Today’s 333 Devotional: “Let the Holy Spirit Move In”

The problem with the church, and hence believers, is the same thing Paul saw in the Corinthian church. They were controlled more by the world and sinful desires than by the Holy Spirit.

“You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly?” (1 Corinthians 3:3a)

When Paul looked at the church in Corinth, he wasn’t seeing anything different in them than those outside the faith. Paul didn’t see the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit, so he asked, “What’s the difference?”

A person had a heart attack one Sunday during the pastor’s sermon. When the paramedics arrived, the pastor was still preaching. As they were leaving the usher heard one paramedic say, “We had to pick up six people before we found the right one.”

Someone said that a lot of churches are like decaffeinated coffee. They look like the real thing, but with no energy or oomph. This may be why so many churches close every year.

The average church in America is 75 people, and 85 percent of churches are either plateaued or declining. But that trend can be turned around, with new people coming in, and with people coming to know Jesus as Savior and Lord.

However, this isn’t from any plan we come up with, but rather it’s from God doing His work in our midst. And the neat thing is that God wants to do more.

Jesus said that while Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10a), He has come to do the exact opposite and in spades.

“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10b)

So, the question becomes, “Which side of the comma do we want to live? Do we want to live, or really live? Do we want to exist, or thrive?”

Let’s let the Holy Spirit move in and set up residence in the church and in our lives.