Tuesday, Pentecost Week -- June 10
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Meditation
Tuesday, Pentecost Week, restated the reason for hope in the future. God’s promise in the Old Testament lessons and the New Testament explanation of how the Holy Spirit works on our behalf to bring hope to a wonderful conclusion.
The Psalmist acclaimed the creator God, from whom all good can be attributed, who watched over the world, even when the sinners couldn’t recognize who God was. He even wished that the wicked were not around to spoil things.
Ezekiel declared the name of God, holy and said that all people would learn the holiness of God and respect that profound purity, even when they could not yet understand that holiness.
The New Testament lesson in Romans revealed exactly how we can encounter God, despite the holiness that would separate us from God’s purity, even as light and darkness could not co-exist. Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross gave us the ability to speak to God, but there are times when we cannot express ourselves adequately. We may ask for the wrong things. We may not recognize what we need. We may draw a blank—unable to even think. Pressures can mount so greatly that we are unable to articulate our question.
I’ve been in classes where the teacher asked if there were questions, and I was so confused, I couldn’t form a question. God understands and gave us the Holy Spirit, who can speak on our behalf. The Holy Spirit can read our thoughts, understand the circumstances and take our fumbling words and speak incomprehensible utterings to God on our behalf, spelling out exactly what we want and need—with our best interests at heart.
In seminary I took a prayer class, where we practiced different kinds of prayer types. One type was a meditative repetition of the words, “I belong to God.” When I practiced it for five minutes perfunctorily for homework, I found it was hollow and lacking. I wrote my responses down. Ironically, not a week later, a traumatic event occurred for me.
All sensible thought disappeared from my normally logical brain. I tried to say Psalm 23. I couldn’t remember how it started. I tried to recall other memorized verses. Of the thousands, I could not remember one complete sentence. I experienced what I call ‘popcorn thoughts’ where thoughts ‘pop’ into my head, interrupting my attempt to be methodical and focused. Instead I was scattered and fragmented. Then, the words, “I belong to God” surfaced and I began repeating the words. As ‘thoughts’ intruded or popped into my head, I visualized turning them to God and said the words, “Those belong to God.” I discovered that I continued without stopping for over 20 minutes.
I only stopped because the most unexplainable peace enveloped me. The rote repetition that had sing-songed the words. But when the woosh of peace overwhelmed me, I paused and, then, with shock in my voice, said, “I. Belong. To GOD!”
The work of the Holy Spirit helped my prayers. I had mumbled, sing-songed and monotoned the words, but the power of God’s Spirit was at work.
I couldn’t express myself. I couldn’t explain things. I didn’t have the words. But the Spirit did. The Spirit uttered my needs and God gave me peace in the middle of turmoil. I didn’t even know I was asking for peace, but when I received it, I felt so much better. It was exactly what I needed.
The power of the Spirit to work on our behalf is endless. God’s promise to watch over us is true. We can rely on the Creator of the universe to manage things best, when we turn ourselves over to God’s control, and let the Spirit express things on our behalf, when we can’t.
When we trust the Holy Spirit to be our go-between with God, amazing things happen.
Thanks be to God.
All Scriptures printed below are in King James Version for copyright purposes. However, clicking on the verse locations will take you to Biblegateway.com where the text is linked to more contemporary versions.
Prayer: Almighty God, Open my eyes that I might see. Open my mind that I might understand. Open my heart that I might make your words a part of me. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight. Amen
Season of Pentecost Bible Readings
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm 104:24-35;Joel 2:18-29;Romans 8:18-24&version=KJV;ERV;NCV;NIV;GNT (multiple versions)
Tuesday, Pentecost Week
Psalm 104:24-35
Ezekiel 39:7-8
Ezekiel 39:21-29
Romans 8:26-27
Daily Bible Verses to Memorize for Meditating
Romans 8:14-15
New Century Version (NCV)
14 The true children of God are those who let God’s Spirit lead them.
15 The Spirit we received does not make us slaves again to fear; it makes us children of God. With that Spirit we cry out, “Father.”
Single Bible Study chapter to study
Romans 8:26-27
King James Version (KJV)
26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
OBSERVE:
Take a moment and write three observations of the verses. What strikes you? An observation is an observable fact from the Word.
1.
2.
3.
INTERPRETATION:
What do you interpret these verses to mean for you today?
APPLY:
Today, I learned _____________________________________and apply it to my life.
Prayer of Encouragement
Dear God, sometimes we are tongue-tied and can’t express ourselves. We give you praise and glory, for you have given us your son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit to be on our behalf, so that our needs and wants are translated to you. We know you have our best interests at heart. In Jesus name, Amen
Conclusion
Tuesday, Pentecost Week taught us that God’s purity and holiness had the world’s best interests at heart. Our sin blocks us, but Jesus’ sacrifice cleansed us, and opened the door for us to talk with God. But we often fail at knowing what we need or how to express what we want.
No matter.
The Holy Spirit speaks on our behalf with utterings that we couldn’t understand if we heard them, but more importantly, the Spirit prays for things that will benefit us and bless us, according to God’s will.
So, we never need to be afraid that we don’t know how to pray. We have an advocate of prayer working on our behalf—whose knowledge of God’s will and the best for each of us is infinite.
Go out and be ready for God to do mighty things in your life—for the glory of God.*
Thank you for visiting ChapLynne’s Daily Encouragement and Bible Study. God bless you.
*If you do not know the Lord as your personal Savior and you are seeking, please contact me. A genuine and simple prayer, asking God into your heart for the forgiveness of your sins will also do.
Tuesday, Pentecost Week, restated the reason for hope in the future. God’s promise in the Old Testament lessons and the New Testament explanation of how the Holy Spirit works on our behalf to bring hope to a wonderful conclusion.
The Psalmist acclaimed the creator God, from whom all good can be attributed, who watched over the world, even when the sinners couldn’t recognize who God was. He even wished that the wicked were not around to spoil things.
Ezekiel declared the name of God, holy and said that all people would learn the holiness of God and respect that profound purity, even when they could not yet understand that holiness.
The New Testament lesson in Romans revealed exactly how we can encounter God, despite the holiness that would separate us from God’s purity, even as light and darkness could not co-exist. Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross gave us the ability to speak to God, but there are times when we cannot express ourselves adequately. We may ask for the wrong things. We may not recognize what we need. We may draw a blank—unable to even think. Pressures can mount so greatly that we are unable to articulate our question.
I’ve been in classes where the teacher asked if there were questions, and I was so confused, I couldn’t form a question. God understands and gave us the Holy Spirit, who can speak on our behalf. The Holy Spirit can read our thoughts, understand the circumstances and take our fumbling words and speak incomprehensible utterings to God on our behalf, spelling out exactly what we want and need—with our best interests at heart.
In seminary I took a prayer class, where we practiced different kinds of prayer types. One type was a meditative repetition of the words, “I belong to God.” When I practiced it for five minutes perfunctorily for homework, I found it was hollow and lacking. I wrote my responses down. Ironically, not a week later, a traumatic event occurred for me.
All sensible thought disappeared from my normally logical brain. I tried to say Psalm 23. I couldn’t remember how it started. I tried to recall other memorized verses. Of the thousands, I could not remember one complete sentence. I experienced what I call ‘popcorn thoughts’ where thoughts ‘pop’ into my head, interrupting my attempt to be methodical and focused. Instead I was scattered and fragmented. Then, the words, “I belong to God” surfaced and I began repeating the words. As ‘thoughts’ intruded or popped into my head, I visualized turning them to God and said the words, “Those belong to God.” I discovered that I continued without stopping for over 20 minutes.
I only stopped because the most unexplainable peace enveloped me. The rote repetition that had sing-songed the words. But when the woosh of peace overwhelmed me, I paused and, then, with shock in my voice, said, “I. Belong. To GOD!”
The work of the Holy Spirit helped my prayers. I had mumbled, sing-songed and monotoned the words, but the power of God’s Spirit was at work.
I couldn’t express myself. I couldn’t explain things. I didn’t have the words. But the Spirit did. The Spirit uttered my needs and God gave me peace in the middle of turmoil. I didn’t even know I was asking for peace, but when I received it, I felt so much better. It was exactly what I needed.
The power of the Spirit to work on our behalf is endless. God’s promise to watch over us is true. We can rely on the Creator of the universe to manage things best, when we turn ourselves over to God’s control, and let the Spirit express things on our behalf, when we can’t.
When we trust the Holy Spirit to be our go-between with God, amazing things happen.
Thanks be to God.
All Scriptures printed below are in King James Version for copyright purposes. However, clicking on the verse locations will take you to Biblegateway.com where the text is linked to more contemporary versions.
Prayer: Almighty God, Open my eyes that I might see. Open my mind that I might understand. Open my heart that I might make your words a part of me. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight. Amen
Season of Pentecost Bible Readings
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm 104:24-35;Joel 2:18-29;Romans 8:18-24&version=KJV;ERV;NCV;NIV;GNT (multiple versions)
Tuesday, Pentecost Week
Psalm 104:24-35
Ezekiel 39:7-8
Ezekiel 39:21-29
Romans 8:26-27
Daily Bible Verses to Memorize for Meditating
Romans 8:14-15
New Century Version (NCV)
14 The true children of God are those who let God’s Spirit lead them.
15 The Spirit we received does not make us slaves again to fear; it makes us children of God. With that Spirit we cry out, “Father.”
Single Bible Study chapter to study
Romans 8:26-27
King James Version (KJV)
26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
OBSERVE:
Take a moment and write three observations of the verses. What strikes you? An observation is an observable fact from the Word.
1.
2.
3.
INTERPRETATION:
What do you interpret these verses to mean for you today?
APPLY:
Today, I learned _____________________________________and apply it to my life.
Prayer of Encouragement
Dear God, sometimes we are tongue-tied and can’t express ourselves. We give you praise and glory, for you have given us your son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit to be on our behalf, so that our needs and wants are translated to you. We know you have our best interests at heart. In Jesus name, Amen
Conclusion
Tuesday, Pentecost Week taught us that God’s purity and holiness had the world’s best interests at heart. Our sin blocks us, but Jesus’ sacrifice cleansed us, and opened the door for us to talk with God. But we often fail at knowing what we need or how to express what we want.
No matter.
The Holy Spirit speaks on our behalf with utterings that we couldn’t understand if we heard them, but more importantly, the Spirit prays for things that will benefit us and bless us, according to God’s will.
So, we never need to be afraid that we don’t know how to pray. We have an advocate of prayer working on our behalf—whose knowledge of God’s will and the best for each of us is infinite.
Go out and be ready for God to do mighty things in your life—for the glory of God.*
Thank you for visiting ChapLynne’s Daily Encouragement and Bible Study. God bless you.
*If you do not know the Lord as your personal Savior and you are seeking, please contact me. A genuine and simple prayer, asking God into your heart for the forgiveness of your sins will also do.
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