August 13, 2025

“Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own.” – 1 Corinthians 6:19

Yesterday I was sitting in my office reading while a company was steam cleaning our carpets at the church. At one point, one of the young men poked his head in my door and said, “Pastor, I have a prayer request. Would you pray for me?” I had never met this young man before, but since he clearly saw that I was the pastor of the church, he apparently felt comfortable asking me to pray for him. This is something that happens on a regular basis for a lot of pastors. It is one of the incredible privileges of carrying that title. But it is actually the privilege of anyone who carries the name of “Christian.”

It is all too easy to keep our identity in Christ a secret for fear of persecution. But when we do that, we miss our opportunity to minister. There is great work to be done, not just in the world in general, but in the hearts of every man and woman around you. The Holy Spirit of God is living in you, and God’s ministry will be carried out through you. The way people are going to experience the healing that comes only from Jesus Christ is through those who bear his name. Wear that name with great honor and let those around you know who you are. You belong to Christ, so don’t be selfish with the life he has given you.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the inexpressible gift of the Holy Spirit. Keep us from living life for ourselves. Use us to do the ministry of Jesus Christ in the lives of the people around us.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Shane Cannon