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Read John 14:15-21
“Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you” (v. 17).
The Lord is not a distant God. Neither has He forsaken us and gone off on a journey. He is ever present. We say He walks beside us; He leads and instructs us. It is true. He is also our inside God. He wants to fill us with His Spirit, and He wants to be and will be “closer than a brother.”
His Spirit in us cleanses, guides, and comforts. We cannot live Christian lives when we are filled with self — our ideas, our plans, and our desires. We must yield to Him and let Him lead our lives. He will fill every corner of your life — your work, your recreation, and your worship.
We must be filled with His Spirit, before we can do what He would have us do. Our lives will be happy when we no longer have a conflict in our hearts. Will it be God’s way or my way? When God is in control, we can depend on Him to love and guide us. Then the responsibility for our lives is His. We only have to obey Him. God made us so that our hearts cannot be satisfied without Him. We will always be searching for something to fill the “God-shaped vacuum” in our hearts, until we give Him first place in our hearts. (Bertha Laird)

Invite the Spirit of God to rule your heart; you will never be sorry.

This devotional is the Tuesday, April 21, 2015 entry of Opening the Word.
Photo Credit: https://download.unsplash.com/photo-1429552016556-fd6f7d9743e1 by Brandon Morgan / Resized, cropped.

Read John 3:1-8
“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (v. 5).
“Smack, smack,” went the doctor’s hand. The air was filled with a beautiful cry! Such rejoicing and emotion went all through the room. A brand new life had been born into this world.
Five times over my husband and I have been allowed this privilege — this joy. In order for us to share living with our children, there had to be a place of birth! Then the benefits and responsibilities became ours.
Jesus shared with Nicodemus the essential requirement to obtaining an eternal life. One cannot only have an earthly birthplace, but one must experience a birthplace of the Holy Spirit.
How do we have such a birthplace? Jesus says, “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (v. 18)
Do you remember the day you really believed in the Lord Jesus Christ to save you from your sins? If not, you can! Let this be the time and place. Believe in Jesus and be born again! Then, eternal life is yours! Jesus is the only way! (Janene Dubbeld)

By night he came to seek the Truth
Although he’d studied from his youth.
The Master said, “Be born again!”
This is OUR hope — amen, AMEN! — Janene Dubbeld

To obtain eternal life one cannot only have an earthly birthplace, one must experience a birthplace of the Holy Spirit.

This devotional is the entry for Monday, April 13, 2015, of Opening the Word.

Photo credit: "Baby" by Gabi Menashe used under CC BY 2.0.

Read 2 Corinthians 7:8-10
“For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death” (v. 10).
“I don’t want to go to jail,” wailed one of my sons. Little sister joined in the crying, “He doesn’t have to go to jail, does he? I don’t want him to go to jail!” I was amused at how quickly what had seemed so funny was now so serious. You see, the little man had discovered how to call some- one and block the Caller ID so that it would show up “Restricted.”
He was having such fun calling random numbers and teasing whoever happened to answer the phone (without my knowledge or permission). One little girl he called thought he was her friend and would not believe he was just a random prankster, so to prove it he sent her a picture as a text. This time his number showed up, and it was not long until her father called and left an urgent message. I was able to talk to the father and apologize. Soon the matter was resolved, but not before my son experienced some godly sorrow. (Daniel Edwards)

Once in sin’s darkest night I was wand’ring alone;
A stranger to mercy I stood.
But the Savior came nigh when He heard my faint cry,
And He put my sins under the Blood. — Nellie Edwards

True repentance makes you sorry enough to quit!

This devotional is the entry for Monday, April 6, 2015, of Opening the Word.

Photo credit: "Liberation" by jar () used under CC BY 2.0 / Resized, cropped.