HOLY
Guidelines for the most personal life-changing impact as possible
Ask yourself the Questions.
Remember, real learning and growth is a “Journey of your Heart” (Prov.4:20-23 below). It’s in His presence, alone with Him, that we “put off the old man”, renew our minds and “put on the new self” (Eph 4:20-24 below)
Knowing the TRUTH brings freedom! (John 8:31,32 below) It’s not about memorizing information in your head, Believing it in your heart will change your life!
Truth may challenge your traditional understanding. Be willing to check and study it out in His Word. (Ask yourself whether it brings, or violates, Peace in your heart.)
If anything violates what you know in Scripture to be true, do not just accept it. Write down your revelations or questions or concerns and please be sure to bring it to the church.
Others will learn from you as you will from others!
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Matt 11:28-30 ESV
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
John 8:31-32 ESV
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
Prov 4:20-23 NIV
My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. 21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; 22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. 23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
Eph 4:20-24 ESV
But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
- Use this as a devotional opportunity - for you. This is not homework for a class. There is no rush, demand or expectation. Please feel liberty always to grow at your own pace.
- Find a regular, quiet time and place where you won’t be disturbed. (If you can, first thing in your day is better before the pressures and demands on your mind begin distracting you.)
- Have your Bible, and a notebook ready to write down questions, thoughts, or even something you suddenly think of that don’t want to forget to do later.
- Ask yourself if you’re really willing to “learn of Him” - then open your heart to His Word and direction.
- Connect with your Father, remember you’re His child, you’re loved, and already qualified in Jesus!
- Ask Father to teach & lead you.
- Take the time to read any and all the Scripture references in your own Bible and version. (I love the free YouVersion Bible App and the “Compare” button which allows you to read that verse in different versions).
- Take time to meditate / ponder on any part. Give yourself the liberty to follow any threads.
- Read the Prayer & Confession to see if you agree with it before you declare it with your own mouth.
Ask yourself the Questions.
Remember, real learning and growth is a “Journey of your Heart” (Prov.4:20-23 below). It’s in His presence, alone with Him, that we “put off the old man”, renew our minds and “put on the new self” (Eph 4:20-24 below)
Knowing the TRUTH brings freedom! (John 8:31,32 below) It’s not about memorizing information in your head, Believing it in your heart will change your life!
Truth may challenge your traditional understanding. Be willing to check and study it out in His Word. (Ask yourself whether it brings, or violates, Peace in your heart.)
If anything violates what you know in Scripture to be true, do not just accept it. Write down your revelations or questions or concerns and please be sure to bring it to the church.
Others will learn from you as you will from others!
-------------------------------------------
Matt 11:28-30 ESV
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
John 8:31-32 ESV
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
Prov 4:20-23 NIV
My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. 21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; 22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. 23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
Eph 4:20-24 ESV
But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
#4 ANOTHER COMFORTER!
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever. — John 14:16
As Jesus fellowshipped with His disciples that night in the Upper Room, He taught at length about the ministry of the Holy Spirit. In fact, He covered so much material that it took three chapters in the gospel of John to relate it! However, one of the most important points Jesus made is found near the beginning of all He shared with His disciples. He said, “I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter…” (John 14:16).
In this devotional, I want you to take note of the word “another.” This is the Greek word allos, which means another of the very same kind. By using this word, Jesus was sending a clear message that when the Holy Spirit came, the Spirit would be just like Himself. The Holy Spirit would perfectly represent Jesus in every way and duplicate His life and ministry. He would mirror Jesus to such a degree, in fact, that whatever Jesus would say is exactly what He would say, and whatever Jesus would do is exactly what He would do. To the disciples, this statement must have been very encouraging because it let them know that the Holy Spirit’s presence would make it seem as if Jesus was still there among them.
So when John 14:16 uses the Greek word allos to describe “another” Comforter, it tells you and me that Jesus was telling us, “The Holy Spirit and I are identical in every way, so by having Him, it will be as if you still have Me!”
Sometimes I hear people express how they wish they could have lived 2,000 years ago when Jesus walked the earth. But if we believe the words of Jesus in John 14:16 about the Holy Spirit and His likeness to Jesus, then we should not regret that we weren’t there 2,000 years ago. Jesus taught that if the Holy Spirit resides within us, it is identical to having Jesus walk amongst us in the flesh.
So if you want to know what the Spirit of God is like, look to Jesus in the four gospels, for He taught that the Holy Spirit exactly mirrors His own character, power, and actions. This is another reason why it is so important for you to get the story of Jesus down deep into your heart. As you learn what the Master did, how He acted, and how He responded to different situations, it will help you to know the Holy Spirit better — for He and Jesus are identical in all of these ways. And whatever Jesus did is exactly what the Holy Spirit will lead you to do in every situation of life as you lean on His guidance and direction from within.
My Prayer For Today
Father, I thank You for speaking to me about how the Holy Spirit perfectly represents Jesus in my life. In light of this, I ask You to help me gain more understanding regarding the four gospels and their account of the life of Jesus. I understand that if I know Jesus better from the New Testament, it will help me become more familiar with the way the Holy Spirit thinks and acts. Now I understand that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are similar in every way, so I desire to open my heart to the Holy Spirit in the same way I open my heart to Jesus.
I pray this in Jesus’ name!
My Confession For Today
I declare that reading the four gospels — and getting to know Jesus better through reading them — is a top priority in my life. According to what Jesus taught about the Holy Spirit, I now know that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are identical in how they think, act, and behave. Therefore, as I get to know Jesus better from the New Testament, it will prepare my heart and mind to better recognize and know the voice and promptings of the Holy Spirit in my life.
I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!
Questions For You To Consider
As Jesus fellowshipped with His disciples that night in the Upper Room, He taught at length about the ministry of the Holy Spirit. In fact, He covered so much material that it took three chapters in the gospel of John to relate it! However, one of the most important points Jesus made is found near the beginning of all He shared with His disciples. He said, “I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter…” (John 14:16).
In this devotional, I want you to take note of the word “another.” This is the Greek word allos, which means another of the very same kind. By using this word, Jesus was sending a clear message that when the Holy Spirit came, the Spirit would be just like Himself. The Holy Spirit would perfectly represent Jesus in every way and duplicate His life and ministry. He would mirror Jesus to such a degree, in fact, that whatever Jesus would say is exactly what He would say, and whatever Jesus would do is exactly what He would do. To the disciples, this statement must have been very encouraging because it let them know that the Holy Spirit’s presence would make it seem as if Jesus was still there among them.
So when John 14:16 uses the Greek word allos to describe “another” Comforter, it tells you and me that Jesus was telling us, “The Holy Spirit and I are identical in every way, so by having Him, it will be as if you still have Me!”
Sometimes I hear people express how they wish they could have lived 2,000 years ago when Jesus walked the earth. But if we believe the words of Jesus in John 14:16 about the Holy Spirit and His likeness to Jesus, then we should not regret that we weren’t there 2,000 years ago. Jesus taught that if the Holy Spirit resides within us, it is identical to having Jesus walk amongst us in the flesh.
So if you want to know what the Spirit of God is like, look to Jesus in the four gospels, for He taught that the Holy Spirit exactly mirrors His own character, power, and actions. This is another reason why it is so important for you to get the story of Jesus down deep into your heart. As you learn what the Master did, how He acted, and how He responded to different situations, it will help you to know the Holy Spirit better — for He and Jesus are identical in all of these ways. And whatever Jesus did is exactly what the Holy Spirit will lead you to do in every situation of life as you lean on His guidance and direction from within.
My Prayer For Today
Father, I thank You for speaking to me about how the Holy Spirit perfectly represents Jesus in my life. In light of this, I ask You to help me gain more understanding regarding the four gospels and their account of the life of Jesus. I understand that if I know Jesus better from the New Testament, it will help me become more familiar with the way the Holy Spirit thinks and acts. Now I understand that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are similar in every way, so I desire to open my heart to the Holy Spirit in the same way I open my heart to Jesus.
I pray this in Jesus’ name!
My Confession For Today
I declare that reading the four gospels — and getting to know Jesus better through reading them — is a top priority in my life. According to what Jesus taught about the Holy Spirit, I now know that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are identical in how they think, act, and behave. Therefore, as I get to know Jesus better from the New Testament, it will prepare my heart and mind to better recognize and know the voice and promptings of the Holy Spirit in my life.
I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!
Questions For You To Consider
- Since Jesus and the Holy Spirit exactly mirror each other in how they think, act, and behave, what are you doing to get to know Jesus better and prepare yourself to become more familiar with the Holy Spirit?
- Do you have a Bible-reading plan to take you through the four gospels? Start searching for a plan to lead you through these four books of the Bible so you can become better acquainted with Jesus — His ways, His works, and His will.
- Since Jesus and the Holy Spirit exactly mirror each other, how does this help you get to know the ways of the Holy Spirit better?