The Strait Gate

Category: Devotionals

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Insights From Bill Bright

What is the Spirit-Filled Life?

When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we are filled with Jesus Christ. We no longer think of Christ as One who helps us do some kind of Christian task but, rather, Jesus Christ does the work in and through us. Christ does not want us to work for Him. He wants us to let Him do His work in and through us. This is the glorious experience that the apostle Paul knew, as he described in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (NIV).

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Insights From Bill Bright

Testimonies of the Spirit Filled Life

In recent times, men like John Wesley, Jonathan Edwards, Charles Finney, Dwight L. Moody, Charles Spurgeon, G. Campbell Morgan, R. A. Torrey, Billy Graham, and scores of other Christian leaders who have been filled with the Holy Spirit have been greatly used to further the cause of Christ and His kingdom. However, the filling of the Holy Spirit is not limited to Christian leaders, but is available to every believer who meets God’s conditions. Read what some of these great people of God say about the importance of every Christian being filled with the Holy Spirit:

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Faith at Work Devotional

I Pray For You

When I think of the wisdom and scope of God’s plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it.

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Insights From Bill Bright

Power or Poverty?

Many people are experiencing poverty. Dr. Billy Graham has said that according to his research, at least 90 percent of all Christians in America are living defeated lives. Others who are in a position to know the spiritual pulse of America have made similar statements.

A life of spiritual poverty is completely unnecessary, and does not glorify God. The many thousands of promises recorded in the Word of God apply to every Christian. These promises include: assurance of God’s love (John 3:16), eternal life (Romans 6:23), forgiveness of sin (1 John 1:9), peace, comfort, provision, and many other promises.

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Faith at Work Devotional

Advantages of Adversity

Many of us in the business and professional world are accustomed to relying on a variety of resources: banks; key staff members; well-conceived goals; strategic plans; experience and expertise; personal finances. We pride ourselves at “pulling ourselves up by our own bootstraps.” Yet at times we must concede even our best efforts – and all of the resources we can muster – are not enough to overcome the obstacles we confront. At times like these, I have often remembered Jesus’ admonition: “Apart from Me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

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Faith at Work Devotional

Plus and Minus

The other day I was reviewing the past year. I wrote down a list of things that had occurred this year in my personal and business life. My mindset had been a bit of “what a tough year” and these are tough times at lots of levels. There have been difficulties!

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Insights From Bill Bright

Quiet Power

Our Lord, God in the flesh, was an example of sheer, unlimited power, but controlled and restrained for His mission, and driven by love. When we are filled with His Spirit, we have that same power inside of us. But He wants us to be vessels of His mission, to walk in His humility, and also to be driven by His love. Then people will not see us, but will see Him in us. Like Mother Teresa, we will display a power the world does not know. But His Spirit working in us will draw others to Himself.