Who to please

A person once said something like, "you can satisfy some of the people all the time; you can satisfy all of the people some of the time, but you can't satisfy all the people all the time." That spawns a very serious question, who are you trying to please and how often? Who was Pilate trying to please at Jesus' trial, God or the masses? Who were the masses trying to please, the trusted leaders or God? Who are you trying to please, yourself, your peers, or your Savior? Answering that last question is just as crucial for you as it was for the masses and for Pilate about two thousand years ago. "For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." - Gal. 6:8 (ESV) Who you are trying to please will either consecrate you or corrupt you! So choose this day to live in a way that pleases the Lord — not only is it the right way to live, but it also has eternal benefits!

Meditate

History is teaming with ways the word "meditate" has been used to describe the actions of people at various times in their lives. However, one of the general characteristics of this action is to pause from activities that fill our day with distractions. Once you have some extra time, what will you do with our thoughts? Unless you are asleep or distracted by TV, phones, or chores, your mind will continue to churn. You may think about what you did earlier in the day or what you have left to do, but you will think about something. When you have this time, a good choice is to read or listen God's word and think about what you have gathered. When we openly think about God's Word and talk to Him about the promises or divine counsel means, especially to you, this is the time the indwelling Holy Spirit will help the Christian become more aware of who God is and how He wants to or may already be strengthening you for the day or days ahead. The Bible is as insightful today as when it was first given to humankind. Let it be your guide in your own loving relationship with Him and others, because "The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times." - Psalms 12:6 (ESV)

Choices

In our everyday Christian spiritual battle, we make countless decisions. Realistically, some are good and some are bad; sometimes, we think, "I wish I had that to do over again, because I would do it differently." That mistake was a learning process! We often find ourselves struggling with the strength to choose between good, better, and best. If we consult the indwelling Holy Spirit, we will generally have a reasonable concept of what is good and bad; He prompts our consciences to help us. Many times, we try to respond in a way to accomplish some intended goal, but we may not be able to completely anticipate the results. Sometimes, a major challenge is the strength and confidence to act on our true beliefs. If we ask, the Holy Spirit can help with goal clarification, guidance, and strength to move forward on good, even excellent decisions - no matter how inconvenient this excellent decision may seem. Paul would say, “And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.” - Phil. 1:9-10 (ESV)

I Will Not Abandon You

While there can be many reasons, have you ever felt 'alone'? Usually, the numbing, aching loss is caused by the death of someone dear to us, however, the loss of a close friendship either by location or by disagreement can cause such a feeling. Jesus' disciples had observed, and perhaps experienced, such losses already. Now, the one who had restored all the emptiness was about to go away. Jesus knew he would soon return to the Father and execute the next steps for the salvation of all believers. Jesus understood this and said to them, "I Will Not Abandon You!" [Jesus said,] "No, I will not abandon you as orphans — I will come to you. Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you." — John 14:18-20 As the disciples loneliness was replaced by a closer relationship with Jesus after He left, we are not left alone either. When we accept Jesus as our savior, our brother, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit. He is the abiding reminder of Jesus' victory over death and his ascension to heaven with power. One day we will live with Him in the place He went to prepare for us.

News and Truth

News and truth aren’t always one and the same. While news is usually about the physical world around us, truth allows us a way to decipher what news we hear. Some recoil from the concepts of decipher and interpret what we experience. However, a small exercise can enlighten our understanding. Consider two people from very different backgrounds who experience the same event, perhaps a car accident or a tornado. When they talk about the experience, each will describe it slightly differently. Neither is attempting to mislead others in the discussion, their backgrounds cause them to remember different elements of the event. Police recognize this human quality and will interview many eyewitnesses in their investigation. Similarly, when two different people are shown a photograph, they will describe what they see in different ways. In order to gain truth, one must be able to set the action within its proper context. If the photo shows a man snatching a small child off the street, context might reveal he is a kidnapper, but it might also reveal he was snatching the child out of danger. Previous life experiences will guide our interpretation of events unfolding around us. We must realize this and always strive to seek the truth of our present experience. The news might say, "Child snatched from sidewalk." The truth might  be "Child snatched away from danger." This struggle is revealed in so many parts of daily life. The ultimate truth is that the Holy Spirit is always near by the Christian and will help them walk through the event and the ultimate truth revealed. 

What is "it?

When many people read Matthew 7:7-8, they may be thinking of material things they would like to acquire (food, drink, clothes, goods). However, please recall Jesus' previous words in Matt. 6:33: "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Jesus' ministry was acutely focused on the spiritual health of human creation. I suggest His focus was our spiritual life. As such, a valid translation based on the context might be:7 “Ask about righteousness and guidance toward the Kingdom will be given to you; seek righteousness and guidance toward the Kingdom and you will find help toward this goal; boldly pursue righteousness and guidance toward the Kingdom and barriers will be removed for you. 8 For everyone who asks about righteousness and guidance toward the Kingdom receives help; the one who seeks righteousness and guidance toward the Kingdom finds the path; and to the one who boldly pursues righteousness and guidance toward the Kingdom the gifted path to these goals will become apparent. 9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! If we will allow Him, the Holy Spirit will guide us toward the 'it'! "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." — Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV)

Proper Balance

 Referring to Ezek 11:2-4, Phil Ware admonishes Christians. "Our lives and the word of the Lord are needed to counterbalance the leaning of this culture which tends to put its own selfish slant on things.  Let's ask the Spirit to convict us of the lies we are told in our culture. Let's ask the Spirit to empower us to both live and speak God's truth with grace, truth, and power. Our lives and voices are needed to speak to people who are being sucked down the drain of sin and destruction by the many voices around them that do not speak the will of God."

Remembered

And I [John] heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with them" - Revelation 14:13 (ASV). To the disciples, Jesus described the Holy Spirit as the Comforter and promised the Spirit's abiding and comforting presence within those who accept His Sacrifice - John 14-16. Jesus' word for the Holy Spirit also could be understood as Advocate, Helper, and Counselor. The abundance of the Spirit's presence fills up the goodness of each of these terms. Those who have lived for Jesus are given two promises by the Spirit: Not only will they enjoy the rest of God, but also what they have done for the Lord will be remembered by the one who matters most. What we do for Jesus matters eternally, and it will not be forgotten! (Hebrews 6:10)

Feelings

Many people try to focus service to God only on facts from the Bible. This can be admirable, but we must not forget God made people with feelings. While they should not be the primary guides for the Christian life, they are nonetheless a vital part of it. At one point, we find the shortest verse in the Bible, "Jesus wept," Jn. 11:35. Many of the actions done by Jesus are accompanied with the understandings, the emotions, the feelings of the people surrounding Him.Imagine the feelings and wonder when He raised to son of the Widow outside Nain - desperation and sadness turned into relief and great joy - Lk. 7:11ff. Paul shared many struggles, and those struggles caused feelings, "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies - 2Cor. 4:8-10 (ESV). In difficult times, we need to focus on the feeling we have when we know someone is praying for us. Paul usually asked for prayers of success, that he could share the news of Jesus. One time however, he makes a global statement, "Brothers, pray for us." 1Thess. 5:25 (ESV). We need others to join us in our prayers. Paul would also say, "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" - Phil. 4:6-7 (ESV). We can feel the strength when we know others are praying for us. This is our Kingdom privilege.

Mortal bodies

Our physical bodies are mortal, limited, and temporary. We don't like to think about this fact or admit it to ourselves; but after a certain point in life, our bodies start to remind us regularly of this reality. The first few chapters of our Bible tell us that sin brought spiritual and physical death into the world. But there is a solution! When one becomes a Christian, their spiritual bodies were regenerated because of Jesus, by the work of the Holy Spirit. John remembered Jesus' words, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again[b] he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Jn. 3:3 (ESV) ([b] 'again' can easily mean 'from, above') We were recreated holy, and the Spirit came to live inside of us. So while our physical bodies are subject to decay, the person is also part of a greater realm. Christians are the place of God's life-giving work through the Spirit, work which will be realized when the same Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead also raises us and gives Christians immortal bodies that are beyond decay. While our physical bodies remind Christians of our mortality, the Holy Spirit is our reminder, our guarantee, our pledge for a life forever with God.  "He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit, " Gal. 3:14 (NIV)

John

Bible readers recognize John's gospel as very different from Matthew, Mark, and Luke. John's gospel is not riddled with as many Jewish references as Matthew, not as fast paced as Mark, and not as sequentially arranged as Luke, but like members of the Christian family, John offers insight the others do not. John's major focus seems to be the deity of Jesus and the respect that demands. Jesus is the Logos, the creator, the wisdom, the presence of God with humans; He is God made flesh (John 1:11-14). He speaks the words of God. His actions are the actions of God. He follows the will of God. Resting on Jesus and pervading His existence, the Spirit of God moves with absolute power and authority, yet in complete harmony with the will of God. All Jesus did was predicted in the writings before He lived. Jesus revealed and exhibited the true meaning of scripture. Jesus' desires, feelings, thoughts and actions mirror the what the Father wants because, "I and the Father are one." - Jn. 10:30 He is Immanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:23). He is the Son who fully reveals the Father because he operates fully by the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:16-21; Acts 10:37-38).

Confidence

Life in the earthly realm is challenging. When considering his situation, John Schnieder commented about life, "there are things that happen in everyday life that are wonderful, not so wonderful, and that are heart-wrenching." This is true for all of us; some challenges are caused by our own decisions, some are not. Times like these on earth are inescapable. When these events or situations arrive, that's when our confidence in the Lord's salvation and our relationship with Him is tested! We must persevere! Peter said, "These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world." - 1Pet. 1:7 (NLT). In these times, we must keep putting one step in front of the other trusting that the Holy Spirit will give us the strength for the next step. No matter how hard it is at the moment, don't give in to despair; let this struggle build confidence. God does not mind if we argue and complain to Him through the Holy Spirit, but never let go of His promise. The indwelling Holy Spirit is a seal of ownership and a guarantee Christ is coming back for us; don't quit! "Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised." - Hebrews 10:35-36 (NASB)

Rejuvenation

If we will pause and honestly consider our lives, we understand we are alive and will die one day. Realization of this truth should make us want the best for ourselves and others. "But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you." — Romans 8:10-11 NIV

Jesus' Life on Earth

Almost everything that Jesus did while on earth was predicted in the Old Testament; the Bible student really gets to view how He made it happen. Ezekiel says, “Then the Spirit lifted me [Ezekiel] up and brought me into the inner court, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. - Ezekiel 43:5 (NIV) First, Peter says, “you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5) Paul will also later describe the church as the temple of God, “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17) Further, speaking of unbelievers, he says, “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be! Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, "THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH." But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. (1 Corinthians 6:15-20). He then adds,“Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.” (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). To another group of people Paul says, “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord,” (Ephesians 2:19-22).

Yes, God’s people replaced the older temple He dwells within this new temple.

The Indwelling WORD

There are many ways to describe the operation of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and one of these best is closely related to Bible study. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God."— Colossians 3:16 (NIV)