Tag Archive | Holy Spirit

Three Gifts for Christmas

Great things come in threes. God gives Christ followers many awesome gifts, too numerous to mention here, but the greatest are these three: 1) God the Father, 2) Jesus the Son, and 3) God the Holy Spiritâ€”a.k.a. the Trinitarian, Three-In-One God.

God, the Father, sent His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ, to earth to: 1) be born of a virgin, 2) walk the earth in the flesh as a man, and 3) die on the cross as a sacrificial lamb of atonement for the sins of all people. Jesus was buried in a borrowed tomb. He descended into hell to bear the punishment for all our sins. Three days later, God: 1) raised Jesus from the dead, 2) seated Him next to Himself at His right hand, and 3) placed all things under His feet, appointing Jesus to be head over everything (Eph. 1:22).

Matthew narrates the Christmas story highlighting the visit from the Magi in Matthew 2:9-11,

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.

Again, the number three triumphs. The wise men from the east bowed down and worshiped the Christ child. They presented Him with three treasured gifts: 1) gold, 2) incense, and 3) myrrh.

As you honor Jesus this Christmas by giving gifts to family and friends, bosses and co-workers, employees and charities, think about what three gifts you could present directly to the Christ child. Will it be,

1)Â Â Â Â love, obedience, and trust,

2)Â Â Â Â glory, praise, and worship, or

3)Â Â Â Â tithes, offerings, and service?

Whatever you decide, you canâ€™t out-give God. He already demonstrated the great depth of His love for you by giving the ultimate giftâ€”the birth and death of His Son, Jesus Christ, as payment for your sin.

Perhaps you could honor the Christ child today with these three gifts: 1) your time, 2) your attentiveness, and 3) your discerning ears.

1)Â Â Â Â Make TIME to BE STILL with God today.

2)Â Â Â Â Escape the crowds and noise, and FOCUS your attention on Him only.

3)Â Â Â Â LISTEN to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit within.

God loves you more than you will ever comprehend. He wants to spend time with you, showing you and telling you. In your quiet time with Jesus today, bow down and worship the King on His birthday. Present Him with your three gifts: 1) time, 2) attentiveness, and 3) listening ears. It is better to give AND receive JESUS.

My three gifts to God and you today are three FREE Kindle books, 1) Manna for Today, 2) 7 Simple Steps to Hearing Godâ€™s Voice, and 3) 7 Roadblocks to Hearing God Speak. Download your three FREE Kindle books today, in honor of Jesus Christ, my King.

Manna for Today – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019T6OWTU

7 Simple Steps to Hearing Godâ€™s Voice – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017XXKPYM

7 Roadblocks to Hearing God Speak – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M10Z420

In the love and service of Christ,

Sindy Nagel

Author/Speaker/Blogger

His Heart will Sing

Sep21

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—which is your spiritual worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:1-2).

Beloved one, make it your pleasure to offer yourself—heart, mind, and soul—to Me, in reverence. Do not be as the pagans, who do not acknowledge Me as God. You previously belonged to this world and its ways. However, now you are a stranger to it. Do not imitate the ways of those who do not know Me or accept me. You are My child, I adopted you as My heir. My Holy Spirit, who dwells in your heart, transforms you by the renewing of your mind. Pay attention to His voice within. He teaches you and reminds you of My good and perfect will. You need not question how to please Me. Love Me with your obedience. Set yourself apart from this world, remaining pure and holy as your spiritual worship. Serve Me wholeheartedly according to the gifts I have given you. Live into the purpose I created you for and let My heart sing.

Justified

Jun26

I absolutely love how God works! He is so amazing! For example, in my previous blog post entitled “No Sin is Too Big,” I quoted from 1 Corinthians 6:11, “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

After I posted it, I wondered, what does the word “justified” really mean? I think I know what it means, but I also considered, do all my blog readers understand the meaning of the word? After a few hours, the topic faded from my mind. Until two days later, on Sunday, God generously provided me with two succinct learning opportunities regarding the concept of justification.

My first routine activity every Sunday morning is to select a flavorful K-cup and brew a cup of Joe with my new Keurig machine. Next, I plop down in my favorite recliner, grab the remote control, and turn on the TV to either the Inspiration channel or the Lifetime channel and watch Dr. Charles Stanley, from In Touch Ministries, preach two sermons back to back.

In his first sermon today titled Your Convictions about Eternal Security, Dr. Stanley explained that the word “justified” means we are declared “no longer guilty” by the blood of Jesus. His atoning, sacrificial death on the cross reconciled us into a right relationship with God. When we confess our sin, God is faithful and “just” to forgive us and declare us no longer guilty because He sent His Son, Jesus, as a living sacrifice to pay the death penalty for our sin. One of the Scripture passages for this message came from Romans 5:6-10. Dr. Stanley’s In Touch Sermon 06/26/16

I cracked a smile, pleased that God had designed a way to answer my justification question so swiftly. After watching Dr. Stanley’s sermons, I showered, dried my hair, slapped on some makeup, and got dressed for church.

At Radiant Church this morning, we enjoyed an excellent message by guest pastor, Curt Anes. Romans Road Chapter 5 – Sermon He started his sermon with a definition of the word—you guessed it—justified. When I heard the word, I grinned, even more pleased that God had orchestrated the universe on this day in such a way that I would receive more clarity on the word I had questioned a couple days prior.

Pastor Anes offered a similar definition, “Justified is a divine benefit we have in Christ as Christ followers. We are declared righteous in God’s sight because of what Jesus Christ did for us.”

Supporting it with Scripture, Pastor Anes read Romans 5:1-2, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.”

Next Pastor Anes read from Romans 5:8-9 says, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him!”

Also, Romans 3:22-24 says, “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

In summary, when we confess Jesus as our Savior and invite Him into our hearts, His blood washes us whiter than snow, and He declares us no longer guilty, but righteous children of God. His sacrificial death on the cross paid our sin debt in full and redeemed us from our slavery to sin, making us not only children of God, but also co-heirs with Christ.

I heard two sermons within two hours from two different pastors in two different parts of the country that both taught me two similar Biblical definitions of a term I had questioned two days earlier. Is this a coincidence? I think not!

I am so grateful that the Creator of the universe made the time to weave the answers to my questions into messages from these dedicated men of God that I would listen to today.

Lord, I thank You and praise You for Your wonderful works. Your ways are higher than my ways and Your thoughts higher than my thoughts. I appreciate the way You speak to me in my thoughts and through the instruction of wise, godly people. Thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit who brings Your Word to life in so many ways. I am eternally grateful for Your amazing grace in the gift of Your Son who died for me, that I might be JUSTIFIED by His blood, no longer guilty, but made righteous in Your sight. In the precious name of Jesus, Amen.

No Sin is too BIG

Jun24

Have you ever felt that your sin is too BIG for God to forgive? Let me assure you, it’s NOT.

When I was a new believer, I wondered if God could really forgive my sins, or were they too great. Over the years, I felt I needed to keep asking God’s forgiveness for the same old sins of my youth, even though I was a new creation in Christ, the old ways were gone, and I hadn’t returned to them. Was my sin too BIG for God to forgive or was God’s forgiveness too BIG for me to grasp?

No sin is too BIG for God to forgive. In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Paul assures the new Christ followers who previously were sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, thieves, greedy, drunkards, slanderers, and swindlers, “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

When you accepted that Jesus Christ died for your sins and invited Him into your heart to be your Savior and the Lord of your life, He wiped your sin debt clean. By His death on the cross, He paid the penalty for all your sins—past, present, and future. By His resurrection, He made it possible for you to know and experience a living God who dwells in you. Jesus cleansed you of all unrighteousness, and the Holy Spirit continues to sanctify you through and through (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).

It turns out my sins were NOT too great for Jesus to forgive, however, His forgiveness was too BIG for me to comprehend. Once I dug deeper into God’s Word and more fully understood His plan of salvation, I could more fully appreciate His amazing grace and accept His forgiveness. Then I could let go of the guilt and shame I tightly held and claim the freedom that His forgiveness offered me. I no longer dwelled in the prison of my past sin, but I lived the life of peace that God intended for me.

Have you asked Jesus to forgive you? He has. Have you fully accepted His forgiveness? If not, dive into Scripture to more completely understand and appreciate His plan of salvation and His promises. You are a child of God. You are forgiven. You have been washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God. Enjoy the peace that a Spirit-filled life extends to you.

Are You Ready?

Apr26

â€œLet us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself readyâ€ (Revelation 19:7).

Planning a wedding ceremony and reception is a monumental task. The bride and groom spend months scheduling, organizing, and formulating all the detailsâ€”the attendants, the pastor, the church, the reception venue, the DJ, the photographer, the wedding music, the colors, the decorations, the meal, and so on.

A year in advance, the bride shops for the wedding dress of her dreams. Next, itâ€™s the veil, shoes, jewelry, and lingerie. Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.

As the big day draws near, the bride begins to prepare herself personally. She tans her body, so her skin tone makes that beautiful dress come alive. She cuts and colors or highlights her hair the week before so itâ€™s at that perfect stage on the day of. She enjoys a manicure and pedicure the day before with her bridal party. A “run through” of the wedding ceremony is practiced that evening so the attendants know whatâ€™s expected of them, and the wedding affair will be executed perfectly the next day. The groomâ€™s parents host a rehearsal dinner, where the bride and groom relay their gratitude for the presence and support of their close family and friends who participate in the wedding.

Finally, the special day arrives. The exciting event the bride and groom so carefully planned comes to a culmination. The bride wakes up early and starts her day with a warm, relaxing shower or a soak in the tub. Her nerves surge and her mind races going over all the details of the day. The entire day is devoted to preparing herself for her groom. A professional artist styles her hair and applies her makeup with great perfection. At her side, her attendants help her get ready, physically and emotionally. The brideâ€™s mother holds her daughterâ€™s dress as she steps into it. The groomâ€™s mother assists her with her veil. The maid of honor fastens a necklace around the brideâ€™s neck. At last, she is ready to join the bridegroom for the long-awaited weddingâ€”a union of their hearts, minds, and bodies. The two shall become one.Â Â *******

Are we as diligent about getting ourselves ready for our Bridegroom? Do we spend months and years preparing for our marriage to the Lamb? Will we be ready when that special day arrives?

When we accept that Jesus Christ died for our sins, believe that God raised Him from the dead, and confess Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we become a child of the King. He washes us whiter than snow and clothes us in His righteousness, so that we may be reconciled to God. Then, He sends His Holy Spirit, our Best Man, to make ready our spirits. He dwells in us and prepares us for the day we will meet our Bridegroom. This begins our sanctification process where the Spirit counsels us, encourages us, teaches us, and guides us to become more Christ-like.

It is such a blessing that Jesus receives us just as we are. We need no special hairstyles or manicures to prepare ourselves for Him. We donâ€™t have to shed bad habits and sinful behavior before coming to Christ. By His amazing grace, He accepts us in whatever condition we approach Him. And then, He begins His transforming work in us, making us a new creation in Christ. The old fades away, the new life is here. Rejoice and be glad. Give Him all the glory!

Becoming more like Jesus is the â€œgetting readyâ€ process. We need to get to know God better by reading His Word daily, allowing the Scriptures to permeate our hearts and minds. Tuning in to the voice of the Holy Spirit within us is vital in developing a mind and heart like Christ. We need to make time to walk in close relationship with Jesus by talking to Him, listening to Him, and obeying Him. Loving and serving others, by laying down our lives for our friends, will provide opportunities to share with them the goodness of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ. These efforts describe some of our preparation work for our special event. This life is our rehearsal to get us ready for the big day when we will meet our Bridegroom, become united in marriage, and live happily ever after inÂ eternity with Him.

Are you ready for your Bridegroom? How will you prepare for your big dayâ€”the wedding of the Lamb?

To all the Nancy Lucas “Be a Nice Mom with Skills” listeners–

Apr6

Thank you for listening to my podcast interview with Nancy Lucas. (link to: Sindy’s podcast interview by Nancy Lucas)

Just want to encourage all you moms to seek God for patience, peace, and joy in your childrearing endeavors. It’s so important that we take care of ourselves (body, mind, and soul) before we can take care of our families. It’s difficult to make time to do that when all of our time is demanded from those we love and take care of.Â I made the mistake of not taking care of my spirit when my children were young, and wound up clinically depressed.

I encourage you to get up early, stay up late, or use your lunch time to spend a few minutes alone with God. He will fill you to all the fullness of Jesus Christ. He will refresh your soul, strengthen your resolve, and guide you through the difficult times, even carry you. Lay all your cares at His feet and listen to His voice. He has so much love and wisdom to pass along to you. I wish I had learned this skill before I had children.

Get your free copy of my e-Book for three days only, April 6-8, and connect or re-connect with the Holy Spirit inside you. 7 Simple Steps to Hearing God’s Voice – eBook

God bless you with His peace and joy as you walk out your mommy career.

All to Jesus, I Surrender

Aug25

By Sindy Nagel

In the early hours, as I laid in bed

A famous hymn rang through my head

The words sang out in grand accord

“I surrender all” to Christ the Lord.

I pondered what the “all” entailed

A posture I already failed

Required me to submit myself

To my inner Holy Spirit’s help.

He asked to set aside my plans

For all the things my time demands

And seek Him first when I awake

To live my day for Jesus’ sake.

So willingly I honored Him

Yielded my desires to Jesus’ whim

I gave my day over to the Lord

And all the time I could afford.

I asked Him to guide me through my day

To take my hand and lead the way

To carry out His main desire

And live my life for Him, on fire.

I offered Him my kids, my Honey,

My home, my job, my time, my money

But the thing He wanted from the start

Was solely my surrendered heart.

For if I give my soul, my all

The rest will follow by His call

According to His great design

My heart and His, they will align.

When I surrender every thing

My spirit and my heart will sing

In joy I will live out my days

I’ll lift Him up in grateful praise.

I’ll wait on Him with bended ear

Until His voice my thoughts will hear

And willingly His voice obey

As He instructs me through my day.

I submit to Him my day, my time,

My heart, my will, my soul, my mind

I surrender myself to Jesus’ whim

See I owe my life, my all to Him.

Working in You

May15

In all my prayers for you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:4-6)

My precious child, I created you for a purpose, and I have begun a good work in you. I will continue to work in you and through you until the day Christ returns. You were made in my image from day one, and now that you have been reconciled to me through Christ, the Holy Spirit dwelling in you continues to transform you into my likeness. May you be filled with the fruit of righteousness, remaining pure and blameless until the day of Christ. Whatever you do, do it to the glory of God. Let your countenance and your actions reflect my love in all situations. You are my ambassadors of love. Let the world see who lives in you. Love out loud, sharing the message of the gospel wherever life takes you. Bring others to me as they see you walking out your faith. You are my beloved one. Be my warrior, courageous and fearless, as you fight for the souls that are lost. Let the joy of Christ in your heart overflow, touching every one you meet. I have blessed you to be a blessing to others. Go and bless my world.

Thank You, God

Nov28

God, thank you for creating me,

The heavens, earth, and deep blue sea.

Lord, thank you for the sun above.

Thank you for your endless love.

Iâ€™m grateful for your perfect peace,

And provision for my sin release.

Thank you for my Saviorâ€™s birth.

For sending Jesus to the earth,

To pay the debt for all my sin,

And give me new life to begin.

The old has gone, the new is here.

His perfect love casts out my fear.

Lord, thank you for the Holy Spirit

Who speaks to me so I can hear it.

Who tells me of your love for me

And convicts me of iniquity.

He counsels me, He is my guide.

Through trials He walks close beside.

Amazing God, the Three-in-One,

The Father, Spirit, and the Son,

I give you the glory you are due

You are the One God who is true.

My heart belongs to you alone.

My body is your earthly home.

You heal my hurts, you restore my soul.

You rebuild me, and you make me whole.

You turn my sorrows into laughter,

And give me new life ever after.

Iâ€™m sealed for your redemption day.

When you return and take me away.

Until that day, Iâ€™ll walk with you,

Read your Word, and obey it too.

Iâ€™ll listen to your voice within,

And try to live life without sin.

Iâ€™ll follow where you choose to lead.

You are my God and Lord indeed.

I love you, Lord, with all my soul.

My life I give you, take control.

Do with me what you have planned.

I submit to you and take your hand.

Lead me down paths that are straight,

And use me for the work you create.