Tag: John

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The First Spirit-Filled Work

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Exodus 35 Listen: (4:31) Read: Luke 17 Listen: (4:22)

Scripture Focus: Exodus 35.30-34

30 Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills—32 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 33 to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic crafts. 34 And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others.

John 14.26

26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you

Reflection: The First Spirit-Filled Work

By John Tillman

Jesus described the filling of the Holy Spirit as being for the good of not only the disciples, but the world. The works the Spirit did through them built a new space, a new Temple, a new people of God to shine the light of God’s love to the world.

We often think of the Holy Spirit helping pastors when they preach and musicians when they lead worship. We know the Holy Spirit helps us study the Bible. We pray in faith that the Holy Spirit will bring the miraculous help of God for healings, interventions, or protections.

However, the first Spirit-filled individuals, Bezalel and Oholiab, were not orators, political leaders, musicians, writers, prophets, warriors, or healers. They were artisans, builders, makers. They worked with their hands.

They also did these things in community. Part of the Spirit’s gifting was to teach. They were not to do what God called them to alone but to teach others who would join the work.

The first Spirit-filled workers in the Bible used hammers and tongs, needles and thread, chisels, saws, and perfume…not pulpits. They spoke not with words but images. They taught understanding through symbolism and space. They brought spiritual healing through the redemptive instruments of atonement they would craft.

Their skilled minds, hearts, and hands wrought from the gifts of God’s people a place to meet with God. Artistry using symbols, spaces, textures, patterns, and images replanted a representation of an Edenic garden in which humans would once again walk in fellowship with God.

What type of sacred space are we creating? Not just in our churches but in our lives? Not just in spiritual ways but physical ways? Are we telling the redemptive story and ushering people into the presence of God?

Whether you work with hammer and chisel or with keyboard and screen, God’s Spirit longs to use your work to build sacred space depicting redemption. This space goes beyond the walls of your church building to encompass all those who will hear the call of Christ. Worship in this space and invite others in to learn of God.

May we be filled with the Spirit to the tips of our fingers as they work acts of redemption.

May not only the words of our mouths and meditations of our hearts, but also the works of our hands be pleasing in the sight of the Redeemer.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory; because of your love and because of your faithfulness. — Psalm 115.1

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: Prayer in our Vocation

To some, it might be a surprise that one of the primary definitions of the word “vocation” is a divine calling.

Read more: Prayer in our Vocation

To some, it might be a surprise that one of the primary definitions of the word “vocation” is a divine calling.

Prayer in our Vocation
Read more: Extra Ordinary Prayer

We carry prayer with us into every moment of our lives. As we do, may our actions be blessings not curses, carrying the good news of the gospel.

Extra Ordinary Prayer

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Seeing God in the Wilderness — A Guided Prayer

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Exodus 24 Listen: (2:48) Read: Luke 6 Listen: (6:46)

Scripture Focus: Exodus 24.11b

…They saw God, and they ate and drank.

John 3.14-15

14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,  15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”


From John: We return today to this Lenten prayer from 2019 that is rewritten and expanded to apply to any time of the year. Desert and wilderness times are not always of our choosing or on the calendar. But in our deserts, we can meet with God in a special way.

Reflection: Seeing God in the Wilderness — A Guided Prayer

By John Tillman

The observance of Lent is like entering a desert or wilderness on a spiritual quest. There is much to learn from the Spirit of God in the desert places of our lives.

Desert or wilderness times can come, planned or unplanned, at any time of year. Pray to the Lord, in the wilderness of Lent or in unexpected wilderness times. God meets with us in the desert as he did the elders of Israel.

Guided Prayer

Lord, we have entered the desert. We wander in a wilderness. Like Israel, we desert what has enslaved us. We come to a desert place to meet with you.

“Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel. You are to worship at a distance…”

Israel came to a forbidden and foreboding mountain. Only a few could see your face.

“[They] went up and saw the God of Israel…But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank.”

But now, Jesus, you extend your hand, inviting us to a joy-filled city, where we will dine with the Lord.

In Lenten and desert times, Lord, we have the opportunity to leave behind worldly things we cling to. We partake of your presence and the heavenly food and drink that is doing the will of God.

If we cling to earthly things, we walk with our heads down—focused on what we can hold. Watching it crumble to dust.

In Lent and in the wilderness, remind us that we are born again and raise our eyes to heavenly things.

“Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

Let your Holy Spirit refresh our eyes to see what you see.

Let your Holy Spirit tell us of heavenly things and prepare us to understand them.

“I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?”

May we lift you up, to draw those around us to you.

“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons

I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living. — Psalm 116.8

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: Our Opportunistic Opponent

By Christ’s mercy we can resist Satan and he will flee. But just as when Satan left Jesus in the wilderness, he is only waiting for an opportune time to return.

Our Opportunistic Opponent
Read more: In Medias Res

Jesus goes into the desert and to the cross to face our consequences and win our victory. He faces what we flee. He obtains what we pursue. He repairs what we wreck.

In Medias Res — Readers’ Choice

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Praying for the Persecuted

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Genesis 17 Listen: (4:02), Read: John 16 Listen: (4:14)

Scripture Focus: John 16.2

2 The time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God.

From John: We return to this rewritten post from 2019 to remind us that as Christianity grows overseas, persecution does as well. In the linked Christianity Today article from 2024, we read that in the previous year, 5,000 Christians were killed for their faith, 4,000 were abducted, and more than 295,000 Christians were forcibly displaced from their homes because of their faith. Let us pray for the persecuted church without claiming their persecution as our own.

Reflection: Praying for the Persecuted

By John Tillman

It is troubling how American media downplays or ignores persecution of Christians overseas.

Perhaps they think Christians have it pretty good in America, so the suffering of Christians overseas lacks relevance. It is good for Christians to share the stories of modern Christian martyrs, however we must be careful not to claim for ourselves their mantle of suffering.

Our readers outside the United States are approximately twenty percent of our email subscribers and a much higher percentage of our web traffic and social media reach. However, the vast majority of our readers are in “safe” countries for Christians. Our difficulties are not comparable to those suffering true persecution.

Wherever we live, we must also not claim persecution when experiencing discomfort or pushback from culture. We must not get our feelings hurt when governments don’t rubber stamp our religious convictions as law, or when prominent voices call us names, call out hypocrisy, or attack us intellectually.

This doesn’t mean we abandon our convictions. Too many have done so. This doesn’t mean we abandon winsome engagement with culture. We must speak the truth in love and speak truth to power.

As we pray today, using Christ’s words to his disciples before his crucifixion, may we keep in mind and hold up before God’s throne in prayer members of our community and of God’s church in countries where they are threatened by the state, by religious militias, and by other dangerous forces.

Praying for the Persecuted
Lord of the suffering and the outcast, we pray the words of your Son regarding the suffering of our brothers and sisters…
“I have told you so that you will not fall away. The time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God.
I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them.
Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.
Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. Your joy will be complete.”
Turn our brothers and sisters’ grief to joy. And turn our mourning into action on their behalf.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Cry of the Church

O God, come to my assistance! O Lord, make haste to help me!

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: Prayer for the Church from Indonesia :: Worldwide Prayer

We confess that in the comfort of your blessings and abundance…we too easily forget others who pray for daily bread…peace in their land…freedom to pursue life…

Prayer for the Church from Indonesia :: Worldwide Prayer

Read more: What Is Persecution? :: Throwback Thursday

It is a sign of great uncharitableness and cruelty, when men can find in their hearts to persecute others for little things

What Is Persecution? :: Throwback Thursday
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Conflict-Free Holidays — Peace of Advent

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Ezra 2 Listen: (5:25)
Read: Revelation 1 Listen: (3:43)

Scripture Focus: John 14.26-27

26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Reflection: Conflict-Free Holidays – Peace of Advent

By Erin Newton

Jesus was born during the Pax Romana—the peace of Rome. It was a period between wars and a time of relative prosperity. Peace is nearly always thought of as the antithesis to conflict or war. And the Bible refers to peace as the future hope during the midst of pain and suffering.

When we think about God coming to dwell among us, the peace of Advent usually includes the vision of a conflict-free eternity. It is this Prince of Peace who brings the promise to eliminate combat and end all struggles.

We long for the days without strife and without war. It is an age-old plea. The psalmist cries out, “Too long have I lived among those who hate peace. I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war” (Ps. 120.6-7).  

Not only does peace bring us wholeness, it is meant to bring us freedom from conflict. But that is far from reality. We enter this Advent season with wars raging across the oceans, conflicts brewing among friends and family, war and strife growing between neighbors—we are a far cry from peace it seems.

The baby lying in a manger would become a man who warned that peace would not always be reality. The cost of following Christ may mean division among friends, families, and neighbors. It is the sword that He warned was coming to disrupt so-called peace. Sometimes the conflict we face is because we have chosen to follow Christ, and the so-called peace of our world was simply a dishonest harmony.

So how do we wait this week meditating on the peace of Advent? I think we look to Christ’s birth as the inauguration of the future peace. It is the “already but not yet” peace we are promised. The gears are set in motion even when the grinding clamor of war reverberates worldwide. The first peace to be won was that within our souls. And it continues to win the war of souls.

And then we see the peace he has left with us. The peace he promised would be with us is a non-earthly peace, peace mediated through the Holy Spirit. Yes, national wars and domestic battles continue today. But peace is possible through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is by His power we can seek peace, and sometimes, win peace. Let us seek peace and wait expectantly.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence

Look upon your covenant; the dark places of the earth are haunts of violence. — Psalm 74.19

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more about The Arm of Flesh versus the Prince of Peace

How can we tell the difference between Sennacherib’s propaganda and Hezekiah’s true faith?

The Arm of Flesh versus the Prince of Peace

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Supporting our Work
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Inaugurating The Era of the Servant

Scripture Focus: Matthew 1.20-21
20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

John 13.34
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

From John: The “Maundy” of Maundy Thursday comes from the Latin word mandatum, or commandment, reflecting Jesus’ words “I give you a new commandment.” May we walk in this commandment, in this new era of love and service.

Reflection: Inaugurating The Era of the Servant
By John Tillman

The three sections of Matthew 1’s genealogy mark important eras in the history of God’s presence with and relationship to his people.

Beginning with Abraham’s era, God was a promise-maker and promise-keeper. He promised children, kings, nations, and a blessing that would be for all people. God brought Abraham’s family closer and closer to himself, revealing more and more of his nature. He became their God, and they became his people. He made with them a covenant, a promise of promises, to be their faithful God.

Beginning with David’s era, God was the mighty king, dispensing justice and wisdom. In this era, he defeated monstrous animals, enemies, and empires. Even when human kings were flawed, unfaithful, and wicked, God was the faithful, righteous ruler.

Through the exilic era, God judged and punished his people’s wickedness but also protected and preserved the righteous remnant and was the redeemer who brought his people home. Exiled for their sins, this remnant took God’s presence and blessing with them, even into the bellies of the beastly empires that swallowed them. God brought judgment on those beasts in due time and brought his people out from captivity again.

A new era is announced to Mary and Joseph. Jesus is proclaimed as one who will save his people from their sins. Sin wrecked every era of existence. Sin broke the promises of the covenant. Sin turned the wisdom and power of kings to wickedness. Sin still haunted the hints of former glory in the restored Temple and the wicked rule of the string of Herods who called themselves kings of the Jews.

In this time, in this place, among these people, God revealed himself in Jesus as the savior, the Lamb of God, who would take away the sins of the world.

Jesus inaugurated the next era on the night of the Passover meal. Jesus washed the disciples’ feet and declared afterward ​​“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13.34)

What era speaks to you? The promise-keeper? The King of Kings? The Redeemer? The Savior? The Servant? Jesus is the fulfillment of every era and every need. Today, his body, the church, is called to live out the era of love and service. Let us love one another so that the world can recognize who we are.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons
Do not let your hearts be troubled. You trust in God, trust also in me. — John 14.1

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

​Today’s Readings
Song of Songs 4 (Listen 2:46)
Matthew 1 (Listen 3:29)

Read more about Pause To Read
Coming tomorrow, a new podcast from Erin for Good Friday. Subscribe using one of the links on our site and share some episodes with friends.

https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/uJMxq7gTZHb

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Read more about Dirty Feet
If you knew that you were going to die tomorrow, what would you do?…Jesus washed each of the disciples’ feet…even Judas’s.

Dirty Feet