Holy Spirit gives the gift of faith.

​1-21-23
My devotion for today is based on 2 Thessalonians 2:13,14: “We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
How does a person become a Christian? Do they need to have an emotional experience in a worship service? Do they need to have all their questions answered? Do they become Christian after they see good examples of other believers?
Those experiences can be critical turning points that lead people to be open to hearing the message of Jesus. But one of Jesus’ followers, a man named Paul, said Christians are made through the “sanctifying work of the Spirit.” That means God, the Holy Spirit, works in a person to want to know and believe in Jesus.
That’s why Christians ought to be the humblest people on the planet. Christians don’t come to believe in Jesus as their Savior because of their intelligence or worthiness. They are not better than anyone else. God, the Holy Spirit, gave them the gift of faith through his mighty power. Thus, they are to live a life of humility and thankfulness.
Please pray with me the prayer for today: Heavenly Father, creator and sustainer of all things, seen and unseen; thank you for the work of the Holy Spirit that brought me to faith.  In Jesus’ holy name, I pray. Amen.