Our church is a part of the prison ministry at the Work Release Center at Haskell. Since the Covid 19 hit, we have not been able to go into the prison to minister, so when I have something on my heart for them I print it up and drop it off there to be distributed in the different buildings. I would always give them a print out of the lesson when I could go in there, so now they still get the print out, but just not the person. The following is one of the lessons that I thought you would all enjoy and benefit from:
When God sees a heart purified by faith, he gives the Holy Spirit to empower you to clearly hear and follow him. He wants us to walk in his plan and purpose for our life and walk in his supernatural power, overcoming all things. Jesus and the early church demonstrated how the Holy Spirit operates in and through our lives. God wants to work in your life today in the same way by purifying your heart, filling you with his Spirit and power, and giving you his directions and his goodness in your life. Lay aside any prideful thoughts that are keeping you from personally eating of his Word and drinking of his Spirit. Lay aside any fear and skepticism. Make place for some time with God, just you and him. Hear the word of the gospel of Jesus Christ and believe that his righteous life and perfect blood sacrifice is the only thing that makes you right with God. Give him your life, your goodness, your sin, and your efforts to be right with God and turn to Jesus as your only right standing with God. You are choosing to put your life into his hands. This is how your heart is purified by faith (Acts 15:7-11). With a heart purified by faith do what Jesus said and ask the Father for the Holy Spirit fullness. Pray for a God encounter, for God to come upon you in power (Luke 11:9-13). When the early church was filled with the Spirit they spoke out praises to God, they shared the gospel of Jesus Christ, and they spoke out loud in other languages, supernaturally. In this way the gospel of Jesus Christ, the healing power of God, and the directions and plans of God were made known. It is the same for us today. God sees your heart, your inner being, your hidden inner motives and desires. When you “give your heart to God”, you are opening your life to him, with all the good, bad, and ugly, with all your strengths and weaknesses, and you are entrusting your life into his care, keeping, and guidance. With that commitment to him, yield your mind, your body, your breath, and all your life to him. Speak out praise and thanksgiving to God. Be filled with God’s presence in Jesus’ name. Jackie Calhoun, Lighthouse Church Benton 5-6-21