{"id":86,"date":"2023-01-24T23:23:59","date_gmt":"2023-01-24T23:23:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/figleavesandthelamb.com\/?p=86"},"modified":"2023-01-24T23:23:59","modified_gmt":"2023-01-24T23:23:59","slug":"look-up-the-holy-spirit-is-at-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/figleavesandthelamb.com\/?p=86","title":{"rendered":"Look up! The Holy Spirit is at Work"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t

“The Holy Spirit’s presence and power reveal God’s personal love in incredibly tangible ways.” <\/em>(Bible Study Fellowship, Chapter 14 Notes)\u00a0 <\/em>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n

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Have you ever recognized God’s power at work because the Holy Spirit intervened in your life in a timely and very personal way?\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n

Just this past week, while driving to meet up with some friends, I recognized the presence of the Holy Spirit speaking directly to my needy heart. My eyes were focused intently on the road, but the eyes of my heart were glued to my cares. Tightness rose in my chest as thoughts spun on a hamster wheel inside my mind. I wondered, “will the problems I’m facing ever change?”\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n

Softly, a familiar tune began to hum through my speakers:\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n

“O soul, are you weary and troubled?\u00a0 <\/i>\u00a0<\/p>\n

No light in the darkness you see?\u00a0 <\/i>\u00a0<\/p>\n

There’s light for a look at the Savior,\u00a0 <\/i>\u00a0<\/p>\n

And life more abundant and free.\u00a0 <\/i>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,\u00a0 <\/i>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Look full in His wonderful face,\u00a0 <\/i>\u00a0<\/p>\n

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,\u00a0 <\/i>\u00a0<\/p>\n

In the light of His glory and grace.”\u00a0 <\/i>\u00a0<\/p>\n

The perfect timing of these theological truths softened the weight on my weary heart, reminding me to take my eyes off my problems and put my eyes on Jesus. When I look at Jesus, the cares of this world grow dim, including what’s currently overwhelming me.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n

My eyes welled up with tears at the perfect timing of this message. Still, there was more hope around the bend. As I rounded another curve, I saw a billboard with a picture of a newborn baby and the words, “Look forward to new things.”\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n

Although it might sound silly, this message was significant to me. I needed this intentional encouragement to remind me that God is in the business of making things new.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n

The following day, Isaiah 43:18-19 popped up on my phone:\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! <\/i> Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness <\/i> and streams in the wasteland.”\u00a0\u00a0 <\/i>\u00a0<\/p>\n

This is a message to the nation of Israel to give them hope that God would rescue them from their captivity in Babylon and one day restore and redeem them through the coming of the promised Messiah. God was going to do something new and greater than anything they had seen Him do before. <\/p>\n

Christ came to rescue us all from our captivity to sin and the suffering that results from sin. So we can turn to Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and trust that He is doing a new work in our hearts and minds. No matter how difficult things have been, our sin, suffering, and overwhelming problems do not have the last word. God is in the business of making all things new! \u00a0<\/p>\n

Precious friend, are you struggling with a weight too heavy for you to carry? Do you worry that things may never change? I’m here to remind you and myself that when we find our foot slipping toward focusing on our fears, God will gently turn our eyes back toward Jesus through timely nudges of the Holy Spirit.\u00a0<\/p>\n

So, cry out and hold on; the Holy Spirit’s help is on the way.\u00a0I’ll leave you with one final quote from my bible study notes:\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n

“The Holy Spirit’s work becomes deeply personal when we recognize His Power in our lives (BSF Chapter 14 Notes).”\u00a0 <\/i>Friend, G<\/i>od’s doing something new. Can you perceive it?<\/p>\n

Heavenly Father, I’m so thankful that you reach out to us in tangible and personal ways, reminding us to keep our eyes focused on You. Please bring new life to our troubled hearts so we may glorify Your name. Amen.\u00a0 <\/i>\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n

How have you seen the Holy Spirit at work in your life recently? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

More Truth to Consider:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\nWhen I thought, “My foot slips,” your steadfast love, O Lord,\u00a0held me up.
\nWhen the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul. Psalm 94:18-19 ESV<\/a>\n

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and\u00a0sin which clings so closely, and\u00a0let us run\u00a0with endurance the race that is\u00a0set before us,\u00a02\u00a0<\/sup>looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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“The Holy Spirit’s presence and power reveal God’s personal love in incredibly tangible ways.” (Bible Study Fellowship, Chapter 14 Notes)\u00a0 \u00a0   Have you ever recognized God’s power at work because the Holy Spirit intervened in your life in a timely and very personal way?\u00a0 \u00a0 Just this past week, while driving to meet up […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":88,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,2,26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-86","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hardship-and-perseverance","category-spiritual-growth","category-trusting-god"],"yoast_head":"\nLook up! 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