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Date Posted: 12:58:30 11/07/22 Mon
Author: c
Subject: Supplementary teachings 11/2022

intouch Daily devotion October 28, 2022

What Is the Spirit-Filled Life?

As we surrender to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, we are transformed.

Ephesians 5:18-21

God wants all of His children to be filled with the Spirit, but many of us aren’t sure what this means. While every believer is indwelt by God’s Spirit, the extent of His rule is determined by our obedience.

Try thinking of it as a voluntary choice to surrender to the Holy Spirit’s control—to be sensitive to His leadership and guidance, obedient to His promptings, and dependent upon His strength. Those who have surrendered to the Spirit’s leadership are continually being transformed into Christ’s likeness, but the degree of surrender determines the level of transformation.

Even though good works and faithful service come from the Spirit, they’re not automatically signs that we are fully yielded to Him. Remember, the surrender we’re talking about involves character, not simply our actions. Serving in some manner can sometimes be easier than loving the unlovable or being patient with difficult people. But when the Spirit is in charge of our life, He is able to do through us what we can’t do ourselves.

Each believer decides who rules his or her life. Even those who try to avoid the issue by making no choice at all unknowingly opt for self-rule. The fullness of the Spirit and godly character await those who choose God over self.

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intouch.org Daily devotion October 29, 2022

Looking for Spiritual Fruit

Spirit-filled believers demonstrate stability, joy, and resilience, even in difficult circumstances.

Galatians 5:16-26

As believers, we all want the fruit of the Spirit. Yet even unbelievers can sometimes display these qualities, so how can we know if ours are truly from Him? It’s important to realize that the fruit of the Spirit is not something we do; it’s who we are. And these nine admirable qualities are often most evident in us when circumstances are difficult. Here are two characteristics to help us recognize these traits in our life:

Fruitful believers are not controlled by their environment. Everybody experiences trials and pain, but those who are filled with the Spirit don’t lose His fruit because of their situations. They keep their joy even when life is hard. Because the Holy Spirit is in control, He is free to produce His fruit no matter what the circumstances are.
Fruitful Christians recover quickly after a fall. These believers are not perfect, but they are sensitive to the Spirit’s conviction and are quick to repent. In fact, they are grateful for the correction and praise God, not only for revealing their weakness but also for drawing them back to Him.

None of us produce these amazing qualities by ourselves. Trying harder to be godly will never work. Character transformation occurs when we submit to God, giving Him complete control of our life. Only then will the Spirit be free to produce fruit that remains even in the deepest, darkest storms.

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intouch.org Daily devotion November 4, 2022

Remain Hopeful

When difficulty comes, choose to trust God.

Acts 27:13-26

Life doesn’t always meet our expectations. Even when our plans are according to God’s will, we may nevertheless face difficulties. I remember a season of life when I felt all alone and abandoned by the Lord. My mind said God was with me, but my feelings said He wasn’t. To counter those emotions, I had to pray and focus my mind on Scripture.

In today’s passage, the weather threatened Paul’s voyage to Rome. Even though the Lord was clearly directing His path, a violent storm arose on the sea. The sailors worked hard to save the ship, but gradually they gave up hope of being saved. The only one who persevered in hope was Paul, and he encouraged the crew with his confidence in God.

Frustration over obstacles can lead to discouragement. Many times we can’t change what has happened—whether it’s a job loss, a loved one’s death, or a devastating diagnosis. Circumstances over which we have no control are often the ones that trip us up.

In times of discouragement, you have a choice. Will you focus on your circumstances, or will you fix your gaze on God and His Word?

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intouch.org Daily devotion November 5, 2022

The Source of Our Hope

Since it's easy to become discouraged, we need to remember that God is working for our good.

Romans 15:13

Hope is usually defined as a desire for something, accompanied by the anticipation of receiving it. If our expectation isn’t fulfilled, it’s easy to become discouraged. We have an enemy who wants to steal our hope. As the father of lies, satan tries to keep us focused on our circumstances so we will doubt God’s love and care for us.

So at times we may feel desperate and abandoned, but emotions are not reliable. As children of the heavenly Father, we’re never in hopeless circumstances because He promises to work everything for our good (Rom. 8:28). But His concept of “good” doesn’t always match ours. Too often we set our hopes on the things of this world, whereas God prioritizes our spiritual well-being.

Disappointment and discouragement are the result of setting our hopes on the wrong aspiration. This doesn’t mean we can’t have dreams and expectations. But we should hold them loosely, with an attitude of submission to God and trust that He’s still working for our good when they don’t come to fruition. Our expectations for this life are temporary, but we have a living hope in Christ that’s unfailing and eternal.

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Our Daily Bread

12/5/22

Daily Dependence


(edited)


One morning our younger kids decided to get up early and fix breakfast for themselves. Tired from a grueling week, my wife and I were trying to sleep until at least 7:00 a.m. on that Saturday morning. Suddenly, I heard a loud crash! I jumped out of bed and raced downstairs to find a shattered bowl, oatmeal all over the floor, and Jonas - our five-year-old-desperately trying to sweep (more like smear) the gooey mess off the floor. My children were hungry, but they chose not to ask for help. Instead of reaching out in dependence, they chose independence, and the result was definitely not a culinary delight.

In human terms, children are meant to grow from dependence to independence. But in our relationship with God, maturity means moving from independence to dependence on Him. Prayer is where we practice such dependent ways. When Jesus taught His disciples - and all of us who have come to believe in Him - to pray, "Give us today our daily bread" (Matthew 6:11). He was teaching a prayer of dependence. Bread is a metaphor for sustenance, deliverance, and guidance (vv. 11 - 13). We're dependent on God for all that and more.

There are no self-made believers in Jesus, and we'll never graduate from His grace. Throughout our lives, may we always begin our day by taking the posture of dependence as we pray to "our Father in Heaven" (v. 9).

Glenn Packiam

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intouch.org Daily devotion 11/16/22

When Faith Falters

Mark 9:14 - 29

Do you sometimes doubt that all things are possible with God? It's likely most of us have felt this way at one time or another - probably when something we asked of the Lord failed to happen. Faith is not a means to coerce God into doing what we want; it's simply believing that He will do what He said.

Doubts come when we use human wisdom and logic instead of relying on God's Word. Then fear and uncertainty about the outcome interfere with trusting Biblical Truth. It may seem as if we're going out on a limb, but in reality, trusting the Lord is a firmer foundation than relying on ourselves and human reason. When we focus on God instead of on the situation, our faith grows stronger.

In many ways, we're like the father in today's story - we believe in Jesus but sometimes struggle to trust that He'll help in our time of need. That's when we should cry out to Him the way the desperate father did: "I do believe; help my unbelief!" (v. 24). Then we should also read and meditate on His Word. As our knowledge of God grows, so will our trust in Him.

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intouch.org Daily devotion 11/22/22

Defending the Faith

1 Peter 3:13 - 16

God doesn't want His children merely to know God's Word for themselves. Rather, He wants all believers to share His good news with others. First Peter 3:15 says to be "ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you."

The term "defense" has to do with answering for oneself. In other words, believers should be ready to give an explanation of their hope in Christ. Many Christians have never taken the time to really think through the reasons for their beliefs. Then, when someone challenges them, they feel a sense of panic.

Giving an account for our faith must be accompanied by a gentle, respectful delivery. Dumping a load of truth on a questioning person rarely leads him or her to the Lord, but a gentle answer opens hearts as well as ears. What's more, all that we profess must be backed up with a life of integrity. If we're living a hypocritical lifestyle, not only will our testimony be worthless, but "Christ will be put to shame" (v. 16).

Peter's verses were not written to scholars; they were intended for ordinary people with jobs and families. The Lord will help you think through your defense, but it requires your intentional participation.

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