I stand in awe right now in how quickly the Lord answered my prayer during devotion today by showing me areas that need changing. I’m telling you that you must ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit while reading His word for better interpretation with His truth. You must have the Holy Spirit come upon you to understand His interpretation of His truth, because our flesh can distort His word to mean what we want it to mean. Ask Him to show you what needs to be revealed for growth and change in your life. What area needs to be purged out and made new today?
My devotion after awhile led me finally to the book of Jude. In chapter 1 looking at verses 20 and 21, I received a list to maintain my life with God.
- Build Yourselves up on your most holy faith.
- Pray in the Holy Spirit.
- Keep yourselves in the love of God.
- Look for the mercy of or Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Build yourselves up on your most holy faith. How do we begin to build ourselves up on faith? Do we ask for more faith, or do we act on the faith we have? If you doubt you have faith let us look at another verse. “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” We, if born again, do already have faith. God gives each of us a measure of faith according to His choosing as is clear in Romans 12:3. How reassuring is that. Even if it is just a little bit, all we need is faith the size of a mustard seed to move the mountain in front of us. Matt. 17:20 and Luke 17:6. You may ask, “Why is the mountain not moving?” Well, remember also that faith without works is dead, James 2:14-16. We have to put our faith into action. That starts with believing and if you are still struggling with doubt, pray scripture, “I believe, but, help me with my unbelief.” Mark 9:24. We act out in faith when we obey Gods word and gentle calling or nudging. Being obedient allows us to step out in faith. I think another way we can put faith into motion is by thanking God in advance for what He is going to do and the victory that we can know that He has already won. Read Judges 7:9, the battle was won before it even began and when we are called according to His purpose we can rest assured that this remains so.
Praying in the Holy Spirit. Eph. 6:18, 1 Corinthians 14:15, Jude 1:20. ” Praying in” meaning with the help of. Romans 8:26 “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” Ask for the Holy Spirit to fill you, come upon you, guide and lead you in your prayers. Pray scripture and when you don’t have the words and all you can do is groan, ask Jesus to intercede for you for He alone knows our heart and what we most need.
Keep yourselves in the love of God. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8,13 “ Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails……13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. Love is the greatest gift of all. It is also the hardest to maintain. Why is it the greatest gift? Because John 3:16. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” If you’re like me and each and everyone of these things that love is not, cuts and convicts you to your very core, then you are asking yourself, ” How can I be better at this love?” “I want this love in my life.” Or maybe you are thinking it is impossible as we are far from perfect, but, lets begin by recognizing the areas were we don’t practice this love. Lets take in to account this love deficit and bring it to God. Ask God to show you your shortcomings in this area. When we are aware of what we lack, we can counteract it by praying against the opposite of love. Here are a few examples. Romans 7:18 and Ps. 51:2. If your biggest struggle is pride and taking offense, then ask for humility. When humble you die to yourself and only love can abound. With Ephesians 4:2 we can ask for lowliness. I can not stress enough that we must ask and continue to ask. God tells us that if we ask according to His will it shall be granted. How then, if we ask according to His word and His truth, should we be denied?
Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus unto eternal life. This must be a daily asking for forgiveness, but, with true repentance, meaning, asking forgiveness and turning away from the act of that particular sin you want forgiveness for. We are not in true repentance if we ask for forgiveness and continue in the sin.
I strongly urge you my brothers and sisters in the Lord, to ask God to fill you with His Spirit while reading His word and He WILL show you what you need to see. Let His word come alive in your life.
M. Fawn Saylor
10/10/2015
His Precious Daughter 