I’m excited to share a devotion this week by a new-to-us devotion writer, Sharon Musgrove. Here’s a little about Sharon. Sharon has been writing and teaching biblically based curriculum, Bible studies, and devotionals since 2007.  She has had the unique position of writing curriculum and teaching for two private, Christ-based, residential recovery programs. Both programs primarily served women in the homeless community.

Sharon has traveled multiple times to Kenya, serving on medical teams and teaching in the rural Maasai communities. She’s been privileged to speak in Leadership camps intended on encouraging and empowering the impoverished, underprivileged, and often abused young women. Within these ministries, Sharon has witnessed the transformative power of loving words spoken to the broken-hearted. Sharing God’s love and witnessing its transformative power has become her passion.

Sharon and her husband, divide their time between Oregon and Hawaii. They have two grown children. Currently, Sharon is encouraging others via her inspirational blog, but prefers sharing face to face. Additionally, she is working towards a degree in Ministry. 

You can connect with Sharon on her Website: Sharonmusgrove.com or Facebook: www.facebook.com/Sharon-Musgrove-Untethered-102208978041060 or Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharonmusgrove_untethered/

God Acts Through Us

By Sharon Musgrove

“Stephen, brimming with God’s grace and energy, was doing wonderful things among the people, unmistakable signs that God was among them.”  Acts 6:8 MSG

The Bible is the story of God.  It is a compilation of several authors writing about varying experiences mankind has with God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and includes instruction on how God would like work through us.

One of the many books within the Bible is entitled “Acts,” or sometimes “The Acts of the Apostles.”  The unique thing about this particular book is that it gives us possibly more insight into the mysterious Holy Spirit, than most of the rest of the Bible because it reveals how people respond when being filled by God.

Yet, I’m not sure it’s often viewed in this light.  The title leads us to believe that we are to watch closely the actions of the Apostles or of the miracles that occurred.  We should pay attention to the acts of the apostles, but given the opportunity to see God in action, I’d rather my eyes be focused on how God ‘s spirit works.

We miss the point when we seek signs and wonders.  Acts chapter 8 describes this very thing when Simon the wizard accepted Christ.  He sought the power of miracles over the increase in God’s love for humanity.  I’ve witnessed that desire in today’s Christian culture too, and if I’m honest, within myself at times.

Reading this book through the lens of wondering who God is and how He interacts from within us, specifically via His Holy Spirit in these passages, has helped me understand that God has always intended on doing life with His creation.  He’s chosen way is that Love works through man.  We need God’s spirit dwelling in us to be capable of living in love and unity, as the “Acts 2 church” so impressively did.

Another example was Stephen’s inspiring biography in Acts 6.  He’s described as, “a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit.”  It was God’s indwelling that made this man remarkable.  Stephen was not great on his own, but when filled with the Holy Spirit, no one could mistake that God was working through him.

The book of Acts reminds us that it is God’s story we are telling with our lives, and not our own.  It’s God’s glory we are to pursue.  We need not manufacture our own strengths for life because the Holy Spirit’s indwelling will enable us with energy and the grace that makes evident that God is indeed among us.  Praise God for such a gift!

Thanks so much for sharing your devotion with us. We look forward to more of them.