Devotion for Tuesday, July 19, 2022

“Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”? (James 4:5)

You want your soul cleansed, yet you pour dirt into your soul.  Which is it to be.  You cannot have things both ways.  Either it is impure, or else being cleansed by the Spirit, a constant tug-of-war.  The Lord has given you His Spirit to guide you into all righteousness.  Take this seriously and walk humbly, knowing that He is always with You.  Learn to listen as He leads you.

Lord, You have given me all the grace I need, yet such grace is not for the sake of doing as I please.  Lead me Lord into the way You know I need to go.  Guide me in Your goodness to see that in You alone is there all hope and an eternal future which You have promised through the same grace.  Let me not fall back into worldliness, but move forward by Your Spirit into the goodness for which I have been redeemed.

Come, Holy Spirit, and minister to my heart.  You know where I compromise and go in wrong directions.  You know where my weaknesses are.  Guide me to strengthen what is good and to remove that which causes me to stumble.  Help me now and forever to be guided by You into the life for which I have been saved.  Conform me to the image of Christ and lead me today and always in the way of holiness.  Amen.