Truth about the Holy Spirit

Amos 7+8/Romans 7+8     

            There is no formula or equation for this. Either you are listening to the Holy Spirit or you’re not. We are either obeying the commands of Love or we are not. If we are seeking gray areas it is out of our sinful nature.

            We can’t forget Grace. We can’t forget love. That’s what the Spirit of God gives us. It’s out of Grace and Love that we are reconciled to God and are capable of doing anything productive.

            Why do we look for the catch? Why do we look for the trap door? So much time and energy is wasted on debating this minutia.

            Do I have the Spirit of God in me and am I obeying it in spite of the possible “ramifications” in this temporal world?

More like Dad

Hosea 11+12/ Matthew 15+16

            Everything that is not Christ or giving glory to Christ has the potential to replace Christ in my life. Love, job, sex, identity, relationships—they all need to point to Christ or just go away.

            This is hard for me. Deep down I want peace but I also want war. I love to agree and antagonize. I love to be helpful and humble and the Alpha Dog. I love to love people. I love to encourage. I love to watch people get saved. I love to pray over people and I hate to let people down.

            Christ. I need more Jesus Christ. I need more Holy Spirit. Jesus had the same bipolar in His ministry too. He loved everybody and showed compassion when needed but He also kicked butt when He needed. He did it perfectly. God enacts perfect wrath, judgment, and love all at the same time.

            Me, not so much.

            Lord, please teach me to be more like You. Let me love peace and justice. Let me show Grace, mercy, and strength in You all day to everyone.

                                                                                                -Amen

Keep the Change.

Song of Songs 7+8/ Acts 21+22

            I’m feeling a shift in my thinking. A “renewing of the mind” that I haven’t quite had before. It’s not a change of my point of view, but it feels like the way my mind processes, the way it functions, all of it, is changing. I’m not coming to new opinions but developing a new system of reasoning. I don’t feel like it’s me “growing up” but it’s me seeing how God sees. It’s the Holy Spirit changing me. It’s not manufactured for my benefit, but it’s stripping all the old and replacing it because all that stuff needs to go.

            I’m starting to see Jesus. I’m starting to want to feel like God feels. I’m not pushing it down. I’m letting whatever feelings, commands, visions, words, actions, etc. that God grants me just happen.

            This is freedom. I can’t explain what it feels like to not have to explain myself anymore. It’s amazing.

            Oh, there are plenty of sins, trials, and temptations. Things are far from perfect in the world around me and I respond poorly sometimes. Yet, this “peace that passes all understanding” is exactly that. When we feel peace in peacetime that’s a no-brainer. When we feel peace in chaos that’s either ignorance or supernatural.

            I know it’s not ignorance because I know I should be tweaking. I understand why people around me are worried, yelling, sinning, and putting hope in false idols. I’m just growing a supernatural inability to do that. That change is the Holy Spirit. That is the peace that passes. 

Proper order.

Song of Songs 1+2/Acts 19+20

The Bible is not unclear it is inconvenient. There is a lot less subtlety then we want to admit. The Bible goes nearly 100% what our sinful, broken bodies and psyches want to do. This is why we have a world and church full of people who are desperately trying to disregard the Bible and/or make it say what it doesn't say.

            Job. Church. god. That was Dimitrius’ argument against the Christians in Acts 20. That shows the religious person’s heart. god serves a purpose, gets us paid, makes us “better people” and if that gets threatened we fight.

            God. God. God. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Spirit. Spirit. Spirit. There is the focus of a Christian’s life. Okay, there should be the focus of the Christian life. All other stuff is a gift from God. The question that arises again is do we love God or do we just want His stuff?

Spreading the Word Spirit Style

Ecclesiastes 11+12/Acts 18

As a church we need the Holy Spirit so we know when to say what. He gives us that discerning power and what words to use. Paul wanted to go preach at some places and the Spirit shot him down. God wanted Paul elsewhere. Not every encounter with somebody needs to be a raucous attempt to convert. Everything we do needs to point to Jesus. Every time we go into a situation we should be prepared to give a testimony about what Jesus has done, is doing, and will do.

But first and foremost we need to obey God and His promptings. If we just wantonly try to convince people without the Spirit then we are salesmen trying to fill a quota. When we are so enamored with God’s love for us, we must share it and become His witnesses. There is a subtle, yet stark difference.