Love

As we study the description of early Christians marshalled by Paul, sometimes called, “Fruits of the Spirit,” we find that each descriptor is only one part of the gift (not gifts) of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22ff). This gift is set in contrast to works of the flesh which some people are doing in a continuous fashion. As elements of the gift of the Holy Spirit continuously unfold in your Christian life, your walk along your own unique personal spiritual journey will perhaps astound and convict others of their need to believe in God and seek His grace for reconciliation with Him. The first element of this gift Paul spoke about is love. This is perhaps the most difficult element to grasp; Paul describes it further in 1Cor. 13:1-13. Love is like a multifaceted gem. As one moves it around, up, down, or in spiral fashion, light reflected from it changes reflections and perhaps intensities on surrounding surfaces. Diamonds are one the usual gems we think about in the sense of durability and permanence. Some people are labeled as a “diamond in the rough.” But, above the Cut, Color, and Clarity which drives Cost, there is also purity. When many diamonds are viewed under high magnification, they have some anomaly that reduces their value - they have a defect; some are redirected to manufacturing uses. This is an excellent example of people. Stated simply, people are different; all people have some defect, and must not be discarded because of this. However, they have various facets of these differences and thus different needs. Showing love to many has a facet of accepting the individual for where they are in their life, with all its baggage. (we might not agree, but we should not reject, and look to their future). There is also the facet of desiring them to follow Jesus and be guided by the Holy Spirit. The baggage may help or hinder their velocity along their path of understanding, acceptance, and sanctification. There may be some who take a break for a period of time before moving forward. These may be times when it seems your prayers are not sufficient for your desires. In these times, you must remember that love does not push a person to the point you want them to be, it walks beside them as they find their own unique individual spiritual journey. Rejoice in those who have begun this journey and let the Holy Spirit guide them according to their unique needs. This was the pathway Jesus followed.

Lack of Understanding

Pointing out our lack of understanding of our God's (or indwelling Holy Spirit's) work in our surroundings, Sarah Young wrote, "I AM TAKING CARE OF YOU. Feel the warmth and security of being enveloped in My loving Presence. Every detail of your life is under My control. Moreover, everything fits into a pattern for good, to those who love Me and are called according to My design and purpose. Because the world is in an abnormal, fallen condition, people tend to think that chance governs the universe. Events may seem to occur randomly, with little or no meaning. People who view the world this way have overlooked one basic fact: the limitations of human understanding. What you know of the world you inhabit is only the tip of the iceberg. Submerged beneath the surface of the visible world are mysteries too vast for you to comprehend. If you could only see how close I am to you and how constantly I work on your behalf, you would never again doubt that I am wonderfully caring for you. This is why you must live by faith, not by sight; trusting in My mysterious, majestic Presence. {Romans 8:28 (amp); Job 42:1–3; 1 Peter 5:7; 2 Corinthians 5:7} We must remember we are children of the King, the creator and maintainer of the universe."
There is much encouragement here, however, this presentation seems to set aside our choice for dependance on the Holy Spirit to guide us along our unique independent spiritual journey. We must realize that God is most interested in the eternal destination of His children. While He may bless us physically in ways we can realize, His primary focus for physical blessings is providing all people opportunities to move closer to Him. Jesus said, "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” - Jn 16:33 (ESV) The Holy Spirit works in ways we cannot comprehend, but His working is in line with Scripture. Scripture is clear that humans make the final choice and thereby are responsible for their actions. The real challenge is whether of not one follows the guidance they understand.

Context of Light

Hebrew can be a very challenging language to fully understand without careful study. This very graphic and culture-based language is highly dependent on the immediate context. It greatly relies on event driven language based on word or phrase pictures. This phraseology is used in many places in which the context is focused on various spiritual and moral decisions. In the Old Testament word pictures, places near to God were dominated by light (a non-consuming, burning bush (Ex. 3:1-17); light leading God’s people, Ex. 13:21-22); the parallel is that areas or places away from God are in darkness, even chaos as was the world before God made light. This method of communication is also used in the New Testament. This visualization carries over into the New Testament and those who followed God were described by a picture of providing “light,” or godly direction to others. Jesus would say, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” – Matt. 5:14-16 (ESV). As we travel along our unique individual spiritual journey led by the Holy Spirit, God’s people should display godly qualities to those who observe their actions. Along this journey, we must realize we still are sinful people; while we are continually cleansed, we must allow the Holy Spirit to guide us more completely.

Clothing

Those who attempt to follow Jesus' teaching need to walk very carefully, because our surroundings may be physically and spiritually dangerous; some people will be affected differently. Our appearance (clothing) should reflect wisdom and concern for others. We must depend on the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide us correctly. "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." Eph. 5:15-16 (NIV); "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." Col. 3:12 (NIV) This is evidence the Holy Spirit guides us.

Many people say harsh things about the Jewish people and their practices. However, it is helpful to remember most of them admitted they were sinners; they used God’s commands and the feast of Passover to push forward these sins until the promised Messiah came. They were always responsible for the payment of them, but it was a “not just yet,” settlement. The Jews celebrated the TORAH, or teachings, that informed them of what actions were sinful. They wanted to know what God desired. When Jesus died and people believed it Him, all these “pushed forward” sins, vanished - there was no more spiritual responsibility for them. Christians now live in a continually cleansed state (1 Jn. 1:7), however, we remain sinful people, "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." - 1 Jn. 1:8 (ESV). It seems nowadays people want to claim sin is not really bad and even deny personal sinfulness. One of the tasks of the indwelling Holy Spirit is to convict humans of sinful behavior. Jesus said, “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.” – Jn. 16:8 (ESV). James would add to this and say, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” – Jas. 5:16 (ESV). Everyone has sinned and will continue to sin (Rom. 3:23), but Jesus blood continually cleanses the Christian and God, the Holy Spirit dwells within.

On to the battle

Inspired by the Holy Spirt, Paul alerts the Ephesians of a constant potential encounter with spiritual forces greater than they can imagine. They needed to understand what to look for and how to protect themselves, at a moment’s notice, “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,” – Eph. 3:15-18 (ESV). In addition to this armor and charge, Paul tells Timothy about an unequaled resource for this struggle, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” – 2 Tim. 3:16-17 (ESV). Military personnel are instructed to protect themselves and their comrades; Christians could accurately be considered soldiers of Christ. These soldiers need to use this arsenal to protect ourselves and others. A weapon that is not used is useless for the battle. We must intentionally choose to use God’s word for a resource and ask the Holy Spirit to lead us into battle. Various Christians will likely have different challenges and battles to fight, but the Holy Spirit will empower them as needed along their unique individual spiritual journey, if they ask Him to do so.

Alpha - Omega

The Holy Spirit moved over the chaos at creation and brought order, “The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” Gen. 1:2 (ESV). In the same manner, the Holy Spirit brought order to God’s earthly creation, along with Jesus (Jn. 1:2-5). These two also worked in symphony to bring a pathway to complete salvation for the entire world. Paul reveals through the Holy Spirit, “For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?” – Rom. 8:22-24 (ESV). By depending on this hope, He can bring order to our struggling lives. When we are struggling with spiritual issues we may become spiritually dehydrated. These are the times we need to remember where to quench our spiritual thirst and strengthen our commitment. Disclosed in the last book of the bible, [God the Spirit] brought Jesus' words to [John]: “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment."  - Rev. 21:6 (ESV). As Christians, we need to trust the Holy Spirit to lead us along our unique individual spiritual journey to Jesus. As we do this, we acknowledge that we thirst for the presence of the Holy Spirit and request He refresh our lives to glorify God.

Synagogue

As we study the Bible, occasionally we encounter the word “synagogue.” Many times, we might think of it like a place the Jews went for worship or conversation, like a church or cathedral, but this would be a very limited understanding of a synagogue in the First century. A township might have several synagogues because they were really the hub for that particular culture. A culture is adequately defined as “the shared opinions of a group of people.” As such, the synagogue was essentially the axis for a town or group of people. In the First century, there were Jewish and Gentile synagogues to support the different cultures. In 18th to 20th century rural United States, the concept was represented by the town center where news related to the area was found. The actual location may have been local shops, bars, possibly the county court house where information was shared about the entire county. Perhaps larger towns had several locations where more local news was shared. Citizens considered being a part of this group was critical to their physical and social survival. During the time Jesus was living in the flesh, some people who followed Jesus were predicted to be ”cut off” or excommunicated from their surrounding culture, “they will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.” – Jn. 16:2(ESV). For this incident, also consider the parents who were reserved, “(His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.)” – Jn. 9:22 (ESV). Few people handle rejection very well, and the larger the group which rejects one, usually the painful experience is greater. Nowadays, many of the local social activities have moved away from this approach, but the courthouse remains as a business center for the county business communication; various church sites remain as centerpieces for Bible study and activities focused on serving God. Added to this, many have become more individualistic or autonomous and do not personally depend on the larger community as in the past.

Fear

Fear of the unknown can paralyze a person. Humans have an innate sense of self-protection. There are physiological auto-response actions and emotional response actions sometimes used to protect our existence. Some people can be so fearful, they are afraid to do most anything. However, many different things in any given day are activities we have not previously done, and so have unknown requirements or unexpected results and ramifications. Some of this fear or hesitancy can be overcome by trust in whomever may be advising or guiding the person. Strong trust is usually built on a history of positive results and lack of criticism or rejection. One key to this is a person doing the things they say or promise they will do. The stronger the history of such actions, the stronger is the trust a person can be trusted or expected to do what they say. Many people can be known by their expected actions, good or bad; this expectation becomes a kind of trust. Regarding our salvation, we can trust Jesus because He did what God asked Him to do and then  sacrificed himself for us. God demonstrated His acceptance of Jesus' actions by raising Him from the dead. Some translations use the word “trust,” for “believe” in Jn. 14:1-6. [Jesus said] “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” - Jn. 14:1 (ESV). To be functional in society, we must learn who to trust to what level. We must pursue this trust, depending on the Holy Spirit, for guidance toward the best decisions along our unique individual spiritual journey.

Emotions

Emotions are very powerful for motivating and convicting people. Spirit filled Jesus displayed several emotions handled in a manner honoring the Father. Jesus showed great sadness over how His people treated His messengers, symbolized by Jerusalem; in anger, He overturned the tables of money changers at Passover; He wept because of Lazarus' death; He was greatly distressed before being arrested and crucified. An encouragement for us is that all this happened while indwelled by the same Holy Spirit that indwells us. It is unlikely any of us will ever experience something like crucifixion, but the Holy Spirit was constantly there. No matter how stressful or emotional our struggles become, the Holy Spirit will not leave us, He will attempt to strengthen us as much as we will allow. We must make the choice; only we can open up ourselves to Him and His guidance or push Him away. "Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us." 1Jn. 3:24. (NIV)

Clothing

Those who attempt to follow Jesus' teaching need to walk very carefully, because our surroundings may be physically and spiritually dangerous; some people will be affected differently by the situations they encounter. Our appearance (clothing) should reflect wisdom and concern for others. We must depend on the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide us correctly. "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." Eph. 5:15-16 (NIV); "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." Col. 3:12 (NIV) This is should motivate us to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us.

Freedom to worship God

 I read a message for encouragement from Israel Bible Institute about Passover and the deliverance from Egypt after so many years of slavery. Because of His love, God promised to deliver Israel. “Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm (בִּזְרוֹעַ נְטוּיָה) and with great judgments (Ex. 6:6).” This deliverance was not only a deliverance from harsh treatment in slavery, but also a deliverance to better serve God. Many times, we become fascinated with the account because of amazing physical benefits these slaves received, not only freedom, but great financial gain. When we do this, perhaps we overlook the greatest benefit was an exit from those who controlled their lives - by those who did not believe in God. Some believers today, follow a similar pathway. They want God to bless them physically, yet they overlook the freedom they possess to worship God because of His grace and love. We must remember that our God is the one to be worshipped and followed willingly, not forced.

Warnings

In our present lives, many of us almost scoff at warnings about possible changes. We live in a culture that takes for granted our surroundings because many have never experienced lack of those blessings. We really do take many things for granted, until we experience their removal. History is filled with examples of individuals and nations who have experienced this in both physical and spiritual arenas. When we become Christians, we are assured a place in heaven and a struggle to get there. Jesus told His disciples, "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” – Jn. 16:33 (ESV). Sometimes we focus too much on the struggle. Yes, there is a struggle, but we walk with the victors along our unique individual spiritual journey. We should not take the Holy Spirit’s guidance for granted. We should ask Him to help us and look for opportunities to follow His guidance. Sometimes this guidance may come from warnings or possibilities from others.

Conscience

How often do we think about our consciences? A good description of one's conscience is: "a part of our thought process which helps us make decisions based on personal understanding of our core beliefs." It may also constantly remind us of any poor choices; it may seem like a constant thought about something that 'just won't go away.' Without a God-centered base, one's conscience may consider ungodly actions as normal and expected. When one accepts God's plan and the Holy Spirit lives within them, their conscience also undergoes a cleansing transformation; actions that displease God become no longer considered as acceptable. "Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins." Heb. 9:14 (NLT). Our conscience is one way the Holy Spirit leads us along our unique individual spiritual journey of sanctification.

Different and Precious

Fingerprints and retinal scans illustrate that every person alive is slightly different physically. Each person has slightly different personalities, interests, abilities, and desires, this makes us all distinctive. When these physical differences are paired with different cultures, backgrounds, and experiences, each person becomes truly unique. But Jesus loves these unique people, and so should His people, whether or not they are believers. “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.” – Jn. 16:8-11 (ESV). When we consider this conundrum, accepting people does not mean we agree with them, but we acknowledge their ability to believe whatever they want. Likely, for any other person who is alive or has lived, there are topics with which we fully agree and others with which we completely disagree; this is what makes us unique. The Holy Spirit will guide us to accept these unique people, if we will allow Him to do so. Because we do not believe a certain thing now does not mean we may never believe something similar or identical in the future. All Christians are walking on a unique individual spiritual journey led by the Holy Spirit. We need to remember other people may be at a different place on their own journey. Each person will probably have different hills, valleys, twists and turns on this journey to help address their unique weaknesses and achieve full sanctification. When we recognize this, we become open to accepting the person’s present situation and accepting help from them and sharing help with others as needed. When we accept ourselves and others as they are and attempt to help one another, Satan’s attacks are thwarted.

Tough times

Most Christians will encounter one or more times when they feel overwhelmed to some degree by the life circumstances they encounter. A life dedicated to Christ does not remove one from the struggles accompanying human life, but it does provide an alternative method to overcoming these times. Perhaps an accident ends a fervent dream and enjoyable activity, or incessant pain robs us of what little energy we can muster, then maybe a loved one is taken from us. We might think, “how can I bear any more, please make this stop.” These are times the Christian can closely relate to Paul’s description of the creation groaning due to disorder and chaos. We must realize we have a partner in suffering. Our troubles may not go away, but we should realize our experiences are part of a larger struggle against Satan. All these experiences are part of our unique individual spiritual journey. However, each is a struggle shared with the indwelling Holy Spirit. The one suffering never must consider that are never alone in their struggles because the Holy Spirit is always close by. Not only this, but also our struggles can be an encouragement to other people as well and a statement to satanic powers which would like to discourage us that we depend on God and we await an inherited residence with God, void of pain and struggles.
What should Christians do when they encounter- one of these tough situations? As a Christian, one should realize they are never experiencing these circumstances alone. After His baptism, Jesus was never alone. If one needs to vent, complain, shout, or cry, the indwelling Holy Spirit understands and will provide calming if the person will focus on Him. Jesus was hurt due to rejection and lamented over the struggles He found I Jerusalem, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 38 See, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” – Matt. 23:37-39, (ESV) cf. also Lk. 13:31-35; then about the impending future,  “And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” – Lk. 19:42-44 (ESV) He also wept when Lazarus died, {Jn. 11:35}. As one begins to read, listen to, or contemplate scripture, this action shifts their focus away from the troubling issue and replaces the emotion with focus on God.

Health

A prominent discussion in our society is eating, both for health and weight management. For a balanced life, we need to pay as much attention to the words we speak as the food we eat. The words we speak reflect the spiritual food we have consumed. The words we speak communicate our beliefs, feelings, and attitudes. Jesus said "Not that which goes into the mouth defiles a man; but that which comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man...what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. {Matt. 15:11, 18} (NIV) We must carefully guard what we say, because it can be so easily misinterpreted. "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” - Eph. 4:29 (NIV)

Discerning

There is a real difference between listening, hearing, and understanding. While the Jews referenced below struggled, people with the indwelling Holy Spirit, find hearing and understanding an easier task. Christians should learn from history. The Roman church was uprooted when all Jews were expelled from Rome about AD49 by Emperor Claudius. The Jews went probably throughout the world, cf. Rom. At this, the church became completely Gentile. After about 5 years, Nero began to rule and the Jews were allowed to return. The Jewish Christians returned to a completely different environment. There was great tension to understand how these believers were to become integrated again. Now. there were Jews who did not believe in Christ, Jews who did believer, and Gentiles who were viewed as unclean by most Jews. These groups started arguing with each other, Paul interrupted: Being in disagreement with one another, they were dismissed after Paul had said one message, “The Holy Spirit accurately spoke to our fathers through Isaiah the prophet,  ‘Go to this people and say: You shall certainly hear, but never understand; and you shall certainly see, but never perceive; for the heart of this people has grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and they have closed their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them." Acts 28:25-27 (Modern English Version). This is the context for the letter to the Romans. Unbelievers, believers, and Gentiles attempting to follow their beliefs. Today, we can view a similar conundrum around us. Believers need to hold on to that conviction and follow their unique individual spiritual journey as the Holy Spirit leads them. We need to discern what is good and honorable. We need to reach out to others as best we can, but we must realize, the decision to follow Jesus is ultimately their own.

Changed

There are times when we forget or don’t understand the seriousness of sin. The consequence of sin is separation from God. Like physical death which is a separation of life forces from the body, spiritual death is separation of spiritual life forces (God) from the person. The way to remove sin and reestablish a spiritual life force in humans requires a blood sacrifice from a perfect human. Because of their choices, humans can never offer a perfect blood sacrifice. But, when Jesus came to earth and lived a perfect life, He was able to offer the required perfect blood sacrifice as payment for sins committed. When Jesus died, he assumed ALL the sins of the world and offered payment for them.  When Jesus was raised from death, this meant God was satisfied with the blood sacrifice as payment for sins and restored life. He will do the same for all those who will allow themselves to become attached  to the one sacrificed. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” - 2 Cor. 5:21 (ESV). Once sins are eviscerated, the element that separated us from God is removed and we are able to allow the resident Holy Spirit to guide us toward living lives God wants for His people. We begin a unique individual spiritual journey of sanctification until we die or Jesus returns.

Advocate

Some of the guidance provided by Jesus to honor the Father seems foreign and difficult for us to understand and do. God calls (invites) believers to do things that He has designed to help ourselves and others along our unique independent spiritual journey. Those of us who reach out to the Holy Spirit will find more than adequate spiritual help, "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do," Eph. 2:10 (NLT). We must admit WE don't know the best ways to reach out to others but depend on the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide us; He will lead us to do the proper things (good works or actions). "If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth." Jn. 14:15-17a (NLT)

Overlook

When believers read the scriptures, we sometimes remember the statement, “Every writing which is written by The Spirit is profitable for teaching, for correction, for direction and for a course in righteousness,” – 2 Timothy 3:16 (Aramaic Bible in English). Yes, the Holy Spirit led men to record these thoughts in scripture, but we may have become insensitive to an issue that confuses our understanding of the message. Many times, some try to systematize all the teachings seeking complete harmony, struggling with, or ignoring the various nuances. The truths remain, but they can sometimes be stated in slightly different ways. Essentially, we forget that the letters were written to different groups of people in slightly different cultures with various and perhaps different struggles. The specific instructions in the letters remain invariable, but there are some different nuances based on the precise struggle of individual groups of people to whom many of the letters were written. Not only were the Jew and Gentile daily life activities somewhat intermixed, but also the local culture had bearing on the difficulties people faced at that time; not all groups of new Christians had the same struggles. Moreover, when we read the scriptures, we tend to compress the timeframe so that our perception becomes skewed. Jesus’ ministry lasted about three years, while the twelve and Paul’s over twenty. If we think about the time required for some of the described events in Jesus’ and the apostle’s ministries to occur, we find some were separated by months or even years. Our present culture is more focused on rapid action and response than that of the first century. This realization should guide us toward caution for comparing time to achieve desired life changes in ourselves - they might not always materializing quickly. As we traverse our unique individual spiritual journey, we must realize events and changes will probably not appear quickly, but are a gradual shift into another mindset. As we walk in the light as He is in the light, (1 John 1:7), we must recognize our pathways may not mirror those of others. We should extend grace to others while the Holy Spirit guides them on their unique pathway. We should, "Bear with on another," (Eph. 4:2). Since we are following God’s timeframe, the time between episodes of anyone's specific training by the Holy Spirit may not arrive as quickly as we might desire or expect. All of us must negotiate our unique individual journey to sanctification at the rate directed by the Holy Spirit. We need to continually watch for opportunities in which we can serve the direction of the Holy Spirit.

Next opportunity

Sometimes when we get in a stressful spiritual situation and the tension then relaxes, we have a sense of relief. We may even say to ourselves, “I am glad that is finished. I am so thankful the Holy Spirit helped me be brave." This is a welcome relief, but sometimes this may be a calm before another challenge. If we think it was an attack by Satan, we need to be on our guard and continually ask the Holy Spirit for help as we move along our unique individual spiritual journey. Luke reveals his cunning and relentless nature, because Satan will wait for the next moment of weakness from exhaustion or stress to attack again. These are the times we should remember this is exactly what Jesus faced after His temptation, “And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.” - Luke 4:13 (ESV). This might be a bit unsettling, but we really are in a full-scale war with anti-Christian forces. The deceiver will choose the most opportune time and perhaps other methods for the next attack. Jesus and his disciples overcame encounters with all sorts of demons. However, for Jesus, the leader, the deceiver chose the people who were supposed to be the ones leading people toward God. Instead of welcoming God’s direction, they used one of His disciples to help remove God in flesh. But, in spite of all Satan’s schemes, Jesus was raised from the tomb and lives within each of His followers via the indwelling Holy Spirit. Jude realized this and wrote, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.” – Jude 20-21 (ESV). While he can't extract Christians without their consent, his tactics change with the culture and the individual; he continues his ferocious assaults, pulling and pushing us in efforts of distraction. We should remember that the same Holy Spirit who helped Jesus, resides within us, waiting to be asked for help; we should embrace Him in our prayer life every opportunity we have, and ask for His guidance. He will help us as we need along our unique individual spiritual journey, if we ask.

Competition

Competition is almost a law of nature. Struggles for domination are observed as part of the life cycle of living organisms. They compete to survive; they compete for sustenance, they compete for life itself, they compete to reproduce. In order to survive they must overpower other organisms seeking the available sources of nourishment. Plants and animals compete for sunlight and water. Animals compete for the ability to reproduce. Many of Jehovah’s crowning creation find themselves in competition regularly, some is friendly banter and some is brutal aggression. Adam and Eve were told to “subdue creation.” The intention was to work together not in competition with each other. To balance the desire to subdue, YHWH gave this greatest of His creation a desire to consider other organisms of life respectfully. They were not only valuable as His creation, but even more as a builders of the future. Most things are best understood related to the spiritual realm. If the competition is with Satan for the souls of people, the competition is worth the investment; but remember this is a battle already won if the person so chooses, and one should not trade their own salvation trying to win another, this is the responsibility of the Holy Spirit. "Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted." Gal. 6:1 (NASV)

Send me

A song we sing as kingdom people from time to time is titled, “Holy, Holy, Holy.” This song can remind us of Isaiah’s vision of the Lord, “In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.  Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.  And one called to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!”
And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.  And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” The last sentence should be a powerful motivator to spring us into action. When we accept Jesus, many of us realize the precious gift we have been given and recognize that there are others who also need this gift that brings them closer to God. At some point, we need to accept that we are the instruments used by the Holy Spirit’s to accomplish His plans. We need to make the statement, “Here I am! Send me.” Our activities may not look like those of others, but if we focus on guidance by the Holy Spirit, we will achieve the results He desires.

Different and precious

Fingerprints and retinal scans illustrate that every person alive is slightly different physically. When these physical differences are paired with different backgrounds, interests, and experiences, each person becomes truly unique. We are different and precious! Yes, Christians live life on a unique individual spiritual journey, ever striving to be more like what God wants us to become. Corrected mistakes leave informational and emotional memories. Many times the emotional memory is easier to recall than the raw information. We should not fear making mistakes, but we should attempt to follow the guidance by the Holy Spirit and avoid mistakes that have severe physical and spiritual ramifications. Paul told the Thessalonians, “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” - 1 Thess. 5:23 (ESV). Yes, Christians live in a state of being declared clean, but we remain sinful beings constantly attempting to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who Jesus left to help us.

Solace

Someone wrote, "Peace is to be found in the acceptance of things we are unable to change." This is a profound statement, however we are creatures that change constantly and need to be careful how we change. Paul wrote, "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better " - Eph. 1:17. If spiritual peace begins to elude our everyday lives, we must better submit to the Holy Spirit's guidance. He will prompt us to follow pathways that honor God.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a topic with which many of us struggle. True thanksgiving is displayed that we recognize someone or something has greater value or worth than ourselves. We are surrounded by many people who display a view of great self-worth. When we say, “Thank you,” we elevate the other person above ourselves. We each seek to be accepted by others because of our words or actions. When we elevate God above ourselves, it becomes easier to say, “Thank you,” to God through the prompting of the Holy Spirit, who lives within His people. Christians need to be humble toward God, and vigilant toward other people. The great apostle Paul humbled himself before others (2Cor. 11:7-12). Christians need to display an attitude of gratitude towards the Holy Spirit who guides them toward God’s desires, continually. We only need to ask for His help. Psalm 50 encourages all hearers about thanksgiving, “If I were hungry, I would not tell thee; For the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, Or drink the blood of goats? Offer unto God the sacrifice of thanksgiving; And pay thy vows unto the Most High; And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. – Psa. 50:12-15 (ASV).

Fire

There are places in the United States that periodically experience wildfires. When the fuel and conditions are suitable, a wildfire can consume many thousands acres of grass and forest land quickly, not to mention homes and business structures. The area in the aftermath of a wildfire is forever changed. Residents are a different challenge; they are driven by motivation. When people are advised to evacuate to save their lives, even past history of those around them may not be sufficient to motivate them to flee and save their lives. Such consuming fires are dangerous and can easily overpower individuals as can evil events when the conditions are appropriate. However, there is an even greater power available to guide people along their unique individual spiritual journey. A goal that should be common to all Christians is to use our lives and our words to lead others to Jesus; however, motivation must exist. The first element in this goal is encourage people so they realize they have a need greater than themselves. When a person arrives at this point, the Holy Spirit can influence them to realize their need and motivate them to seek Jesus' gift of salvation. This goal should be followed as much as opportunities present themselves - at times, this can spread like wildfire, energized by the Holy Spirit. Concerning the early Christians, Paul told Timothy, “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline." - 2 Tim. 1:6-7 (NIV). There are times when the Holy Spirit wants to use our position and our talents to minister to others. Since the Holy Spirit personally resides within Christians, they can be empowered by Him when they are open to acting on His guidance, as best they can. If we will allow Him, the Holy Spirit will lead, guide, enable, and bless us along our journey. With His help, each Christian should not be timid. The Spirit's influence is clearly seen in the release of spiritual power: the practice of loving fellowship and care, and the self-disciplined discipleship of Jesus' followers. Christians should not be timid, rather they should be bold in those areas in which the Holy Spirit motivates us.

Living by the Spirit

Living by the Spirit is a difficult exercise sometimes. Frequently it requires actions that my seem new, unexpected, and difficult to visualize the end result. Yet, if we live our lives doing the actions that Jesus did, the result will work out in a way that praises God. Those actions we take will reflect our learning progress along our journey toward heaven. "But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. - Gal. 5:5 NLT

Holy Spirit Help

The Holy Spirit resides within Christians, but they often grasp for verification as to when and how He helps them. The Holy Spirit does not overwhelm an individual’s personal choice, but He may prompt them to remember what they have studied or learned about biblical principles, and perhaps uses their conscience as motivation for words or actions. This being so, many Christian go beyond immediate interaction and attempt to reduce the guidance left in the New Testament into a manual of to do’s and to do not’s in their efforts to please God. If left unchecked, this activity can approach the practices of the Jewish law keepers in Jesus' time. Luke left a very important story from Jesus to address this,  “And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said, “All of these I have kept from my youth.” – Lk. 18:18-21 (ESV). This young ruler was trying to manage the results of his actions, and not the source from which his actions arose. Most Christians can claim they adhere to most of the biblical guidelines left by Jesus, but what person, regardless of age, has not had difficulty honoring their parents? Who has not embellished their witness about others, either right or wrong? If we are honest with ourselves, these are challenges for every person at various times, and some to a greater degree than others. As Christians, we need to focus more on the source which drives all our responses - our heart. In scripture the “heart” is the central focus from which all beliefs and motivations arise. When a person’s heart is focused on godly principles, their actions will be molded more and more into the actions Jesus wants from His followers. Every Christian has different interests, abilities, and motivations that must become aligned with Jesus’ desires. Christians today need to allow the Holy Spirit to guide them down their unique individual spiritual journey. There will be mistakes, sins, along the way, but if we continue to focus on the principles outlined in scripture, we will glorify God in some way with our actions. With this action, we can move away from trying to justify our own activities or words from developed lists of approved and questionable activities that focus on comparing our journey to the journeys of other people. If we will allow Him, the Holy Spirit will lead us to follow Jesus as the reference.

Decisions

From the beginning, we can understand people were created with free will; Adam and Eve chose to disobey God. All people have personal free will choices to make regarding their lives. Ultimately, we have the most important choice, whether or not to believe God exists – this is the first element of faith. Our minds struggle with anything we cannot visualize, yet we know certain things, such as feelings, exist although we can only visualize their effects. The Hebrew writer points out that, “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” – Heb. 11:6 (ESV). Believing God exists is only the beginning. After all, “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! – Jas. 2:19 (ESV). Faced with this reality, each person must chose whether or not to follow His plan, and whether or not to harden our hearts. The writer of Hebrews also advises, ”Today, if you hear his voice do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”  - HEB 3:15 (ESV). Scripture also reveals the ramifications of refusing to follow God. Those who believe in God and have hearts that are not hard, perhaps choose to follow Jesus, God’s Son. Those who accept Jesus become Christians and have the indwelling Holy Spirit to prompt them to choose God’s desires. At any time, we have the personal choice to stop following God’s desires. It was these people to whom the writer of Hebrews appeals. When we choose to follow God’s plan, we will ask the Holy Spirit to guide us along our unique individual spiritual journey to be with Him eternally.

Declared sinless

When we read Jn. 16:8 (NLT), “And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God's righteousness, and of the coming judgment,” we usually don’t argue too much. Why? Maybe we assume sometimes the Holy Spirit is most concerned with convicting those in the world who do not believe in Jesus; that He was and is a real, historical person with a wondrous goal. Perhaps we overlook the Holy Spirit’s goal for those who already believe. He is still concerned with our sanctification. The idea of making something holy and dedicated means He continues to work on us when we think we don’t need more polishing, but we do. We are not sinless, only declared so.

Accept the invitation

For those who have been invited, or called: when you accept you need guidance. You look but you cannot readily see Him or His guidance. You see only the fabric of physical circumstances woven and interlaced. You might question the purpose behind this thread or that. But be assured, God has a pattern. While we may surmise that God is more interested in our final destination, all three of the Godhead are interested in our daily pathway, as well. This is a testimony to God and His actions. Jesus left the Spirit with a broad but focused plan, the Bible promises us this. He is not finished, but when He is finished with as much as we allow, you will be beautiful! "In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" - (Rom. 8:28).

Under the Surface

Almost every person you meet is concerned, at some level, about how they look to others. This is an indication of how strongly a person is seeking acceptance, by other people. The answer to this “people,” question guides the decisions a person makes about their presentation, appearance, and speech. Because of this, some people create facades to display what may impress the other person. Actors sometimes call this, "getting into character," as they portray how they understand another person would look, speak, and act. This can be compared to the front of a building, also called a facade, wherein, what is met on the other side of the entrance door may be unlike the expectations created by the front of the building. Christians need to present ourselves in a positive manner, but one that is true to our own person. Further, when we meet someone, we need to look beyond visual appearances and seek to know and accept the person we have met for who they are. Certainly, they are not the person they will later become. We need to understand that due to perceived acceptance, many people may be struggling with small, large, or massive challenges in their everyday life – we need to be considerate. Often, these struggles are relegated to issues “under the surface.” Most people really want to appear as having fewer struggles than they do. We need to realize that no one is perfect or complete; everyone has struggles with problems and imperfections, and they are likely different for each person we meet. We don’t need to agree with their situation, only admit that it exists for that person. As we speak to people, we should learn to “hear what I am not saying.” From this point, we need to seek ways to help and encourage them. When the surface is removed, acceptance and help will provide encouragement for both people. The basis for all these actions is guidance by the Holy Spirit. Paul said, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” – Rom. 8:26-27 (ESV). We need to allow Him to guide us each second of each day.

Nourishment

Humans have several innate needs to survive. Besides physical nourishment, humans need psychological support. A part of this support is a need for purpose, particularly something to motivate their focus. Besides purpose, or perhaps along with it is a need for some level of appreciation. When appreciation crumbles, bullying finds a ripe field in which to blossom. Some level of appreciation does not mean complete acceptance of all words or actions, but sincere concern for the source. When another person realizes we are open to considering their struggles, they become less guarded. When we attempt to understand and appreciate their challenges, they will likely allow us to help them find better solutions to those situations with which they struggle. A relationship has elements of understanding, a level of acceptance, a level of disagreement, overall concern for the individual, and willingness to help the person. The prime example of this is God. For those who believe in Him and recognize a need for His help, He removes whatever they have become spiritually and provides the Holy Spirit to help them overcome future challenges. "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." - 2Cor. 3:17 (ESV).

Dedicated

When one has a great interest in something, normally we might say they are focused on that item. This focus may turn into infatuation or deeper interest. Such attitudes can wane at times, replaced by other interests. When the attention and focus does not wane, the persons may develop a strong attachment and commitment to the item; this can then become dedication. When one becomes dedicated, many personal preferences lose some of their importance, making way for closer bonding to that item. Oh, another word describing this "dedication" is "holy." When the item is God we can grow closer to Him by allowing the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide us toward that end. "Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. - 1 Thess. 5:23 NLT

Choices

Many of us can remember a time when we were faced with a decision that was especially tough. This was a time when fear of the unknown perhaps almost debilitated us. In preparation, we explored the pertinent options available, but perhaps most possibilities did not seem attractive or even workable. Maybe we reached out to ask trusted friends for their advice, only to find this group, some religious and some not, provided no clear solution; even conflicting opinions arose. After all our efforts, we were still faced with making the decision and we anticipated several consequences that could be huge and the worst ones arose in our minds, first. Our concerns contained, “What was right to do?” “Would the final choice help some people?” “Would the final choice hurt some people?”  “Would the final choice alienate us from some people whom we desired approval?” In the end, there was only one reasonable pathway to the solution: ask the Holy Spirit to help with the choices, then search God’s word for any guidance available. During such struggles, while you pray intently for all parts of the issue, you must keep an open mind for any possible solutions. Finally, the decision is yours to make, along with the repercussions of the choice and its delivery. Do you listen to some of your friends with conflicting opinions or do you trust how the Holy Spirit has guided you to an acceptable decision that honors God? When you have prayed and kept an open mind, make the best decision this pathway has provided. Once done, trust the Holy Spirit to work out unseen details and ease your fears. Always continue to pray and determine if you should make adjustments to your decision. If you ask the Holy Spirit for help and move forward following godly principles, in the end the result will be acceptable to God. As His servants, what else could we desire but to please Him?

Grace

The story of the Good Samaritan (Lk. 10:25-37) is a story with which many people have become familiar. Surely, it is a comparison between those who purposely passed by and the one who stopped to help. At its core, this is a story about God’s grace, how God came to help those who the religious establishment would not. The Hebrew word for “grace” is CHEN. It means “to bend, to stoop.” Over time it came to include the concept of “condescending favor.” In the parable of the Good Samaritan a man is attacked and left “half dead” on the side of the road. Perhaps due to busy schedules or desire to avoid becoming unclean by touching a dead body, both a priest and a Levite, ignored this opportunity to help another person. Samaritans were not liked by many Jews since they had not retained a pure blood line; they had intermarried with Gentiles. So, this man with an imperfect bloodline was a better neighbor to the injured man than those who claimed they were more perfect. The Samaritan bent over and helped someone who was injured and dying. Jesus uses this as an example of Himself. He was far more important than either the priest or Levite, but He stopped, and personally touched and treated this injured person. Not only this, but long-term concern was shown with the promise to check on the man later on. Each of us are broken and perhaps half-dead because of how life has treated us, but God has grace for us and is not afraid to reach out and touch us. He is also concerned about us until we are healed. We should also provide similar grace to others as illustrated here. To show grace to others is to extend favor or kindness to one who doesn't deserve it and can never earn it. Receiving God's acceptance by grace always stands in direct contrast to earning it. When the thought of grace appears in scripture, the idea presented is its being undeserved. The recipient is not getting what he or she deserves. Favor is being extended simply out of the goodness of the heart of the giver.

Inner Being

What is your inner being except your heart. This "heart' is a short way to describe the reasons and motivations for all we think and do. When we allow the Holy Spirit to guide our thoughts and actions, we are strengthened and encouraged to do the things Jesus would have us do. Additionally, people will somehow receive needed benefit and God will be praised. "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ..." — Eph. 3:16 (NIV)

Hear

Some passages of scripture team with references a person from the original culture would immediately understand. In the passage today, there are several: First, around this time, a locked door indicated some level of protection from what was without, and opening the door meant trust of the person who is to come inside. More than this, when one invited a person into his home, the home owner was expected to do all in their power to give them aid and even protection. A meal was understood to indicate a level of acceptance and close fellowship. The final word is "hear." This word meant more than absorbing the sound that is made, it meant understanding what was said, even accepting the instruction. One can listen to words and not understand their meaning, or understanding and rejecting its importance. This describes a sincere invitation to those people who are able to understand the significance of having a very close relationship with God via the Holy Spirit. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." - Rev 3:20-22 (ESV)

Control

In these days of packed and over-committed schedules, most of us enjoy choosing our own solutions to meet those goals. Likely, immaculate planning allows us to feel in control of our own approach to these hectic schedules; perhaps we grow frustrated when things don't go according to our plans. The challenge is to give up control over something. These practices bleed over into our spiritual lives as well. Those in the Roman Jewish and Christian religious circles also struggled with this. Paul referred to Isa. 40:13 and reminded the Roman believers in God about refusal of God’s plans, “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” Rom. 11:33-36 (ESV)
With all our focus on the physical world, if we desire to follow God, how does our own planning work? We must realize spiritual goals can only be accomplished by submission to Jesus. If we truly comprehend our commitment to God through Jesus, He must receive ultimate priority in directing our walk with Him. For this to happen, we must become willing to set aside our personal plans and follow His actions and His timeframe. When we ask God or the Holy Spirit for help in our prayers, do we ask God to follow our own plans and schedules? We cling to these plans and requests because they are our own and we think we understand them, limited though they may be. Without realizing it, we may be asking that God follow the schedule we've constructed according to our desires and very limited human wisdom. Yet if we believe He has all knowledge and He is the most powerful being, how can surrendering our control to His schedule be anything except beneficial for us? Accepting Jesus required faith and commitment; when we submit to God's timetable, we must also exercise faith and courage. This courage will come from realizing that He wants all that is best for us. Although strenuous at times, we must wait until the Spirit leads us to move forward. When the timing is according to His schedule, we will experience a joy by watching Him provide all we need, in His timing.

Living by the Spirit

Living by the Spirit is a difficult exercise sometimes. Frequently, this desire requires actions that may seem new, unexpected, and difficult to visualize the path or end result. Yet, if we live our lives intending and attempting actions modeled by that Jesus, the result will work out in a way that praises God. These actions we take will reflect our progress along our unique individual spiritual journey toward heaven. "But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us." - Gal. 5:5 NLT