My Spiritual Notes, Reflections, and Learnings

 Tonight, I was listening to Pastor John Ortberg speak about fearless bravery , and it reminded me of the bold prayer of Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4:10: "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory…" When we were saved, God brought us out of darkness and into His Kingdom. But living in a broken world means we still wrestle with shadows of fear, pride, insecurity. Thankfully, God is patient and keeps working in us. Every time we trust Him and face those dark places, we enlarge our spiritual territory. We let more of His Kingdom reign in our hearts. So, what’s holding you back from that growth? What are you avoiding? A hard conversation, a task, a truth, an emotion? What are you afraid of?  Is it a bill, medical result, email from your employer? What’s the Worst That Can Happen? – Fear often grows in the dark. Shine a light on it. What are you really afraid of? Can it separate you from God’s love? (Spoiler alert, nothing can!) Take an Action. Send the...

We often look up to our pastors who are so prayerful, so eloquent, and think, “They probably pray all the time,” or “They’re such powerful prayer warriors.” And while it’s good to admire their devotion, we can sometimes end up feeling frustrated with how we pray. But the worst way to respond to that frustration is to NOT PRAY at all . Jesus said in Matthew 6:6 : “...pray to your Father who is in the secret place. Then your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly.” There’s something powerful that happens when we encounter the Holy Spirit in that secret place . Now, I know some of the moms here might say, “What secret place? There’s no such thing in my house!” But let’s be clear: The secret place isn’t necessarily a physical room (though having one is a beautiful idea). It’s something deeper. It’s a sacred space in our hearts where we commune with the Lord. It might be a short conversation at a traffic light, a deep plea during a 10-minute break, or a tearful cry in th...

Honoring the Role of the Holy Spirit in Bible Study One of the most important things to remember when using ChatGPT for Bible study is that it is a tool, not a teacher . As Christians, we believe that the Holy Spirit is our ultimate Teacher and Guide (John 14:26), leading us into all truth and convicting our hearts through the Word of God. ChatGPT can assist with understanding background information, context, and scholarly interpretations, but it cannot and should not replace the personal work of the Holy Spirit in our lives . What ChatGPT Can Help With: Explaining the historical and cultural context of a Bible passage. Clarifying complex theological terms or concepts. Providing summaries of scholarly views or denominational interpretations. Suggesting reflection or application questions to guide your personal study. Helping organize or rephrase thoughts that you’ve already reflected on. What ChatGPT Should Not Do: Replace the voice or conviction of the Holy Spirit. Create personal re...