John 17:20-21: “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one . . .”
John 16:7 “But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.”
John 15:1-2 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”
John 13:14-15 “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”
Acts 4:13 “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished, and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”
Have you ever tried to do something nice and had it blow up in your face? Maybe you tried to help a co-worker and they stepped on you as they climbed up the corporate ladder. Maybe you tried to help a person carry groceries and they were suspicious of your motivations. Sometimes good actions can go unrewarded.
Acts 3: 6-7 “Then Peter said, ‘Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.’ Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.”
John 14:16 “And I will ask the Father and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever-the Spirit of Truth.”
Many of us struggle with understanding who the Holy Spirit is. We may know that He is the third person of the Trinity but how often do we pray to the Holy Spirit? That is ok, even the disciples didn’t understand the Holy Spirit when they learned about Him from Jesus! God gave us the Holy Spirit to help us walk closely with Christ in all arenas of life. Here are three ways the Holy Spirit helps us:
John 14:15-17 “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever --- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
John 13:34 “A new command I give you: Love one Another as I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
You may have noticed that an election is coming this fall! The national conventions are a couple of weeks away and you can feel the tension rising. We should remember that God wants to use all events to help grow us - even elections! As we enter into this season here are some things to keep in mind: