When life gets you down and living begins to look lifeless—
And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of His Spirit who lives in you. Romans 8:11
Let the Holy Spirit give your life… LIFE.
Breathe deep of the heavenly air.
For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:5
The love of God is the air of heaven, and the joy of earth. You breathe it in then breathe it out.
Breathe in––God’s love is greater than all my failures.
Breathe out––I can rest easy for His love watches over me.
Breathe in––Jesus loves me, and died in my place.
Breathe out––His life for mine, such love overwhelms me with gratitude.
Breathe in––The Spirit of God has freed me from the dark powers of this world.
Breathe out––peace and blessed assurance the victory is won.
Breathe in––God’s love surrounds me, and will never leave me.
Breathe out––I am His, and He is mine.
Breathe in––God’s love makes me what I was meant to be.
Breathe out––A reflection of Him to those around me.
Breathe in––Jesus loves me, and sent His Spirit to live in my heart.
Breathe out––Jesus loves you, and invites you to breathe Him in.
It may take you a number of slow deep breaths to have His love sink in, but I can guarantee even after a thousand years you have not begun to breathe in the depths of God’s love in Jesus.
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:17-21
Reaching above the clouds
God does not give us tasks we can do by our own strength or ability. He gives us good works to do that require us to rely upon Him.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:8-10
We are not just called to do the ordinary with integrity, but also to do the extraordinary work of the Kingdom of Jesus. Not by our strength which is insufficient, but by the power and direction of the Holy Spirit.
It is God who arms me with strength
and makes my way perfect.
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he enables me to stand on the heights. Psalm 18:32-33
Wind power
Without the wind these machines can produce nothing, but with the wind there is power.
Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit says the LORD Almighty. Zechariah 4:6
Without the Holy Spirit we can do nothing, but with the Holy Spirit all things are possible.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8
Clouds rolling over the Blue Ridge Mountains.
There were times that the fog became so thick you could barely see the road, let alone knowing which way to go.
We have all had times when we wished we had taken a different direction. Looking back we can see how a right choice would have been so much better, but we just could not see far enough ahead.
Blessed are they whose ways are blameless,
who walk according to the law of the Lord.
Blessed are they who keep his statutes
and seek him with all their heart.
They do nothing wrong;
they walk in his ways. Psalm 119:1-3
God is all about helping us choose the right direction. We just have to ask.
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. John 16:13
What we receive is not only help in making the right choices going forward, but forgiveness for all our past wrong choices.
Multnomah Falls and the celebration of Pentecost
Certain elements of this picture transform it for me from nondescript picture into wonder to behold. The elements are the water cascading down, and the rock balancing the picture in the foreground. Without them I would have tossed it away.
This is the same for my life certain elements make it so worthwhile. The Rock of my salvation, Jesus, who anchors my life in his forgiveness and love.
“The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be God, the Rock, my Savior!
2 Samuel 22:47
The second element is the Holy Spirit cascading down, refreshing and anointing my life with God’s goodness.
“ ‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams. Acts 2:17
Multnomah Falls a celebration of Pentecost.
Last days, but so much beauty.
I want to do many things for God,
But I am getting too old to be of much use.
I want to be pleasing to Jesus,
But I don’t have the will power.
I want to write of His glory,
But my words fail to mount the heights.
I want to change my bad habits,
But continually fall back into old ways.
I have visions of doing great things for God,
But wonder if it is not vainglory?
“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;” John 14:16
In the Helper I am given the power to do His will. (Eph. 3:20)
In the Helper I will be given the words to speak of His glory. (Matt. 10:19-20)
In the Helper I will be given self-control. (Gal. 5:22-23)
In the Helper I will be lead into good works, which God has prepared for me to do.
(Eph. 2:10)
All this and more will come about by the power of the Helper, (Zech. 4:6)
So that Jesus will be glorified in me,
And the Helper will keep me from vainglory, for I can take none of the credit.
(Psalm 115:1)
Those living far away fear your wonders;
where morning dawns and evening fades
you call forth songs of joy. (Psalm 65:8)
The love of God, commands us to love.
The forgiveness of God, brings us to forgive.
The righteousness of God, stirs a hunger and thirst for rightness.
The goodness of God, kindles a desire to be good.
The beauty of God, makes us long for beauty in us.
So we are told to ask.
We are beckoned to seek.
We are encouraged to knock.
Like the dawn, the Spirit of God comes to us and brings forth songs of joy.
(Luke 11:9-13)
Stephen L Hufman 