Monthly Archives: March 2026

Embracing the Holy Spirit

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This is the third article in the “New Life” series written to address the needs of those seeking or those new to their faith in Jesus. This series may also be helpful to anyone who suspects that something is missing from their faith walk. 

After Jesus died on the cross, He was resurrected on the third day!  He visited with His followers for forty days.  Then He went back to His Father in Heaven, but before He left, He promised His followers that He would send them a helper, the Holy Spirit. This is the same Holy Spirit who descended on Jesus after His baptism. (Matthew 3:13-17). Jesus is our perfect example of how to live in the Kingdom of Heaven, so we should welcome the Holy Spirit to help us, just as Jesus did.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).

If you read through the book of Acts in the Bible, you will see that the apostles interacted with and were guided by the Holy Spirit.  We, too, have access to the Holy Spirit when we belong to Jesus.  All we need to do is ask our Father in Jesus’ name.  We need the Holy Spirit every bit as much as the apostles did. 

Some followers of Jesus, and even some congregations, tend to downplay or even dismiss the importance of engaging with the Holy Spirit.  Why? Why would you reject such a precious, necessary gift?  Here are a few reasons:

Some people do not understand the Holy Spirit’s function and role in our lives.  People sometimes avoid what they do not understand.  In addition, there is an overwhelming amount of misinformation that, unfortunately, is taught as Gospel truth.  You might hear people say that the Holy Spirit was given only to the apostles for a specific time and purpose.  Indeed, we do not live in the time of the apostles, but our purpose is the same as theirs.  We, too, are called to build up the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, the very work that Jesus began while He was here on earth.

When we invite the Holy Spirit to come into our lives, we agree to relinquish control and let Him take over. It seems like a big risk, but the truth is that the Holy Spirit knows far more than we do and can guide us in our new identity and life in Jesus.  It is a more dangerous risk to deny the Holy Spirit. He helps us to understand the Bible and how it applies to us.  He guides us and equips us with gifts to complete our assignments from the Father. Even though we still live on the earth, we are now citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.  The Holy Spirit teaches us how to live and function in our Father’s Kingdom.

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will bein you (John 14:16-17).

And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness (Acts 4:31).

Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26)

People often fear what they do not understand or cannot see.  Those who lived in Israel when Jesus lived there were able to see, hear, and touch Him.  He looked like them and spoke their language.  Whether or not they are accurate, we have pictures of Jesus, so it is easier to relate to Him. How do we relate to the Holy Spirit?  We cannot see Him or touch Him.  We can feel His presence, though, once we realize what we are sensing. It feels like love, peace, protection, and well-being.  The Holy Spirit nudges us from within or speaks to us in a still, small voice. Sometimes He uses Scripture to communicate with us. It takes time and practice to learn how to interact with the Holy Spirit, but it is well worth the effort.  We have so much to gain from the Holy Spirit!

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore, I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you” (John 16:12-15).

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound, the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language (Acts 2:1-6).

Ask the Father to fill you with His Holy Spirit. Welcome the Holy Spirit! Ask the Father to guide you to other followers of Jesus so that they can help you learn to interact with the Holy Spirit. Embrace the Holy Spirit!

Living with Jesus

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This is the second article in the “New Life” series written to address the needs of those seeking or those new to their faith in Jesus. This series may also be helpful to anyone who suspects that something is missing from their faith walk.

When we ask Jesus to be Lord of our lives, at first it may seem as if nothing has happened, nothing has changed.  In reality, radical changes have occurred, but not that we can see with our physical eyes.  In Heaven, our record with God has been cleansed.  We are starting a new life.  We belong not only to Jesus, but to His Father. Jesus’ Father is now our Father.

 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me (John 14:6).

“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith”(Galatians 3:26)

As we spend time with Jesus, we will begin to sense His love and care for us.  Our Father also loves us more than we can imagine.  Jesus loved us enough to die for us centuries before we were born, but His love does not stop there.  Jesus knows that we have been hurt in the past.  He knows when we feel sad, threatened, lonely, or tempted.  He rejoices with us when we are happy, and He cries with us when we are hurting. He has experienced all the things we have, even temptation.  He has not sinned, but He carried all our sins to His crucifixion, so He is well acquainted with them. Jesus heals our broken hearts.

“But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children” (Psalm 103:17).

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him (Psalm 103:11).

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; (Isaiah 61:1).

Jesus is our perfect example of how to live in the Kingdom of Heaven.  He came to serve others.  He did not seek glory for Himself, but for His Father.  He came to do the work His Father assigned to Him. He shows us how we are to live.

“…just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28, Mark 10:45).

I  (Jesus) glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do (John 17:4).

For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will (John 6:38).

We no longer live for ourselves.  We have a new identity in Jesus and a new purpose for our lives.  Our job now is to live for Jesus just as He died, was resurrected, and now lives for us.  Jesus is at work establishing His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.  Our job is to assist Him in this work. Jesus does not leave us on our own, but sends His Holy Spirit to live in us and guide us.  The Holy Spirit will equip us with whatever we need to do our part.  We must learn to be sensitive to the prompting, the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit.

“I have been crucified with [Jesus], and I no longer live, but [Jesus] lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Messiah Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10)

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you”(Matthew 28:19-20).

You may feel confused and overwhelmed at this point, but take heart. You have many brothers and sisters (we all have the same Father) in Jesus who have experienced what you are now experiencing.  Ask Jesus to send some brothers and sisters to help you. Up to now, you have learned values, priorities, and survival skills from the world’s perspective.  As you learn more about Jesus and your Father, you will discover that they have a very different viewpoint.  It will take some time to get used to it, so be patient with yourself.  Persistence will pay off, and eventually you will see and appreciate the wisdom and beauty of God’s ways.

Identity Crisis?

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This is the first article in the “New Life” series written to address the needs of those seeking or those new to their faith in Jesus. This series may also be helpful to anyone who suspects that something is missing from their faith walk.

Who are you?  Do you know for sure?  Before you write me off as crazy, let me say that most people do not have a clue who they are, or at least not who they were created to be.  For many years, I did not realize who I was or, more accurately, who I am supposed to be.  I did not realize how much more meaningful my life could be.  Many times, I wondered if I had any purpose here on earth or if I was just a mistake.  For years, I did not understand that I am of great importance and value to Someone.

I was in my late twenties, and my outlook was bleak. I was in a dark place, loaded down with burdens and responsibilities, wondering how I could make it even one more day. I was a divorced mom who had just lost another job.  My young daughter and I were living far from family.  I felt alone and abandoned, overwhelmed and terribly inadequate.  My precious daughter deserved much more than I could give her.  I wanted the very best for her, and at this point, I was not sure I could even provide the basics. I felt like an utter failure, worthless.  I did not know where to turn. In desperation, I called a friend and poured out my troubles.  She led me to Jesus.  Thus began my journey into discovering who I really am.  As I prayed, read Scripture, and interacted with my Savior, I learned that I am loved, accepted, and valued more than I could have ever dreamed possible.

The same is true for you.  If you are feeling inadequate, unworthy, or unwanted, take the chance and ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior.  You are worth so much to Jesus that He suffered and died to pay the debt for your sins so that you could be restored to Him and to His Father. 

Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

Romans 5:8 – “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

1 Peter 2:24– “[Jesus] himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

You are not an accident or a mistake.  You have not failed so miserably that you cannot be rescued and restored. It does not matter if others do not love you or even like you.  You are precious in the sight of your Creator.

Romans 8:37-39 – “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Asking Jesus to be Lord of your life does not mean that you and your circumstances will be instantly perfect.  God works in process.  For example, if you plant a seed today, you will not see an adult plant producing flowers or fruit in an hour or even a week. It takes time for the process to unfold.  As Jesus works through the process with you, you will get to know and trust Him.  You will learn many things about God’s Kingdom in Heaven and how different it is from the way this world operates.  The journey will take the rest of your life, and it may seem difficult and harsh at times, but every step will be worth the result.  You will become the person you were designed to be, and you will know favor, glory, and blessing beyond what you can imagine.  I speak from experience.  I am not quite there yet, but I am much closer than when I began forty-five years ago.  This world is not an easy place, but with Jesus at your side, you can become all that you were intended to be.

John 16:33—I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

I encourage you to ask Jesus to forgive your sins and to take over as Lord of your life.  Ask Him to show you who you are to Him.  Ask Him to teach His ways to you.  Speak from your heart and be honest with Him.  If you decide to invite Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, then welcome, new Sister or Brother in Jesus!  Please let me know of your decision so that I can pray for you.  If you have questions about your walk with Jesus, please email me, and I will do my best to answer them.  I encourage you to talk to Jesus, read the Bible, and ask Jesus to help you find other brothers and sisters in the faith.  It is good to have guidance from those more experienced, and it is a joy to have others to encourage you, pray with you, and for you in your new life.  Watch for upcoming articles that I hope will be helpful to you