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As I worked this year to remove every bread crumb from my kitchen drawers and every spot on my black glass stove top, in preparation for the Days of Unleavened Bread, God’s Holy Spirit reminded me how I had allowed sin to hide in the drawers of my life and that just as some of the spots in my oven were turning to stains, so too were the spots on my heart.
Deep within I wished I could just vacuum up my sin quickly and throw it away as I would do with that vacuum bag. I was once again reminded that in His mercy He provided One to carry my sin away, Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior. In His infinite wisdom and Love, He provided comfort and encouragement to me through the gift of His Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit transforms us from within. In John 14:15-31, Jesus told His disciples that He was going to leave them, but remain with them. The Spirit that was given to all the believers at Pentecost (Acts 2) is the same Spirit that helps each of us live as God wants and through faith we are able to power through triumphantly each day.
That day as He had on many days before, God’s Holy Spirit illuminated for me the sins that had become stains on my Christian life and I knew just what needed to be done. Go to Him in prayer and repent. This is an example of being led by the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The seed of the Holy Spirit that is given by the laying on of hands after baptism is a precious gift. Do we both appreciate and use the gift to grow in the knowledge and grace of God? In I Corinthians 2:16 we read that God’s Spirit gives Christians the mind of Christ, which allows us the ability to view life from a godly perspective. God thought of everything for mankind because God’s desire is that none shall perish (2 Peter 3:9).
We have salvation because we have Jesus Christ as our Savior and we have the ability to understand God’s plan because God has provided His Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 2:7-10). God has made His Spirit available to all those who obey Him (Acts 5:32). God wants to draw closer to each of us. He wants to have an intimate relationship with you, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8). The condition is that you have to draw near to Him first.
It is my prayer that through the pages of this magazine your eyes be opened, your understanding be increased and your spirit be encouraged.
Sincerely,
Noni McVey
Editor in Chief
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