Tag: Samaria
Day 2–Being a Witness
Scripture reading for February 17: Acts 1:8-9 “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. And when He had said these things, He was lifted up and a cloud took Him out of their sight.”
As a responder, how we conduct ourselves is vitally important to doing our job with excellence and representing our department well. We may rush to the incident, but we are not so hurried that we don’t take time to assess the situation and communicate with those in authority over us and with those in need. In an accident or medical emergency we keep calm and work methodically and carefully with compassion and respect for the individual’s involved. We treat our team members courteously and professionally, avoiding the use of foul language or derogatory attitudes. We should humbly serve, counting those we are serving as more important than ourselves. We enter dangerous situations to save lives and restore order. Our attitudes, actions and demeanor communicate care and proficiency and bring calm to the incident and those affected.
God works to empower His people from the inside out. His gift of the Holy Spirit indwells or clothes each person with God’s character, gifts and graces. God wants us to represent Him well and accurately and the Holy Spirit works inside us to transform us into Christ’s image and character of holiness. We work out our salvation and transformation as God works inside us by His Spirit. (Philippians 2:12-13) We are to be witnesses, not just ‘do witnessing.’ This involves changes inside us that we can’t do by ourselves. We can yield to the Holy Spirit and invite Him to give grace to make changes.
The mission Jesus shared with His disciples was to send them first to their immediate countrymen in Jerusalem with the message. Next they would go to the Samaritans and share and finally to the ends of the earth to all people. They could not do this on their own. God’s power and presence would be with them to give direction, authority, conviction and miraculous signs. (Mark 16:20)
Prayer: Father God, Thank You for the Holy Spirit Who is always with me to guide me and empower me. I invite You to work into my heart and character the traits of Jesus Christ that I might represent Him with excellence as I serve others as a responder. Amen.
Spirit and Truth!
Scripture reading for October 31st: John 3-5
“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is Spirit and His worshipers must worship in Spirit and truth.” John 4:23-24
What is worship? Is it just singing some songs or hymns to the Lord? Is it going to a building? These questions are not new with us and our culture. Jesus encountered a woman in Samaria who asked some of the same questions of Him. Jesus answered her with a promise and a command that we will consider this day.
Worship is ascribing worth and honor to someone who is due honor. Worship involves us as whole people and is not a spectator sport. All true worship centers on God as the only worthy subject! God is a Spirit. His presence fills the universe. He is Truth and there is no falsehood or lie found in Him. Those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and Truth.
We have a difficult time with true worship because of our sin nature that centers us on “me” instead of the true God. We cannot worship God, because we don’t really know God. God must reveal Himself for us to understand who He is. Because of His love for us, He seeks us out. Jesus sought out the woman at the well and revealed His true nature to her and answered her questions. She opened her heart to the “Truth” and ran to tell others! She found new life and freedom in this One who was full of the Spirit and the Truth.
As you go through this day, allow the Holy Spirit to help you to live a life of worship! Wherever you are, everything you do can be done in Spirit and Truth as unto the Lord! He is worthy of all our worship each day, everyday, all day and night! True worshipers must worship God in Spirit and Truth! Jesus fulfilled the promise that enables us to give Him this kind of worship!