Sunday, October 29, 2017

Divine BFF


The acronym BFF is supposed to mean Best Friend Forever in modern texting communication. It is hoped to mean someone who accepts you as you are and attempts to ease any pain or share any joy experienced in life - someone to share life with you. Sharing life can mean shared celebrations or direct trusted correction when needed. Both of these are part of being a best friend, and knowing that whatever challenge arises, they will never turn away. The indwelling Holy Spirit goes far beyond a BFF; He is a part of God. "I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can't take him in because it doesn't have eyes to see him, doesn't know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you! I will not leave you orphaned. I'm coming back." — John 14:16-18 MESSAGE

Friday, October 27, 2017

Never Alone


Our physical existence may involve times when we feel alone, by ourselves, lacking personal confidence. This is a feeling the Christian never needs to experience because the Holy Spirit lives within us; we only need to allow Him to help guide us toward godly objectives. When we are distressed and reach out to God, we always have someone to go with us and help us. “And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will. Romans 8:27 (NLT)

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Ear to Hear


The last letter in the Bible, Revelation has some teachings that are very confusing to many people due to differences in background. However difficult to comprehend, there are many messages provided to us by Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Think carefully about this: "He who has an ear (metaphor for perception), let him hear (metaphor for understand) what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it." — Revelation 2:17 ESV

Sunday, October 22, 2017

Groaning


When something is in distress and uncomfortable, those internal struggles can be observed by the emission of evidence of this struggle. Everything separated from God's perfect presence is under duress. "For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us."  Romans 8:22-23 (NLT)

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Holy Spirit Help


The Holy Spirit speaks to us via the scriptures. He takes what we read or hear, helps us put the pieces together and understand the teaching. "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." — 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV

Sunday, October 15, 2017

Son of man


Have you ever wondered about the reason Jesus wanted to be known as “the Son of man?” One reason is that it was a description from the prophets of the Father reaching out to His errant children. When the people heard “Son of man,” they should have remembered the words the Holy Spirit gave to Ezekiel: "Stand up, son of man," said the voice [of the Spirit]. "I want to speak with you [Ezekiel]." The Spirit came into me as he spoke, and he set me on my feet. I listened carefully to his words. "Son of man," he said, "I am sending you to the nation of Israel, a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me. They and their ancestors have been rebelling against me to this very day." — Ezekiel 2:1-3 NLT

Friday, October 13, 2017

Holy Spirit Communication

Holy Spirit communication can be extremely difficult because it tends to demand we open up completely and makes us admit what we are feeling. Do you have a physical friend with whom you are not hesitant to share ANYTHING. The Holy Spirit is closer to the Christian than such a friend. As you communicate with the Spirit, you must realize nothing should be held back. He already knows your desires and biases, therefore everything you say or do, the real motivations are known to Him.

Although He knows your motivations and reasoning, He will not stop a bad decision from playing out with its consequences. He rejoices with you in your good decisions, and feels the hurt from the bad ones. While we would like to shift the blame for some of our decisions, it cannot be. The comment about actions without responsibility, “the Devil made me do it,” is an attempt to avoid taking responsibility for our actions. Perhaps an ungodly germination, but the final decision was our own. Such redirections will not be accepted when the Spirit knows all our motives. When we better understand this, we might better understand Jesus' goals for His siblings.