Holy Spirit

October 22, 2019 Jfuglerwriter Comments Off on Rest and Restoration

Rest and Restoration

“But they who wait for 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 ESV)

I want those words to describe my life. I want to soar!

But I don’t always feel like an eagle. I’m more like a duck. Quack, quack, quack, waddling through the day. Can you relate?

Sometimes, I’m so weary that I can’t walk without nearly fainting.

What would it look like to run tirelessly and soar effortlessly?

I come back to the practice of rest. We’ve learned this month that rest isn’t only physical, but it’s also spiritual. It’s not only about pausing, but it’s about praying. It’s not always quiet isolation, but it’s connection with God. As you wait on the Lord, spiritual rest will lead to physical rest.

He’s the one who gives us true restoration, as he tells us in that familiar Psalm, “He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.” (Psalm 23:2-3 ESV)

Billy Graham’s preaching ministry was launched to the next level during the Los Angeles Crusade in 1949. It was supposed to last two weeks, but it lasted eight weeks. Night after night, Billy preached. People came forward to commit their lives to Christ. The tent was filled again and again. It was exhausting for Billy. He even ran out of sermons and had to write fresh ones on the run. By his own admission in his biography, Billy Graham was spent, physically and spiritually.

Yet, he poured his life into preaching the gospel around the world for the next 60 years. I think he knew the secret of resting in the Lord. There’s no other way he could have lasted as long as he did. God restored him year in and year out as Billy came back to the living water.

Are you coming to the living water each day as you practice rest? Jesus proclaimed, “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (John 7:38 NIV) And in the next verse, it is explained, “By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.”

If you have committed your life to Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit lives in you. He is the one who will restore you with the living water that will flow from within you.

Enjoy your practice of rest as you spend time with Jesus today.

(From my new devotional, Your Life With God: 30 Days of Rest, releasing in just a few days on Amazon).

September 17, 2019 Jfuglerwriter Comments Off on Four Encouraging Words

Four Encouraging Words

The waiter sets a rich, chocolate milkshake in front of you and your eyes quickly grow bigger. Then he does what you’ve been dreaming about since you ordered this tasty treat a few minutes ago. He places a towering silver metal cup next to your glass, still almost half full with more of the thick shake. You’re ready to dive into this delicious dessert.

That’s the way I feel when I read Galatians 2:20. It’s as rich and full as any Bible verse can be.

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (NIV)

Do you see what’s nestled in the middle of this? Four amazing words. “Christ lives in me.” Can it be true? God himself lives in me? This verse is packed with such good stuff that I can lose sight of this wonderful truth.

I’m hit with the opening words, “I have been crucified with Christ.” And a phrase in the closing statement, “I live by faith in the Son of God.” Those are two extraordinary statements and deserve meditations of their own.

But the best stuff, as far as I’m concerned, is sandwiched in the middle. Christ lives in me! Excuse another dessert reference, but it’s the creamy Oreo center. Sure, I love the outer cookies, but I live for the middle.

Jesus sent his Holy Spirit so he could reside in every believer. It’s beautiful. It’s amazing.

Do you realize the implications of God living in you? Above all, it means that the loving Father, Lord of the Universe — Almighty God — has taken up residence in you.

You’ve got power, strength, might. It’s God’s power. And it’s unlimited, because he is an unlimited God. This power was given to you to live for Christ and to bring glory to him.

You’re holy. Good bye sin, hello purity. God sees you as holy, because Christ lives in you. Even in your struggles with sin, God sees Jesus when he looks at you. The Savior’s shed blood on the cross paid the penalty for your sin and gave you God’s holiness. 

You’re alive. I know you thought you were always alive, but not the way you are when God lives in you. In John 3, Jesus explained to a curious religious leader named Nicodemus about what it means to be “born again.” Nic was totally confused about this concept until Jesus explained the spiritual birth he needed. Once you entered into a relationship with Christ, God began to live in you. He imparted his life to you – a spiritual life you never knew. You’ve become complete in Christ, physically and spiritually.

You have hope. Never, ever is your future hopeless. With God living in you, you are united for eternity and destined for heaven. He will never leave you. He will never forsake you. From now through forever, you will be one with God. In the toughest of times here on earth, know that they are only temporary in light of eternity. Because God lives in you, you have a sure hope that you will spend eternity with him.

There are so many more implications of God living in you, but these four should encourage you and cause you to marvel. You’ve done nothing to gain these things and you can’t do anything to lose them. They are yours because God lives in you through his Holy Spirit.

“This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.” (I John 4:13 NIV)

Thank God that he lives in you. Be encouraged by this wonderful truth. Reflect him to others. And go have a milkshake to cap off your day.

(From my new devotional, Your Life With God: 30 Days of Encouragement, available in Kindle and paperback on Amazon)

August 29, 2019 Jfuglerwriter Comments Off on The Ultimate Encouragement

The Ultimate Encouragement

We can be encouraged by others. We can be encouraged by God’s blessings. And we can be encouraged when circumstances turn our way. All these things lift our spirits.

But I’ve discovered that there’s one form of encouragement that soars way above all the rest. It’s the encouragement of praising God. Try it when you need a shot in the arm in a season of worry, doubt, staleness or pain. When you’re paralyzed with negative emotions, praising God can wipe them out.

Praise turns sorrow into joy, doubt into faith, worry into peace and dryness into life. When we turn our attention to God and give him praise for who he is, our spirit is flooded with the fulness of his Holy Spirit. He changes us. Our eyes go from inward to upward. Our emotions follow as we cast aside the things that have brought us down and place God front and center.

Praising God is easier than you think. It’s not made up of formal, stiff words. Your loving Father wants to hear your personal, heartfelt praise. In your own style. Whether you shout out or speak to God in the quietness of your heart, the simple words “Praise God!” are transformational.

“Praise God for your faithfulness!”

“Praise God for your holiness!”

“Praise God for your power!”

“Praise God for your love!”

“Praise God for your comfort!”

“Lord, you are holy, worthy, infinite, caring, tender, almighty, sovereign, all-knowing, in control, full of goodness!”

When you begin praising God for who he is, watch out! From deep within, your heart will change. The Lord will lift you out of the valley.

There are times, though, when you may not have the strength to lift up praise to God. Life has you so pounded down that you can’t muster the words. It’s OK. That’s when God speaks for you and with you. Go to the Psalms and read words of praise. Like this one…

“Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, you his servants; praise the name of the Lord. Let the name of the Lord be praised, both now and forevermore. From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised. The Lord is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens. Who is like the Lord our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth?” (Psalm 113:1-6 NIV)

It’s a great starting place. You can find so many more rich passages on praise with a simple Google search or in your Bible’s concordance.

Lift up your words of praise to God and experience his life-giving encouragement.  

(From my new devotional, Your Life With God: 30 Days of Encouragement. Available from Amazon in Kindle and paperback editions.)


February 16, 2019 Jfuglerwriter Comments Off on Facing Your Giant

Facing Your Giant

Is there a giant in your life that has you paralyzed? The Israelites faced a real giant that immobilized them. His name was Goliath and he stood seven feet tall. David took care of him with one smooth stone to the forehead.  

Your giant may not be a person, but it has you paralyzed by fear or another crippling emotion. What comes to mind when you think of your giant?

While David’s conquering story is remarkable, there’s someone else in the Bible who faced an even bigger giant. That person was Jesus and his giant was the cross.

Jesus agonized over facing his giant. This was not a challenge he wanted to meet. He did it out of obedience, but he almost backed out.

Let’s visit that pivotal hour in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus experienced a dark, pounding heaviness. Jesus’ words to the disciples capture his emotions clearly, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” (Matthew 26:38 NIV)

Jesus was so overcome that “he fell on his face and prayed.” (Matthew 26:39 ESV). I can picture his legs giving out as he dropped to the ground. He was not on his knees, but on his face, a picture of desperation. This was a deep, agonizing, all-out prayer to his Father.

Jesus knew what lay ahead. The cross, where he would bear the weight and pain of the sin of all mankind. It was a giant he couldn’t face alone and one he so dearly wanted to walk away from.

Then came one of the most quoted lines in all of Scripture, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39 NIV) He prayed this once, then came back to God a second time with the same excruciating prayer. And even a third time as the Bible describes drops of sweat like blood falling from his forehead. That’s how big a giant the cross was for Jesus. 

Can you imagine the groaning, crying and soul-wrenching that happened in that garden in his prayers? Jesus poured his soul out to his Father. It took this pouring out for him to arise and face the giant of the cross just hours away.

We can learn from Jesus as we face the giants in our life. Or, as you ponder, THE giant you’re facing right now. What is it?

You cannot gut it out. You cannot employ positive thinking. You cannot ignore the giant and move on. You must face it with soul-wrenching prayer like Jesus.

Where is your garden? Where can you go to empty yourself to God in prayer? You might engage God in a terribly painful conversation, as we saw in Jesus’ giant-facing hour.

Overpowering emotions could be crushing you as you consider the giant that has paralyzed you with fear, grief, hatred, weakness, hopelessness or anger. Fall on your face before the Father, as Jesus did. Be honest with him. Transparent. Empty your emotions to him.

Just as he did for Jesus, God will give you the power to face your giant. It won’t be easy, but you’ll be going in the power of his Holy Spirit.

(From my new devotional Your life With God: 30 Days of Incredible Prayer. Avialable in March in Kindle and Paperback formats from Amazon).

November 27, 2018 Jfuglerwriter Comments Off on Jesus Prays for You

Jesus Prays for You

“Hey, I’ll pray for you,” he said. In the back of my mind, I wondered if he would.

On the flip side, I emailed a friend last week and said that I’d pray for his mom who was having heart surgery. When I saw my friend a few days later, I asked him about his mom’s hip surgery. Oooops.

I’m sure you’ve been on the receiving and giving ends of insincere offers for prayer. “I’ll pray for you” is the Christian thing to say. Praying is the Christian thing to do.

Jesus is praying for you.

“Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” (Romans 8:34 NIV)

“Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” (Hebrews 7:25 NIV)

That should encourage the socks off of you. It does for me. You don’t have to worry when a friend isn’t faithful in prayer, because Jesus is faithful. He is constantly praying for you. He is praying for you right now.

What is it that you need prayer for? Jesus knows it already and he is, at this moment, at the throne of the Father praying for you.

Are you seeking God’s direction? Jesus is praying about that.

Are you in pain? Jesus is bringing that pain to his Father.

Are you looking for work? Jesus knows it and is seeking the Father on your behalf.

Are you stressed? Jesus is praying to the Father for your inner peace.

You have the Savior on your side praying to God the Father, who is also on your side. It’s an unbeatable combination.

When you bring your prayer needs before the Father, Jesus is echoing those prayers to God, too. He might be phrasing them differently because he knows what is best for you, but that’s an even greater scenario.

And when you’re in so much pain you don’t know what to pray, God has sent his Holy Spirit to pray the words for you:

“We do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” Romans 8:26 ESV)

Be encouraged today to know you are covered in prayer by Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

(From my upcoming book, Your Life With God: 30 Days of Incredible Prayer. Releases 2019.)

October 9, 2018 Jfuglerwriter Comments Off on Praise and Joy

Praise and Joy

As you read my posts I hope you’re learning that joy isn’t something that you can produce yourself. You can’t talk yourself into being joyful. That lasts about a day.

Joy is something that God forms inside you through his Holy Spirit. We can know it, but experiencing it is another thing.

Today, let’s consider how praise is connected to our joy.

In fact, praise leads to joy and joy leads to praise.

They are siblings. Like two brothers who play well together for hours.

When I say praise, I’m referring to praising God for who He is. When you think through the character of God, and praise him for his character traits, your spirit will be lifted. Joy will emerge. Joy centered on the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

When you give God praise for who He is, there’s no room for anything but Him.

God’s faithfulness chases away doubt.

The Lord’s power overcomes fear.

His Spirit’s holiness pushes out sin.

Christ’s love melts indifference.

The Father’s goodness destroys our evil thoughts.

Here’s an example of how your prayers centering on one attribute of God, his faithfulness, can completely transform your thoughts, spirit, emotions and soul:

Lord God, I praise you for your faithfulness. I can always count on you. You never leave me or forsake me. In my hardest times, you are there. In my happiest times, you laugh with me. When I sin and let you down, you stay with me. No matter what, you are faithful. I lift up my heart to you and honor you for your faithfulness. When people disappoint me, you don’t. 

Father, I look around me and see a world that seems out of control. But you are a faithful God who is ever-present and in control. You are true to your Word. Praise you for your faithfulness. I will never doubt you. Oh Lord, may I keep my eyes on you, the faithful Father that I know. What a blessing to know that I am a child of the faithful God. Amen and amen!

As you praise God for trait after trait, your heart will be filled with joy. Take your time and let the reality of each character quality sink in. Enjoy your time of praise, whether it be silent or aloud. God’s Holy Spirit will give you a heart of joy.

That joy will lead to more praise. It’s a wonderful cycle.

Set your alarm to pause at times during the day. Choose one attribute of God and get lost in praise.

(Experience more joy when you read my devotional Your Life With God: 30 Days of Joy).

Your Life With God - 30 Days of Joy

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