Being empowered by the Holy Spirit is a gift from God that affects us and those around us. Jesus is the model of the importance of being filled with the Spirit. He demonstrates this as He goes to Galilee after overcoming the devil’s temptations. Luke 4:14 Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s …
Faith affects the whole family, and many stories exist throughout the Bible. The Apostle Paul reminisced about how His young co-worker, Timothy, came to faith. 1: Timothy 1:5 I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong …
God does more than we ask. You may have experienced this as you reached out to the Lord. The Lord is generous and may answer our prayers differently and more significantly than expected. Psalm 36:5Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. [1] As Jesus was …
In the story of a son healed, we see how the father’s faith was a journey. A government official, probably a Gentile, had traveled sixteen miles to ask help from Jesus, a Jewish teacher. This father was desperate because his son was on the verge of death. He was willing to try anything to have …
For it to be real, belief requires action. We can see this in the story of Jesus healing a son. A government official had come out of desperation. His son was ill and on the point of death. So, he was willing to travel sixteen miles to make a request of Jesus, whom he had …
In the story of a healed son, we see how the son will live. John 4: 50 Then Jesus told him, “Go back home. Your son will live!” And the man believed what Jesus said and started home. 51 While the man was on his way, some of his servants met him with the news that his …
Desperation leads us to Jesus, which many people have experienced. Through desperation, the Lord removes barriers that can often get in our way of seeking Him. As Jesus was ministering, a man driven by desperation sought out Jesus to save his son. John 4:46As Jesus traveled through Galilee, he came to Cana, where he had …
When we seek Jesus’ face, not His hands, it moves us from our physical needs to putting our spiritual needs first. Jesus teaches wisdom. Matthew 6:33Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.[1] As we seek the Lord’s face and His Kingdom, we seek …
Changing from outcast to evangelist is possible because of the transformation that takes place through the work of the Holy Spirit. When the Samaritan woman encountered Jesus, she was an outcast in the community. She came to the well to draw water in the heat of the day to avoid conflict with people who looked …
Leaving the old life behind is what happens when the Lord begins to transform us through the work of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus encountered the Samaritan woman, her life was filled with regret and shame. She went to the well in the hottest part of the day to avoid other women who disapproved of …