Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-

 

The Conscious Waiting for the Holy Spirit 
 Acts 1:12-14
Vs 14. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He instructed his disciples: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.” The disciples then waited in Jerusalem until Pentecost Day to receive the Holy Spirit. They used this waiting period as a time of preparation. During this time, they selected Matthias to be added to the eleven apostles so that he may “become a witness with [them] of [Jesus’] resurrection.” They also spent this time “joined together constantly in prayer.”

How can we consciously wait for the Holy Spirit? For starters, we must use the waiting time to prepare ourselves to receive the Holy Spirit into our lives. In the weeks leading up the birth of a child, an expectant mother goes through a nesting phase where she prepares a space to welcome her new child. She makes a safe and nurturing environment to bring her child into. Likewise, as we intentionally wait for the Holy Spirit, we must strive to create a safe and nurturing environment within ourselves to welcome the Holy Spirit into our lives.

We should spend time in personal prayer as well as community prayer. We must humble ourselves before the Lord and be willing to let the Holy Spirit into our lives. Charles Stanley once said, “Our willingness to wait reveals the value we place on the object we’re waiting for.” If we give the Holy Spirit a high priority in our lives, we should be willing to wait for the Holy Spirit patiently and wholeheartedly. Once we receive the Holy Spirit, we will have an “advocate to help us and be with us forever” (John 14:16)
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, we ask that you open our hearts and minds to receive the Holy Spirit. Help us to consciously wait for the Holy Spirit and prepare ourselves to welcome the Holy Spirit into our lives. In Jesus name we pray. Amen 

Thought for the day
 “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31
Riya Varughese
St. Andrews MTC, New York

Popular posts from this blog

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
  Constant, patient and welcoming love of God   St. Luke 15: 11-32  V.21: And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ The parable of the ‘Prodigal son’ is one of the most frequently quoted parables that Jesus told His disciples. The parable contains the rich mine of human virtues and emotions. This parable is lived and re-lived in progressing civilizations from time immemorial and continuing. It brings out in vivid detail the pathetic depth of human sinfulness and the glorious heights of God’s forgiveness.      As a story of human nature, fathers are generally merciful to their children in any circumstance. They are very protective and are eager to provide for and secure the lives of their offspring. Jesus is telling this parable to underscore the superlative love of God to His children. The nature of such love is reiterated by Jesus in Matthew 7:11. Humankind who are evil by nature, give good gifts t
Read more

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
PRIESTHOOD: THE ANOINTED MINISTRY Exodus 40:12-16 Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting... wash them with water. Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments, anoint him and consecrate him so he may serve me as priest (Exodus 40: 12-13). Priesthood among the people of God was a divine command and initiation. God wanted some people to be separated for the special ministry among his people. God appointed Aaron and his descendants to take up this kind of ministry among the people of God. Priests are always separated and appointed as channels that connect God with his people. All throughout the history of Israel, priests played an important role in connecting people with God and to lead and guide them in the statutes of God. But there are incidents in the Bible where the priests failed in their duties and that led the people to go away from God. So the priests have a special and significant ministry to perform in this world among his people. Two important things
Read more

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
Revelation for Liberation Acts 27:18-26 Sherine Thomas Long Island MTC, NY 20  When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest raged, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned. “After winter comes the summer.  After night comes the dawn.  And after every storm, there comes clear open skies” so said a Scottish clergyman from the 1600s. It’s been said, that hope can sometimes be the most dangerous weapon.  However, it’s sometimes the hardest weapon to carry when you’re living with the loss of a loved one, something that almost feels like a terrible nightmare that’ll never go away.  It’s a weapon difficult to carry when day in and day out no one seems to hear or see those tears that are shed or silent cries that are made during a heartfelt prayer. It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you see your loved one lying on that hospital bed.  It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you search and seek out answers to tell a child as to why they’ve been a
Read more