Rock Your World!

Daily Reading: Romans 5

Scripture Focus: God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5.5)

Devotional Thought: Joe and Cheryl, amazing servants of the church, came to stay with us for several months. I remember when they backed their van up to our garage. There was a lot of 'stuff' to take in. Books and clothes and food and computers. You see, when we invited them in, we invited their 'stuff.' Among that 'stuff' we found three teenagers: Jonathan, Hannah, and Becky! It rocked our world!

I have learned to pray, "Lord, I receive your Spirit." After all, Jesus told his disciples to "receive the Holy Spirit," so I figure that I don't have to ask for the Spirit. I just need to receive him. The cool thing is that when he comes, he brings his stuff with him! When I pray to receive the Spirit, I pray to receive all that stuff!

Paul mentioned one of those things that the Spirit brings with him in Romans 5: Love! But, according to Galatians 5, the Spirit also brings joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. That's good stuff isn't it? It rocks your world!

Now when I pray, "I receive your Spirit," I pray along with that, "I receive love." I let God's love fill my heart and my mind. "I receive joy," and let the joy of the Lord give me strength. "I receive peace," and I allow the Spirit to give me the peace of Jesus, surrendering my worries to him. "I receive patience," and I commit to show it to others. As I receive each fruit of the Spirit, I can feel my whole outlook changing.

I recommend that you receive the Spirit in a purposeful way each day… and with him that you receive all his stuff. It will rock your world!

Prayer: Father, I receive your Spirit. With your Spirit I receive love... joy... peace... patience... kindness... goodness... faithfulness... gentleness... self-control. Help me to give these gifts away today. Amen.

Psalm of the Day: 1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. 3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. 4 In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. 5 To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. (Psalms 22:1-5)