As a fan of bonfires, I confess that I do indeed use a fire starter at times. It’s a small block of wood that is treated just enough to burn long enough to start the rest of the wood on fire. In times of wind or dampness, it is a fire saver! Whether we know it or not, the Holy Spirit is our prayer starter. He is the initiator of our prayer life that should be reciprocal in nature, not a one-way monologue. As we are more and more aware of the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives, our prayer lives should become more and more intense and impactful!

One of the most misunderstood phrases in Christendom might just be “the fear of the Lord.” Images come to mind of a stern and even angry God looming large and ominously over His people as thunder peals and lightning flashes in the backdrop. And when we introduce the word “piety,” there is usually even more confusion added into the mix. In simple terms, it really comes down to the awe, the respect, and even the depth of devotion we have to the Lord and to His Kingdom. And the Holy Spirit is the key to all of that!

Just as Phillip was “sent” to a single, solitary Ethiopian eunuch in the middle of a desert to help explain the Word of God, so too are we to be ready to be sent by that same Spirit. Just as Phillip was “sure” of the interpretation of the passage in Isaiah dealing with the Lamb of God, so too are we to be sure of the revelation the Spirit will give us. And just as Phillip will most likely be “approved” on the day of examination before the Lord of how he handled the Word of God, so too should we strive for that approval as well. All of this is the work of the Holy Spirit!

“Inconvenient holiness.” Don’t you love this title? It’s true. God uses those “inconvenient” moments of our lives in order to grow us in our patience. As a part of the fruit of the Spirit, it is critically important to be open and willing to allow the Spirit to grow patience in our lives. So come, Holy Spirit, give me the grace to respond to daily disturbances with supernatural patience. Indeed, may every little inconvenience become an occasion for me to grow in great holiness.

Communion is a high and holy moment in the life of a Christian whereby we remember the saving work of Jesus on the cross. Unfortunately, much like baptism, we have tainted and distorted the purity and beauty of that sacrament by our humanness and our propensity toward legalism. May we allow the Holy Spirit to help us truly “do this in remembrance” of the One who willingly gave His life so that we may have eternal life. May we find great joy in partaking of the body and the blood of Jesus Christ in holy communion.

Contrary to popular but wrong belief, we do not have a “God on high.” Rather miraculously, we have a God inside! That’s the power and the awe of the Christian life. God has always desired relationship and communion with His people. How much more communion can one have on this side of heaven than to have God living within us! Let us fully embrace this truth, and then let us stay in awe of the One who dwells inside of us as believers!

The reaction to someone’s death, whether we deem them wicked or righteous, reflects how near or how far we are from God’s heart. May we ask the Holy Spirit to align our hearts to better represent God.

Allow these words of Scripture to sink deep into your heart. Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.  Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” May you allow the Holy Spirit to be the life-changing wind in your life!

Meet Emilio, a 77-year-old farmer from Sincelejito, Colombia.  As hard a working man as you will find and so passionate about protecting the land that he farms. A man who buried his 50-year-old son last year. A man who doesn’t know if he’ll be in Heaven… but wants to be. I have to believe that the reason I was on his porch sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ was because Emilio could not chase hope for himself. So God sent me to chase hope for him. Where might God want to send you?

It’s been said more times than it should be that there is an epidemic of hopelessness. Situations around the world where hope has been drained by poverty, devastated by drugs, and destroyed by violence. Situations that exist in a community of 40,000 called Tolu in northern coastal Colombia, South America. Situations that continue to fuel the passion of missionary Merritt Johnson as she and her husband Yeicol have committed to keep chasing hope for those who may have given up on hope.

Grace has been defined as getting what we do not deserve. Similarly, mercy has been defined as NOT getting what we do deserve. When Jesus told His disciples to “Be merciful, just as my Father is merciful,” He was speaking in the context of giving people what they do not deserve: kindness, respect, and even forgiveness. Chances are, we all need more mercy in our lives. So let us commit to asking the Holy Spirit for even more mercy, so we can do as Jesus exhorted and receive what the Father has for us.

One of the scariest Christian words to ever be uttered may be evangelism! Shudder and shake! Unfortunately, some of the ways of evangelism that we as the Church have developed and practiced probably weren’t exactly what Jesus had in mind when He told us to “go and make disciples.” The good news is that the Holy Spirit can and wants to give us the two greatest tools to help us in our evangelism efforts for the Kingdom. Grace and discernment will lead more people to the King and His Kingdom than anything else we can ever contrive or conjure. Let’s ask, let’s seek, and let’s knock for those two great tools, shall we?

In this broken and bruised world where hopelessness is easy to feel, it is critically important to draw from the right source of hope. So, of course, we turn to Scripture for the truth. There, we find that suffering is not supposed to be the cause of hopelessness, but rather can and should be the initiator of hope for all things.
And to no surprise at all, we also discover that our hope is the work of the Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Ghost all playing a part in giving us a hope that never disappoints.

In a long line of Bible verses that are taken out of context, Psalm 37:4 may rank in the top 10! So often we hear the word “desires” and think of things of the world: promotions, safety, security, good things like houses and new jobs, etc. But when paired with 1 Cor. 2, we get a better understanding of how the Holy Spirit works in our lives to align our desires with His so that when we serve in the Kingdom, we can truly take delight in whatever it is He has asked us to do. We can indeed delight in the Lord, as long as we allow the Holy Spirit to be in charge of shaping our desires.

You don’t have to travel to Alaska to be overwhelmed by God’s glory, but it sure doesn’t hurt! From snow-capped mountains to five-foot waves while fishing (think Deadliest Catch!), from sea otters playing hide and seek to strong, majestic eagles soaring right over you, this short trip to Alaska offered ample opportunities every day to join in with the trees as they “clap their hands” to the Creator of this rugged beauty. Again, you don’t have to travel to Alaska to be overwhelmed by God’s glory; just pay attention to where you’re at and ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes!

Coming at you from Joplin, Missouri, on a youth mission trip! As the youth have been serving the community in their hard work all the hot week long, Wednesday night provided the opportunity and invitation to allow the Spirit of Christ to serve them. As they were having their feet washed in a powerful supernatural moment, the youth were challenged to examine their “confidence in Christ” rating from 1-10 – confident in His love, His grace, His mercy, and in our salvation. Let’s be crystal clear: God wants us to live at a 10 – no less!

As Jesus and His mother stood watching the wedding take place in Cana, the wine ran out. For a wedding celebration at that time, no wine was a train wreck of a disaster. After a short discourse, Mary tells the servants, “Do whatever He tells you to do.” They did. And the wedding was not only saved but went down as one of the best ones in history. We’re still talking about it! That should be the exact same attitude and approach we should take with the Holy Spirit living within us: “Do whatever He tells you to do.”

“Spiritual empowerment is promised through the messianic Spirit of might, realized fully in Christ and mediated to the church.” Amen! Where do you need God’s mighty strength today? Regardless of the situation or circumstance, His Holy Spirit is fully available to you in all of His might and strength. May you trust in the Spirit to stand up for what’s loving and what’s right in every circumstance. And may the Holy Spirit galvanize you with the grit and gift of fortitude and valor.

Right before His arrest and subsequent death on the cross, Jesus spent much of His last night with His disciples teaching on the Holy Spirit. One of the most powerful, and perhaps most under-appreciated, names for the Holy Spirit is “Advocate.” All too often, we have turned the Spirit into a “comforter,” like a warm blanket on a cold day. That image falls SO short of who He really is in the life of a believer. Let’s embrace the full majesty and weight of the Advocate!

As we celebrate all that God has done and is doing with and through The Joshua Center, it is a good thing to take a moment to fully embrace the 5-strand DNA of this ministry:

Awakening Courageous Leaders
Committed to Changing the Culture
Advancing the Kingdom of God
Accurately Handling the Word of Truth
All Fueled by The Person and The Power of the Holy Spirit

May you be blessed and encouraged by the Holy Spirit of a Living and Loving God!