Renewed By God’s Spirit and Power

“I was unsure of how to go about this, and felt totally inadequate . . . But . . . God’s Spirit and God’s power did it, which made it clear that your life and faith is a response to God’s power, not some fancy mental or emotional footwork by me or anyone else.” – 1 Corinthians 2:2-5 (The Message)

My work week had been exhausting. When I got up on Saturday morning, I felt drained – spiritually, physically, and emotionally. Then I realized that I had to preach and lead worship the next morning. I love to preach, but I felt tired, unfocused, and not even in a mood to preach on Sunday. I’d rather have stayed home and rested on that rainy November weekend. I groaned, and this groaning of my spirit was a prayer for the Spirit and Power of God.

Dying To Self Daily

Live Prayer Daily Devotional November 30 2008
(1 Corinthians 15:31; Romans 8:4-13; Galatians 5:16; Galatians 2:20)

Dying to self daily is what Paul spoke of so often. It is how we walk in the “Spirit” and not in the “flesh” as we are instructed in Romans Chapter 8 and Galatians Chapter 5. The whole issue of dying to self daily is the absolute key to living a victorious life in Christ. It literally means that you have to die to self DAILY!

This is why so many people who are saved, love the Lord, live beneath their blessings and in constant turmoil. This is how people who know Christ as their Savior end up committing adultery, cheat people, lie, get in bondage to drugs, alcohol, food, sex, gambling, shopping, greed, and anything else people become enslaved to. They don’t die to self each day and end up walking in the “flesh” and NOT the “Spirit.”

Are You Ready To Stand Before God?

Live Prayer Daily Devotional November 29 2008
(James 4:14)

Life is a mist, are YOU ready to stand before God?

Last June, Tim Russert, the host of NBC’s Meet the Press and the Washington Bureau Chief for NBC news, woke up in Europe with his wife and son where they were celebrating his son’s graduation from college. He flew back to Washington in the morning to prepare for that Sunday’s Meet the Press program and was in the audio booth cutting some of the audio for the program when he had a heart attack and died.

Russert’s death is a classic reminder of what I share with you so often of how fragile this life is and how quickly it is over. Tim Russert woke up that morning in Europe, flew to Washington, was in his office preparing for his Sunday television program, and died before the day was over.