When God’s Spirit Moves – Day 45: 1 Corinthians 14

Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. ... the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. ... how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? ... So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church. ...

Help me Holy Spirit to do this.  May I pursue love and the "upbuilding" of the Body through whatever path pleases You the most.

 And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? ... 

Holy Spirit, may I never be indistinct in what You have called me to do.  May I offer a clarion call in word or deed for Your great Name in response to Your gifting for me.  May I praise You all the more today.

When God’s Spirit Moves – Day 44: 1 Corinthians 12

But earnestly desire the higher gifts.

Lord, why wouldn't I desire Your gifts?  Why do You tell me to earnestly desire the higher gifts?  I don't even know enough to know that I don't want what You have.  Lord, I need your wisdom and knowledge; teach me about Your gifts, reveal to me why I don't earnestly desire them, create in me a passion to fully possess and operate in Your precious Spirit the gifts Your provide for me for Your Kingdom's sake.  Lord, I want to earnestly desire Your higher gifts; help me, advise me, provoke me, enable me, empower me - that I may be a fully functioning and glorying-bringing daughter of my very great, sovereign King.

When God’s Spirit Moves – Day 43: Romans 8

... the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death ... the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.

Two laws at work, one is known by sin and death.  One is known by freedom, life and peace. One makes me free from the other.  One enslaves me to itself.   He sets before me life and death, I can choose. 

Oh, Lord, how is this even a choice?  What grace You have shown me that I would even know the difference between life and death.  Lord, I choose life, I choose peace and liberty.  I ask that You would bind me to Your law, most Holy Spirit, that I may be Your hand-maiden.  In obedience, I desire to be under the Law of the Spirit, I long for Your authority in my life, I seek Your provision for my life through Your Spirit Law.  I praise You for doing away with the law of sin and death and its authority over me.  May I be known by Your law, Holy Spirit - by life, peace, liberty.  May my actions and reactions point to You and Your divine covenant with Your people.  Help me to daily choose Your law over any other law or "guideline" this world may offer.  Your way is right and true and best.   To the praise of Your very great Name and most generous offer.

When God’s Spirit Moves – Day 42: 2 Corinthians

I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit.

This reliance on You, everliving Holy Spirit, is for the Kingdom's sake; but it is for the benefit of those around me ~ to cause them to trust in You and not anything people-driven and for me ~ to ensure I don't work to the glory of flesh or the fallen.  Coach me, compel me, cause me to rely only on the power of You, most faithful and omnipotent Holy Spirit.

And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.

Holy Father, please help me to focus my vision on the wondrous and divine, not the apparent and physical.  You have enabled me by Your Holy Spirit to have sacred-sight.  Holy Spirit,  keep my eyes - the physical and spiritual - looking and expecting to see the glories of my God.  Jesus, Your focus was so spot-on as You transformed this world with Your life; quicken me to follow Your most excellent example.  And, as believers, we have the mind of Christ - You said so.  Lord, help us as believers to walk in the ways of the wise, to pattern our lives and disciplines after Your truths and to bring You glory.  Keep us from going adrift in the sea of pleasure and luxury and the tsunami of the urgent.  

When God’s Spirit Moves – Day 41: Acts 2

On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven...

Lord, they knew the sound was from You.  I wonder what non-believers would have made of the sound.  Would they have known it was from You, too?  Lord, I  welcome You to dispense from Heaven that which You would be pleased to do - in my individual prayer time, in worship, in the corporate prayer time, in any setting and at any time You choose.  Please, just help me never miss that it is from You.  Let me not gaze with distracted eyes, hear with busy ears or perceive with a lazy mind something holy, divine, sacred and think of it common.  Lord, when You give, I want to receive, to experience, to participate fully in that which comes from Heaven.  Holy Spirit, please help me be a partaker in the spiritual.  Courage, strength, focus, consistency, please be my Help, Teacher and my Advocate. 

I see that the Lord is always with me.
      I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

No wonder my heart is glad,
      and my tongue shouts his praises!
      My body rests in hope. 

Make my heart glad, my tongue to shout Your praises and my body to rest in hope for I live and depend on You, Your faithful, consistent, never-diminishing presence.  May my spirit be so intertwined with Yours that I am never shaken and am ever-joyful.  May my eyes, both the physical and the spiritual vision, be so enlightened that I would always see that You are with me. ... and that I am always with You.  Let me not be deceived.

And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today. ... Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all. ... A deep sense of awe came over them all ...

Lord, Peter quotes words from an ancient prophet regarding You pouring out Your Spirit upon all people and then says that happened there, that day.  People were able to believe and act in faith on Your truth in response to that drenching of Your Holy Spirit.  Many believed and called themselves by Your Name - many of the Jews.  For whom Christ is a stumbling block.  God, please drench us anew that the same may be done for the Jews in this day.  That the Muslims, the Gentiles, the "christians," the whole earth may know and believe.  That Your Bride may grow in number, grace and awe in this age.  Lord, only You can usher in this movement.  Lord, only You can reveal Yourself and allow us to tremble at Your Word.  Please teach us to live in awe of You, Your great Name.

When God’s Spirit Moves – Day 40: Acts 1

Peter stood up and addressed them. “Brothers,” he said, “the Scriptures had to be fulfilled concerning Judas, who guided those who arrested Jesus. This was predicted long ago by the Holy Spirit, speaking through King David. Judas was one of us and shared in the ministry with us.” ...

Peter continued, “This was written in the book of Psalms, where it says, ‘Let his home become desolate, with no one living in it.’ It also says, ‘Let someone else take his position.’

“So now we must choose a replacement for Judas from among the men who were with us the entire time we were traveling with the Lord Jesus—from the time he was baptized by John until the day he was taken from us. Whoever is chosen will join us as a witness of Jesus’ resurrection.”

Lord, I am not sure what kind of education Peter had as a fisherman; but his knowledge and recall of Your words are amazing.  I know he learned greatly in Your presence; yet here I see that he not only knows the words, he has that insight into applying them.  That is a dynamic understanding, one which I believe comes from yielding to You, Holy Spirit.  Oh, Lord, may I have a heart, mind and mouth for such a yielded life.  Please help me to recall what I read and learn, know how and when to apply Your truth and a mouth which speaks at the right time and in an honoring fashion.   Teach me all things and remind me of Your truths.  Your Name be praised.

When God’s Spirit Moves – Day 39: John 16

I am freshly encouraged in this reading as the disciples grow in their understanding, as I see myself growing slowly in my response to my precious Lord.  The love of Jesus and the provision He promises come because of His Word, not their (my) abilities and responses.  I am reminded that all things are in the Father's perfect timetable and they rise and fall at His call.  The fact that mere mortals, i.e. me, don't  always match the flawless rhythm of the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe and that tottering manner doesn't deter Him or His plans.  In fact, that quality of inconsistency is part of His plan.  He knows the way He made us, He knows my frailties and when i will finally get something.  His promises come when His time (which includes me) is right. 

Lord, grant me vision for Your provision, heart for Your passions and strength/grace to stay on the dance-floor with You.  I can't keep up with You; but You can keep me.  Precious Lord, how I need You to keep me.  Holy Spirit, You are my Keeper.  I praise Your gracious ways in my life.