God's Holy Fire: 'Spirit Appointed'

Wednesday, June 18, 2025

Blessed Christmas!

Our prayer is that the presence of Jesus be with you and fill you with hope, peace, and love!

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[Paul, to the Ephesian elders at Miletus:] "Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood."
— Acts 20:28 NIV

Key Thought

Paul reminds the Ephesian elders of three heavenly truths about leaders:
  1. Leaders are to watch, feed, protect and care for (or shepherd) the people of God.
  2. The Holy Spirit is involved in putting leaders into their leadership role.
  3. Those who lead must always realize that those they lead (called "the flock" and "the church of God" in today's verse) never belong to them but to God, who purchased them at such a high cost.
These truths give leaders a powerful and sobering reminder of their call as leaders and give followers a reminder to follow. For each of us, these truths give us a reminder of just how precious the church is to God!

Today's Prayer

Almighty God, please be at work in our churches today through the Holy Spirit's calling those you want and we desperately need in leadership roles in your church. I ask forgiveness, dear Father, for not valuing your church more highly, and I pledge to cherish it as you do. In Jesus' name, I offer these petitions and this commitment. Amen.

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4 Related Resources by Heartlight

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Illustration

Illustration of Acts 20:28 NIV — "Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood."

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Wednesday, June 18, 2025

Quotemeal
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Quote by Author Unknown:
"More light than we can learn, more wealth than we can treasure, more love than we can earn, more peace than we can measure, because one Child is born."
Praying with Paul
Features the apostle Paul's writings turned into daily, powerful prayers.
'In the Name of Jesus' (Co. 3:15-17)
"Dear Father, Let Christ's peace rule in our hearts. Let us be at peace in his one body. Fill our hearts and mouths with overflowing thanksgiving. Let..."
Morning & Evening
The classic twice-daily devotional from Charles H. Spurgeon.
Morning Thought: Isaiah 7:14
"Let us to-day go down to Bethlehem, and in company with wondering shepherds and adoring Magi, let us see him who was born King of the Jews, for we by...."
Today's Verse
A daily devotional featuring a Bible verse, thought and prayer.
Luke 2:11
""Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.""

About This Devotional

God's Holy Fire is a daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The Thoughts and Prayer for God's Holy Fire are written by Phil Ware.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked MESSAGE are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

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