Good morning on this beautiful sunny day in Liberty, KS. The sun just rose in the last half hour. It started off a light orange color and as it moved up over the buildings it became brighter and brighter. Kind of like my morning started.
When I first got up I thought I would just go back to sleep after Ron left for work. At least that was my initial plan even though it was not what I have committed my mornings to be like. But by the time Ron left, one hour and 10 minutes after I woke up, I decided to pick up my Bible instead.
First I read John 14: 12 ~
From The Message:
“Believe
me: I am in my Father and my Father is in me. If you can’t believe
that, believe what you see—these works. The person who trusts me will
not only do what I’m doing but even greater things, because I, on my way
to the Father, am giving you the same work to do that I’ve been doing.
You can count on it. From now on, whatever you request along the lines
of who I am and what I am doing, I’ll do it. That’s how the Father will
be seen for who he is in the Son. I mean it. Whatever you request in
this way, I’ll do."
My thoughts: It's not what I can do today to make a difference, it's what I do today with the help of the Holy Spirit along asking God to guide me to do His will, not mine that will make today a blessing.
From the devotional The Sanctuary by David Jeremiah: Sometimes we do commendable, praiseworthy things in the energy of our flesh. BUT when God begins to work THROUGH us, it is an entirely different proposition altogether. Incredible things begin to happen.
And then I was pondering about the Holy Spirit. For the last month or so I have started to question "speaking in tongues." I have been part of a ladies fellowship for almost a year. We always close in prayer and many of the women speak in tongues while they are praying. I have heard "you must be baptized in the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues to fulfill your salvation with the Lord" and "speaking in tongues is THE gift of the Holy Spirit and is the proof of your salvation" along with "speaking in tongues is one of many gifts of the Holy Spirit." So I started asking questions and believe the council I have gotten from my pastor and a couple of strong Christians is that my thinking that speaking in tongues is ONE of many of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and to seek God for what my gift from the Holy Spirit is.
So I have been looking for a study guide to help me study about the Holy Spirit. I have read the first two chapters of Acts about three times in the last month. This morning I found a Bible study on the Book of Acts by J.S. Smith. And so I printed it out. I like studies that lead me to find the answers to questions and that I can write down the answers too (remember I like to make lists and write and in fact, yesterday I bought myself 4 new fine point gel colored pens :) ) and so today I started that study.
That is what led me to Monday Morning Delight - I love reading God's word and the more faithful I am at reading it the more I want to read it. Kind of like my goal to drink 3 24 oz bottles of water a day. I am finding that the more I drink water the more I want water. I am consistently up to 2 bottles of water a day, but that is for another post. Back to my study this morning.
Lesson 1: Ascension and Pentecost
Acts 1:1 - 2:47
Did you know that the book of Acts was written to the lovers of Jesus Christ? That's what I am and I even claim it in my little bio "I am God Loving"
That people speak in tongues as the Holy Spirit leads them.
That we are to repent of our sins daily.
That we are to break bread together - that mean's fellowship one with another. I have learned I need to fellowship with other believers. That includes being accountable one to another, uplifting one another and being there for one another and to help others as we can asking God to help us help others.
Give thanks to God each day for sending us His Son to save us and give us life eternal.
Give praise to God ~ not just for the big things but for everything.
I like to think I am an encourager and this morning I feel the Lord leading me back to being an encourager every day to someone. It doesn't have to take a lot of money to encourage someone, maybe a smile and hold the door open for someone as you walk into a store. Call, email or even mail a card through the snail mail. And pray specifically for someone's need that you have learned about.
How can you encourage someone today?
Has anyone encouraged you lately? How did that happen?
Dear Lord: thank you for your word this morning, reminding me that I like it when someone does something unexpected for me that brightens my day. Like the surprise phone call I received yesterday morning and the note on Facebook this morning. Help me to be that encourager to someone today. Amen.
