom people—God’s very own possession—who have been called out of the darkness into his glorious light (1 Peter 2:9).

Grace for the Heart: We are God’s children; adopted and saved by grace through faith (Eph 2:8-9). “Those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God” (Romans 8:14). We grow in faith and become sons and daughters as we obediently follow in Christ’s footsteps. We are no longer spiritually orphaned; we have been reconnected with our Father, the Son, and the indwelling Spirit of love. The Helper bears witness to our spirits that we are God’s children (Romans 8:16).

John 14:18  No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you.

Challenge: He has come to us through the Helper. God promises to direct our paths. “Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, ‘This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left”’ (Isaiah 30:21). Listen to his righteous voice of truth. He is always speaking.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for making us your priceless possession. You did not leave us orphaned in a wicked world; instead, you came to adopt us and love us into wholeness by speaking guidance and direction into our lives. Thank you for being our Comforter and Helper. In Jesus’ name. Amen.