PAUSES... Week 5

Pentecost is getting closer 

There are

50 Days & Words 

between 

Resurrection Sunday & Pentecost

this week we're in the 5th week 

so there's 2 weeks after this

Fifth Week of Eastertide Day 29: Desert* -                Matthew 4:1 Day 30: Transformed -       2 Corinthians 3:18  Day 31: Devout -                Luke 2:25 Day 32: Dwell -                  Ephesians 3:16-17 Day 33: Guide -                 Isaiah 58:11 Day 34: Responsibility -    Acts 6:3-4 Day 35: Encouragement - Acts 4:36

* most versions use "wilderness"
DESERT found in CSV; DRB, GW, GNT, NAB, WNT in Matthew 4:1
from Day 29

" .. Is the Holy Spirit leading you into the "DESERT"?..." "... the DESERT is the training ground of the Holy Spirit for those who wantto be faithful, effective, and competent in the rest of their lives." The suggested Daily Practice (which this book has each day) has this for day 29: "Carve out a DESERT moment of solitude.Allow it to be a time when you can simply be alone with God & yourself. ..."

Since last week I wrote that I was looking forward to the One Words chosen (and they were very good), I quickly looked through this week's One Word Pauses and I thought, perhaps not as good as the ones from last week, until I started to look at them and their verses. Clearly, each One Word Pause is drawing us closer to a Pentecostal moment and empowering us.

from Day 30

"As people of faith, we constantly face the challenge of being credible to the people around us. In fact, it could be the greatest challenge facing us at the present moment of history. ... " "... Is there any evidence that the Holy Spirit is TRANSFORMING our self- centered lives into a greater likeness of Christ? ..." "... Constantly, we need to remind ourselves that  the Holy Spirit is the great TRANSFORMER We cannot stay the same." ... "... a process of TRANSFORMATION that causes us  to reflect the glory of Jesus ..."

{actually the entire devotional from that beginning line above to James 2:17 is transformative for me}
It reiterates that the reason for the "Daily Practice" at the end of each day after the meditation of the devotional are there to open our lives more widely to the TRANSFORMINGgrace of the Spirit."
WOW!Powerful words!
"Holy Spirit, make me like Jesus."
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So again, I look for a connection between the One Words and begin to see how they do.
I could go on like above for each day this week
stating what stands out
and I'd love to
but
since I'm not the author
I really can't (copyright, etc.)
But I have to take a risk with the following part because it's that good
and taken from Ephesians 3:17-19 for day 32 DWELL
"Ask the Holy Spirit to help you hear Jesus saying these words to you"

"I want to come and DWELL in your life. Through you I want to touch the lives of those around you. Be willing to let go of your own agendas and plans that so often keep you from living and acting in and through me. Let yourself be led, strengthened, and renewed by my own Spirit living in your inner being. As you do, you "may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and how long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God"

Spend time alone & in the silence
🕊allow the Holy Spirit to help you hear those words from Jesus💓
as you sense and know that
Christ DWELLS in you.
allow Him to 
GUIDE
you
Be
DEVOUT
TRANSFORMED
ENCOURAGED
&
"See each of your daily 
RESPONSIBILITIES
as an opportunity for you to live
in the power of the Holy Spirit"
🙏