Remembering

 One one of the ways the Holy Spirit communicates to us is via remembrance. We read and study His Word but it seems sometimes we get receive nothing from it at the time. However, when we read His Word, all the information to which we are exposed is retained in our minds. Sometimes when we need to use that information, the Holy Spirit helps our recall and we remember the parts we need at that time. Perhaps we have not yet gathered or experienced adequate supporting information, or perhaps we have not yet read a needed portion of scripture. The Holy Spirit understands this and may prompt us to explore a portion of scripture we have not considered before. When the time is optimum, the Holy Spirit can cause us to remember previously gained information. This is not NEW information, it is just a new realization of the information that was already revealed. This happened to Jesus' apostles, "Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written, “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things to Him."- Jn 12:14-16 (NASB). As we travel on our unique individual spiritual journey, we need to consume the information left for us by the Holy Spirit, the Bible. 

Emotions

 In His life here on earth, Jesus displayed many earthly emotions. As we try to follow His example for life, it is helpful to explore some of the feelings and emotions that were displayed by Jesus. Regarding his physical body, He was tired, thirsty, and hungry. To know that he grew angry, became frustrated, felt sorrow, joy, exhaustion, anger, and even that He was indignant provides us great comfort when we feel strong emotions. The depth of the emotions of God is impossible to fathom, but nevertheless they existed. Jesus was touched by what he saw surrounding the widow at Nain’s son (Lk. 7:11-16) and Lazarus' death. He already knew that He would raise them, but the family and mourners didn't. The pain about losing His friend Lazarus had an observable effect on Him, even to tears, "When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews weeping who came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, and said, “Where have you laid him?” They told him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept."  Jn. 11:33-35 (ISV). He was also moved when He considered that the Jerusalem leaders had rejected Him. He reflected, “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! See, your house is left to you desolate. 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. 37-39; cf. Lk. 19:41-44 (ESV). Along a Christian’s unique individual spiritual journey, we will have the emotions Jesus experienced. It is critical when this happens, we should rely on the Holy Spirit to soothe and encourage us. While our normal expectations have been uprooted, we must depend on the Holy Spirit to guide us on the next step on this journey. These challenges are heightened during this time of uncertainty with the COVUS pandemic hovering around us. But we must redouble our efforts to depend on the Holy Spirit’s guidance, even when the next steps are not crystal clear.

Control

 Many of us would like to think we are in control of our lives, to some extent. Many times we rely on the concept from Physics, "cause and effect." Our decisions and actions usually produce predictable ramifications, to some extent. We learn to make decisions that usually cause good or bad results based on the expectation that repeated actions produce an expected result. Better, we learn which decisions produce the outcomes we desire. Although this sounds manageable, sometimes bad things happen in a good context, we may call these life-skills. However, events sometimes occur that are totally unexpected and perhaps difficult to grasp, or even shatter our understanding of how to manage life. When these events occur, we desperately seek for explanations guided by a power higher than ourselves. As a race, we are often greatly disappointed when the results of our words or actions do not produce the results we want and expect. However, sometimes really good things happen with no logical explanation. We did not plan or define the way to become a child of God, nor did we deserve it. The gift offered by Jesus is not payment for anything we did; we cannot control it or manipulate it. This is a free gift because of His love, which defies explanation. All people are invited to become children of God, to be born from above. Sadly, some will not give up trying to control their own eternity based on their own understanding; some will not want to receive this wonderful gift for something they cannot personally achieve. "But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." Jn. 1:12-13 (ESV). As many people as possible need to accept the gift offered to all by Jesus. This will offer praise to God; that is the most important choice one can make.

Speak to me

  As a believer, do you desire for God to speak directly to you? Jeremiah also struggled with this and was told, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jer. 29:13 (NIV) One quick answer to this is to say read the Bible and God has just spoken to you. While this is certainly true, your real desire is for God to speak to you in a way you can understand. In order for this to occur, you must realize that the communication is likely not to be teaming with praise and accolades toward you. God is perfect, you are not. Communication from Him is meant to help you become more like what He wants you to be, meaning much of what He communicates may be corrective. But that leaves the question how do I understand what He wants me to understand? You might compare this to a recorded conversation with another person. When you replay the recording, you will likely perceive ideas or concepts that you did not when you first heard the words. Sometimes, time and reflection are needed for the communication to be understood. This is especially true for the things that God communicates. In order to help overcome this communication difficulty, God has given us the Holy Spirit to dwell within us and clarify His desires for our understanding. So how do any of us receive His communication? Every day, God, speaks to the Christian through the Holy Spirit in some way. One challenge for us is that He may speak at different times and different ways to various people. At times He invites us to draw close and listen as He reveals Himself, His character and His direction. Other times He calls us to participate in His purposes. Still other times He my simply whisper, reminding us of His amazing love for us. Hearing from God is one of those topics that can easily stir up confusion and frustration. A critical question to ask is, "How do I know if God is speaking to me?" "How do I discern whether it is His voice speaking or just my own ideas and desires?" "What if I feel God telling me to do something that doesn’t seem logical? A basic truth is, there’s no magic formula for discerning God’s voice. We learn to recognize it the way we recognize voices of those close to us: by knowing Him. After all, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." - Jn. 10:27 (ESV). And when we know Him, we can tell if what we are thinking or feeling led to do is from Him or not. At only one time, I had a direct communication from the Holy Spirit. It was a dark time in my life, after some life changing events. I was seeking relief and solutions for issues that troubled me. As I was driving and praying "when is this going to change", a voice as if from the passenger seat came into my mind saying, "When it is time." I was so shocked, I pulled to the side of the road to examine the other seat. Was there a voice that caused my eardrums to vibrate or did the thought skip that sense? I am unsure, but the Holy Spirit used the necessary means to cause that information to sear my mind. It is an event that I have not forgotten for 20 years. I treasure that thought and I have been blessed in many wonderful ways in the years since. Communication from the Spirit can be startling and reassuring. When struggling to interpret communication from the Holy Spirit, these questions may help arrive at a clearer answer: 1. Does what I perceive line up with Scripture? God will never speak to us or tell us to do something that’s contrary to His Word. But unless we know Scripture, we will not be able to discern whether or not what we hear is consistent with the Word. We will learn the will of God when we read and pray the Word of God. 2. Is what I perceive consistent with God’s character? God’s Word also provides rich information regarding His character. Just as God always speaks in accordance with His Word, He speaks in accordance with His character. God will not say anything inconsistent with who He is. The longer we know Him and the more we experience Him personally, the more we learn about His character. 3. Is what I perceive confirmed through messages at church or in my quiet times? When God speaks to you about a particular issue, you cannot escape it. Around every corner there’s a sermon or Bible study lesson or speaker’s topic or conversation with a friend that’s consistent with what you’ve been hearing from God in your time alone with Him. When you invest in time spent alone with God, He will speak to you. Listen for His voice, and then look for the message to be confirmed. 4. Is what I perceive beyond me? Sometimes the Holy Spirit may call you to do something big that you can’t do in our own strength -- either it is beyond your ability or beyond your natural human desire. Perhaps this thing can only happen through the Holy Spirit's divine intervention. Don’t look at your inabilities and dwell in insecurities. Look at what God wants. See this call as your opportunity to watch Him work in you and through you. 5. Is what you perceive pleasing to God? Depending on many personal pressures, it is sometimes easy to reject the idea that we have heard something from the Spirit. In these situations, especially if the information is not pleasing to us, we might use any excuse to convince ourselves it is not His voice so we don’t need to act. If what you’re doing pleases God, then even if what you thought you heard from Him wasn’t His voice, you are still pleasing Him. You should always seek to do those things that please God. When these 5 questions align, the Holy Spirit will help you accomplish the task. Please remember, God's word says much about His desires and character; immerse yourself in learning more about Him. The Holy Spirit will provide understanding over time.

Vacillation

At one time, Paul became frustrated with the Christians in Galatia. They had accepted Jesus as Lord, were indwelled by the Holy Spirit, but were now vacillating - attempting to return to the actions they had decided to give up. "So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?" Gal. 3:5 (NIV). The Holy Spirit is God's gift to Jesus' followers. Because of this, God's power should be revealed in that person's activities as far as and so long as the person allows Him to guide them. He will not force good, better, or best decisions for the Christian. But, He may bring to their mind godly precepts they have heard or studied in the past. One of His tasks is to help clarify options for various decisions we must make. His power is released through the decision we make based on godly principles. 

John the Baptist

People at the time of Jesus desired the return of the promised Messiah. He was to free them of their captivity. Those in the first century watched John the Baptist preach challenging sermons to encourage them to follow God. He was confident and bold, even criticizing the Jewish King. He was fearless in his assigned task. He convinced the people to refocus their desire, intention and motivation. An indication of this rekindling was marked by baptism. Many of the Jewish people were confused by these actions. Since John taught with authority, could he be the Messiah or His predecessor? At a time when a wonton people were periodically presented with preachers claiming to be the Messiah, John seemed like a real possibility. University of Massachusetts Boston professor R. A. Horsely, found there were over 30 people around the time of Jesus who claimed to be the Messiah. Acts 5 confirms one instance in a man named Theudas. When Jesus asked His disciples who the people thought He might be, their response was, “And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” – LK. 9:18-20 (ESV). For what reason would people think John might be Elijah? Elijah was an important prophet in Israel’s history. For His importance related to Jesus, one needs to consult contemporaries Isaiah and Malachi. Isaiah predicted there would be a forerunner of the Messiah, - “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.  Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare[a] is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Isa. 40:1-5 (ESV). Malachi would add, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” – Mal. 4:5-6 (ESV). Writings of these prophets were likely in the minds of the Jewish people. While John the Baptist accurately declared he was not a returned Elijah, however he did not fully realize his role in the works of God. Jesus clarified the symbolic place of John the Baptist when He said, “What then did you go out to see? A prophet?  Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.” – Matt. 11:9-14 (ESV). Mark would also say, “And they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” And he said to them, “Elijah does come first to restore all things. And how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him,” – Mk. 9:11-13 (ESV). This statement became clear later, “But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist,” - Matt. 17:12-13 (ESV). Even in this capacity, John had to be reminded who Jesus really was (cf. Matt. 11:1-7; Lk. 7:19-24). John found people who were interested in the coming Messiah and baptized them to confirm their desire, intention and motivation to follow God better. People of all ages who believe Jehovah God exists and have desire, intention, and motivation will likely accept Jesus’ gift. At that point they will be perpetually cleansed and gain the indwelling Holy Spirit. If the person will allow, the Holy Spirit will lead them along a unique individual spiritual journey culminating at an eternal home with Jesus.

Stability

 Sometimes men and women look outside their long term relationships for something different. They become tired of a person who has known them so long that much of the mystery is depleted. When they look around for another person who doesn’t know so many of their faults, they can seem like a different person. A difficulty is that when the new person begins to know many of the idiosyncrasies that make a person unique, they may choose to exit the new relationship. Such hopscotch behavior leaves people denying what they need most is a friend who will remain with them regardless of surrounding events and share their life experiences. This is also true for our spiritual lives, we need someone who will never leave and has the ability to encourage us whatever lies ahead. That person is the indwelling Holy Spirit. When we accept Jesus's gift, we are given a lifelong commitment of someone who will never leave. We gain stability from such commitments - for eternity.

Waiting

 We wait for traffic, we wait for a doctor, we wait for our turn at the cash register, we wait for friends. It seems like most of us are always waiting for something every day. More challenging, we wait for entrance into our eternal home; our place is decided, we must wait until it is time. Like us, even the world waits for salvation (Rom. 8:19). The indwelling Holy Spirit can help comfort us as we wait for our eventual and permanent home. If we we will only ask, He will guide us in the ways we need to go to please the Father, a foretaste of our eventual celebration.

Help

William Barclay said, "Love always involves responsibility, and love always involves sacrifice. And we do not really love Christ unless we are prepared to face His task and to take up His Cross." Some people are fiercely independent and want to accomplish their desires by themselves. Some in this category have said, "if you want it done right, do it yourself." Since there are 1001 ways to accomplish most goals, this approach the person believes they are fully qualified to accomplish the goals. The goal may be completed, but is the work as good as it could be, or just satisfactory to the individual. As Christians we are should do everything as if we are serving God; this means we are not self sufficient. We all need help with something at some time in the physical realm. In the spiritual realm, the environment is different. We can do little that is acceptable to God without His help. The Holy Spirit is waiting to help us with any spiritual activity; He also prompts us at times concerning some physical activities. Jesus said, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you." - Jn. 14:26-27 (ESV). If we ask He will help us as we walk our unique individual spiritual journey to our eternal home with Him. Let's ask the Holy Spirit for His help to act responsibly with sacrifice that reveals our love.

Protection

 The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. — Psalm 121:7-8 (NIV) We observe this promise in action when we consider the life of Joseph, son of Jacob. The overarching theme of Joseph's life was that no matter what circumstances he faced, God was always with him. Whether it was dreams about the future, struggles with his brothers's poor treatment of him, whether his work was in slavery, his ability to explain dreams, his abilities ot manage the food source for millions of people, or reconnecting with his family, God was with him as He promised. Those of us who have accepted Jesus as our savior also have a promise. It is a promise that the indwelling Holy Spirit will never leave us, and He will supply what we need spiritually, and Jesus has prepared for us a place with Him in heaven for eternity. We also have a demonstration of God's ability to protect and use us so long as we are faithful to Him. Let us follow the Holy Spirit in our unique individual spiritual journey. All we have to do is ask Him.

Good

 Jesus responded to a man by saying that none is good except God alone (Mk 10:18, Lk. 18:19). From this we need to understand that when we allow the Holy Spirit to direct us, the result will turn out to honor God, when our values are similar to God’s we will be satisfied that the results are “good” for the Father, not necessarily what we may define as good for us. “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” - Rom. 8:28 (NLT)

Choices

 Our lives on earth is all about choices. We can choose to learn about good and evil; we can choose to use good or evil words; we can choose to do good or evil acts. We can choose to encourage others, or not. Our spiritual life is all about choices as well. The first choice is to believe Jehovah God exists, the second most important choice is to accept that Jesus is His son and His pathway to redemption. Beyond this, the Christian, or Christ follower, has the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide and sanctify our choices. Evelyn Underhill said, "The spiritual life is a stern choice. It is not a consoling retreat from the difficulties of existence, but an invitation to enter fully into that difficult existence, and there apply the Charity of God, and bear the cost." As each Christian travels their unique individual spiritual journey, troubles and challenges still arise. There are choices to be made, but the only unacceptable choice is to make no choice (cf. the servant in Matt. 25:14-30). Christians need to courageously follow the promptings of the indwelling Holy Spirit. 

Desire

 Creatures God created are driven by desire. An animal, fish or bird is driven by at least two primal desires, to exist (food, and water, safety, companionship) and to reproduce. Humans also have these, followed by a desire for acceptance by other humans. Beyond these needs for existence is the desire to reproduce. For humans, a significant part of this process is attraction of one gender to the other. Satisfaction of reproductive desires can escalate into cravings, a strong desire to solve the need in a particular way. Similar to the other parts of creation, God made the bodies of His human creation to alert them to needs for survival. At times, a dry mouth or thick tongue becomes a signal from the body that hydration is needed. A growl from the stomach is a signal that sustenance is needed. As these needs increase, intensity to satisfy them escalates. These needs are critical to our bodies for survival, but they must be controlled. A really thirsty or dehydrated person can attempt to drink more water than their body can absorb quickly; thus they become sick. The same is true for hunger. This bodily alarm indicates that cells need energy. When one attempts to satisfy intense hunger, one may eat more food than can be timely digested and distributed to body cells; sickness ensues.  The end result is actually worse for the body than a slower pathway to gaining the needed result. Beyond this, some bodies signal a need for solving bodily needs by a strong desire for a particular food or drink, a craving. Like Jesus, humans exist in this environment we call the world. We live in the world, work in the world, and function as human beings in the world with other human beings. This is God’s will for humans. Jesus didn’t pray that His disciples would be removed from the world, but they would be kept from the world (John 17:15), or essentially being controlled by the world’s values. There is nothing wrong with going to work, enjoying a sport, buying a house or a new car. We may even enjoy having and wearing beautiful clothes. Those things are part of living a fruitful life in our environment, earth. These desires are not wrong unless they consume and preoccupy their thoughts, pushing God’s interests aside. Desires and cravings extend to other aspects of their physical lives, as well. Companionship is a fundamental need for humans as are their psychological, emotional, and sexual needs. These needs are some of the most difficult to monitor and control. Our minds works at an amazingly fast pace and actions caused by these needs and desires are often difficult to rapidly understand and fully manage. A Christian has a huge advantage since they have the Holy Spirit (God) dwelling inside them. Sometimes this seems like a complete solution, however, we must realize that although we have the greatest entity that exists living inside us, He does not overpower our personal choices, (good or bad). Like Jesus, God does not force us to make any particular decision. The struggle we humans face between good and evil or flesh and spirit have been described and debated for millennia. There seems to be absolute answer for many items, but many others have several acceptable answers considered “good”, and righteous before God. In the social aspect of human life, attraction and bonding can defy logical explanation. Humans of both genders can be filled with strong emotions of anger, envy, and hurt; these feeling can cause opinions they never thought possible and actions that follow, may be astounding. Competition between acquaintances can be similar to lower class animals. Humans also have spiritual aspects of their lives. Humans also desire to know the reason they exist; due to this, many pursue locating a supreme being.  Some find Jehovah God. This desire leads to expectations.  Desire+expectation=Hope. Hope that He will always love them and protect them spiritually. When the biblical writers focused on the physical interests, they generally referred to them as concerns of the flesh, or dominated by non-spiritual elements. When a person decides to accept Jesus as their savior, all their past physical and spiritual mistakes are erased before God; they are as pure as newborn infants. Not only this, but the Holy Spirit begins to reside within them. This indwelling prompts them to remember what they have learned from scripture. Those who are sealed by God and are His children are expected to increasingly act as He desires. Paul would say, “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Gal.5:16 (NIV) or “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves.” Gal.5:16 (NLT). We need to be bold but cautious during this pandemic.

Hidden

Many people become uncomfortable when information or actions are hidden from them; they want to know more information about many things. When information is uncertain, humans create explanations. Jesus was careful to instruct His disciples about His coming death, but they did not understand without the help of the Holy Spirit. Now, the Holy Spirit helps us to understand at a rate we can comprehend, the only pathway to an eternity with the Father. “But God has revealed those things to us by his Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the deep things of God. Is there anyone who can understand his own thoughts except his own inner spirit? In the same way, no one can know the thoughts of God except God's Spirit. Now, we have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we can understand the things that were freely given to us by God.” 1 Cor. 2:10-13. (ISV)

Fear

Fear is a compelling emotion. First, one needs to believe there is an existing item to fear. Once this has been established, one should attempt to understand the item that is feared. Some people may fear rattlesnakes since they can be lethal. With some knowledge, great fear can evolve into great respect. Many people say they "fear" God, but God does not desire people to fear Him in this way; He wants the respect He deserves. When people really fear (or are afraid of) God, it is likely because they do not realize how much He loves them. Those who know more about God, recognize He only disciplines people when nothing else has achieved the needed results. He loved us so much he sent Jesus to die a cruel death to provide a way for His children to be near Him forever. "As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him," - Psa. 103:13. Remember He loved each of us enough to seal us with His Holy Spirit, "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit," - Eph. 1:13 (NIV). We should use this to realize how much He loves us and wants what is really best for us; this may take a long time to appreciate.