Tag Archives: the Holy Spirit

November 11; It’s Thrilling

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Mark 16:9-20; Acts 1-2

Yesterday’s Scripture had me reaffirming my belief in the resurrected Jesus. Today Peter reminded me of the Old Testament Scriptures, prophecies that were perfectly fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

It must have been thrilling to have been part of those first few days at the beginning of the Church; the dramatic coming of the Holy Spirit, 3,000 people accepting Jesus in one day, then boldly being baptized in a public declaration of their faith in Him.

That act of baptism in itself is amazing considering they were aligning themselves with the very Man the Jews had just crucified a few short weeks before. Talk about thrilling!

But it is also thrilling to be part of God’s Church in 2019. Sometimes we get caught up in the negative, we lament the sin in our world, and wring our hands at the seemingly weakening of the Church.

But God is reminding me today that He is still alive and well and working in the hearts of all men and women in every corner of the world. Jesus still lives! The Holy Spirit is still present! Hearts are still being changed, and eternity is won every day.

Now that’s thrilling!

October 6; CANNOT

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Matthew 5:21-7:29

Every verse in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is a precious Truth that blesses and challenges me every time I read it. Today, however, it was one word that jumped out at me.

The other day I was convicted as I read that the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives has to show Himself in a change in our lives. (September 30; Baptized With The Spirit). There is no room for sin in the life of a believer because God does not stay where sin is.

I was reminded of that when I read 7:18, “A good tree CANNOT bear bad fruit, and a bad tree CANNOT bear good fruit. (emphasis mine)

Jesus was talking about recognizing false prophets. They look righteous, sound righteous, but they are really wolves in sheep’s clothing, Satan dressed up like a Christian.

I am once again reminded how important it is that my actions align with my profession of faith, that I am a light in a dark world, that I am able to address the speck in my brother’s eye because I have dealt with the plank in my own.

God CANNOT bear bad fruit. God CANNOT sin. God CANNOT think those thoughts, say those things, do anything which hurts or angers Himself. He CANNOT.

And if Jesus has really taken up residence in my heart, I can’t either, and be ok with it. If Jesus lives in me He WILL be seen.

Jesus said, “Thus by their fruit you will recognize them.” (verse 19)

People CANNOT NOT recognize Jesus if He lives in me.

September 30; Baptized With The Spirit

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Matthew 2:1-23, 3:1-12; Mark 1:1-8; Luke 2:41-52, 3:1-20; John 1:1-18

John baptized with water for repentance. But he was always quick to say One greater than he would come after him and baptize with the Holy Spirit.

The thing about saying baptism saves, or repeating a prayer saves is that it gives people a false sense of security. The Jews thought they had an in because they were circumcised. But the Bible clearly teaches nothing we do can save us. Not surgery, not a dip in the pool, and not even saying a prayer can save anyone.

What does it mean to be baptized with the Holy Spirit? Many people point to the dramatic initial coming of the Holy Spirit as recorded in the book of Acts, and say that receiving the Holy Spirit is accompanied by euphoric babble. (which is not at all what we see in Acts) There are many examples in the New Testament of quiet humility in response to God’s grace.

I was appalled when I Googled “receive the Holy Spirit,” and found dozens of books written on the topic: “How To Receive the Holy Spirit.” As if there is something we can do to force God’s hand, or demand that He give us the gift. Friend, put those books down.

Salvation comes when we repent of sin, turn from sin, and ask God to forgive us. The Holy Spirit is given to us the moment we accept Jesus as the Savior. You can’t separate the Trinity. Paul in I Corinthians 12, Romans 8, and Ephesians 1 makes it clear that if a person doesn’t possess the Spirit, he doesn’t belong to Christ; that when we believed we are sealed with the Holy Spirit. There is no indication that a person is saved, then receives the Spirit after jumping through some hoops.

I’ve always bristled when anyone talked about “true” Christianity, or people who are “really saved.” I found that to be judgmental. After all, how can we know a person’s heart?

Well, I am beginning to realize my non-judgmental take on salvation is not Biblical. God through His Word, is showing me I not only can, but I need to recognize what is true and what is false in my own life, and in the lives of those around me. John said to the crowd, “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” (Luke 3:8a) It wasn’t a suggestion.

How often did Jesus call people out for being hypocritical? How many verses can you find where Paul insists that the way we live is a direct result of our relationship with God? James went as far as to say, “faith without works is dead.”

If we receive the Holy Spirit when we repent of sin and accept God’s gift of grace through the blood of Jesus, then God Himself lives in us. Our lives have to look different than they did before that happened. They have to.

Being baptized with the Holy Spirit produces fruit. Galatians 5:22-23 says:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such there is no law.

Notice Paul says “fruit” not “fruits.” All these things listed above are a direct result of having the Spirit in us, being baptized with the Holy Spirit. All of them.

So, am I saying if a person is kind or patient, but isn’t gentle and self controlled he’s not filled with the Spirit, and therefore not a Christian?

I’m not saying that. But I’m beginning to think God is.

April 28; Home

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2 Samuel 5:6-12, 17-25, 6:1-11, 23:13-17; I Chronicles 11:4-9, 11-19, 14:1-2, 8-17, 13:1-14

Our worship service this morning centered around the second coming of Christ. I will tell you it made me a bit homesick thinking about the day God the Father will tell His Son, “It’s time to go and get my children.” What a day that will be!

Sometimes I read psalms like 101 that speak of God making things right, and I find myself asking, “When?” When will slanderers be put to silence? When will evildoers be cut off? And then I am reminded that God warned us things would not be easy while we walk this earth. Evil still exists because God still wants to save evil people.

The pastor reminded us when Jesus ascended into heaven, He promised to send the Comforter. God Himself lives within all of us who know Jesus as our Savior. Is there anything too hard for God?

So today, as I consider who God is, I am so grateful that He is mine, so humbled by His love, and so underserving of any of it. One day I’ll look into those eyes, hold those nail-scarred hands, and know I am home.

January 15; The Man Upstairs

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Job 35-37

People who know about God may think like Elihu. In fact, most false religions in the world have gods like the one Elihu describes.

Do you know people who refer to God as, “the man upstairs?” There are some who picture God on a cushy throne, wine glass in hand, feet up and eyes closed, with no thought of his creation, no involvement in the lives of his people. In a sense, it’s convenient to believe in a god like that. What does he care how I live my life?

Some people might think of God as a big old bully, sitting up there in heaven with lightning bolts in his fists, hurling them at helpless people like a villain in a video game. “Take that, human!”

Nature does declare God’s power. But Jesus reveals a different side of God; the softer side, the side that loves and cares for people, the side of God that rubbed shoulders with the least of us, and called us His friends. Jesus told us God not only sees every sparrow out there, not only counts every hair on our heads, He wants to gather us up like a chicken gathers her chicks to protect us.

The truth, contrary to what Elihu would have you believe, is that you DO matter to God. He DOES answer when you call out to Him, and He DOES listen to your pleas. Not only that, but if we are clothed in Jesus’ righteousness, we can have an intimate relationship with this great God of ours. That means everything to Him.

Do you know this personal, great God of ours? He’s not at all like “the man upstairs.” He is here, right now, and He wants you to know Him.

Leviticus 8-9; The Holy Spirit

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I understand that oil in the Old Testament represented the Holy Spirit. Oil played an important role in the sacrifices, and in the ordination of Aaron and his sons. I am reminded that the oil was important because the Holy Spirit was not living in men at that time.

Do I understand how blessed I am in 2017? When God says He will never leave or forsake me, He means it! And the Presence of the Holy Spirit lives in me.

Lives in me.

What more is there to say?

Exodus 39-40; Not For Show

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The shewbread or “bread of the face,” or “bread of the Presence” has never really caught my attention before. But after doing a bit of research, I am thanking God for the precious truth that loaf represents.

Twelve loaves of bread, baked with the finest flour, were arranged every week on the table in the Tent of Meeting. It was there as a display, set out representing the Presence of God among the twelve tribes of Israel. The bread, however, was not to be eaten by anyone, no matter how hungry they might be.

Then, after a week, new loaves replaced the old ones, and the priests ate the week-old bread on the Sabbath. It serves as another example of Jesus.

Before the cross, God was accessible to only a few chosen people, and only periodically. Oh, His Presence was visible. Just not touched.

Then Jesus said, “I AM the Bread of Life,” and “Take, eat…” God is no longer out of reach to those who accept Him.

Fill me, Lord. Thank You for Jesus, the Bread of Life. Thank You for making Yourself accessible to us through Your Holy Spirit. Thank You for being everything I need for life and eternity. I want more of You. Fill me, Lord.

November 25 – Walk In The Spirit

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Galatians 4-6

If we walk by the Spirit, it has to be evident. The Holy Spirit living in me just can’t look like everyone else. He is God, after all.

When we put our faith in Jesus, God sends His Spirit to take up residence. The evidence of that will translate into love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Paul tells us we are free from the chains of sin and free to live godly lives. But he also warns not to let our freedom in Christ turn into an opportunity for the flesh.

“…walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.”

This tells me temptations will continue to come, even after I’ve given my heart to the Lord. But through the Holy Spirit in me, I have the power to resist.

I want the Holy Spirit living in me to be evident to everyone I come in contact with. Not because I want them to think what a nice person I am. But because I want them to recognize the amazing God living in me, and want Him in their lives, too.

November 16 – Transformers

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Acts 1-3

Is anyone else blown away by the change in Peter? He was an uneducated fisherman who had become a disciple of Jesus. He was a bit impulsive. What did he do when Jesus asked him to pray for Him? Peter fell asleep. More than once. And when things got sketchy, our hero denied even knowing Jesus… three times. That after swearing to Jesus he’d be faithful.

Uneducated. Impulsive. Weak. That’s the Peter we know and love.

So what happened? If you read these first chapters in Acts you’ll see a confident, articulate, controlled leader. The first sermon he ever preached saw 3,000 converts. That sermon, and his second recorded in chapter 3, are still speaking to hearts thousands of years later.

And, dear one, these things happened only weeks after Jesus’ death on the cross. Peter hadn’t gone to seminary, or watched You Tube videos on public speaking techniques. The change in Peter happened after the Holy Spirit filled him.

You and I have the same Holy Spirit in us, once we repent of sins and accept Jesus’ gift of forgiveness. That same Spirit that transformed Peter has the power to transform us, too.

If you have kids, you know what Transformers are. They are toys that can morph from one form to another. The child is in control. He manipulates a few parts, and you have a powerful robot to fight their battles. It’s a completely different toy. The transformed toy doesn’t look like the original toy at all.I thought of that when I read about Peter.

Because Peter was transformed when the Holy Spirit took control. And the transformation is astounding.

Do you have the attitude that God can’t use you? You’re too shy. Or uneducated. You don’t know what to say. Your past is too ugly. You can’t sing, and you would probably die before you had to stand in front of a Sunday School class full of eight-year-olds. That’s the old you.

If you know the Savior, the Holy Spirit is living within you. And if you adopt the attitude of, “I can’t” you are telling the Spirit that HE can’t. Do you really want to go there?

I believe God wants us to be His Transformers. He wants to change us, to use us, to morph us into vessels through which He can reach the world. He transformed Peter in a dramatic way.

And He’s transforming lives still today. Has He transformed you?

September 10 – All Of Me

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Ezekiel 42-43

These chapters have me asking myself what it means to be the temple of God in 2016. It occurs to me I was thinking way too small.

I have asked Jesus into my heart. I’ve pictured my repentant heart as the place where God lives on earth. But as vital as my heart is, it’s not everything.

Ezekiel reports that God said, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne, and the place of the soles of my feet…” (43:7)

Have you ever seen the old Steve Martin movie, “All of Me”? I think one of the funniest scenes in the movie is when the “spirit” of Lily Tomlin’s character enters Martin’s character. Watching Martin trying to navigate his steps, while being controlled by that spirit just cracks me up every time. Martin has to learn to walk, and talk, and move as one with that spirit. The challenge comes when Martin tries to take control and move independently of the spirit.

Being God’s temple is kind of like that. If God’s spirit is in me, He not only controls my thoughts and feelings, but my fingers and toes, my voice… all of me! His throne, His dwelling place, reaches down to the soles my feet.

And my life can’t be complete, I can’t maneuver through this life effectively, or be of any use to God, until I learn to move as one with His Spirit.

Father, Take all of me. My heart, my thoughts, down to the soles of my feet. May my arms be Your arms, my feet be Your feet, my elbows and knees and eyes and tongue, be controlled by You alone. I submit myself… all of me… to You.