February 2020

kid playing guitar

A Lesson From My Sears Guitar

By / 4 minutes of reading / , , ,

I learned to play guitar when I was in grade school. My parents doubted my commitment, thinking it an interest that would soon pass, like my love for school. They bought me the least expensive guitar that Sears carried. I’m confident Sears gave the guitar to my parents, just to get rid of it. With that Sears guitar in hand, my dad said, “Teach yourself to play a hymn, and I’ll get you a better guitar.” That was like saying, “Win the Indy 500 in this VW Bug, and I’ll buy you a real car!”

The strings on my new guitar were nearly impossible for my young fingers to press down to form a note – “a” musical note and chords were impossible. Since this was way before the Internet, the only guitar information I had was a booklet that came with my Sears acoustic. So every day after school I’d go to my bedroom and try to figure out how to read music and how to make my guitar play those notes. Having at least a modicum of musical talent would have helped.

Show Time!

Finally, the day came when I was confident. Dad got home, Mom finished up in the kitchen, and then I said I wanted to show them something. With my track record, those were frightening words to my folks! They both sat down on the sofa, braced themselves, and stared at me; I don’t blame them.

I ran to my bedroom and ran back into the living room with a hymnal and my guitar. I don’t remember which hymn I chose; no doubt, I’ve blocked it from my memory. Anyway, I played the hymn all the way through including each verse, note perfect’ ish. By the end, my fingers were bleeding; that week, Dad rented an electric guitar and amplifier, and signed me up for lessons – the horrid sound of that Sears guitar was a real blessing!

Wait, you’re writing about fasting?

So what does this narcissistic story have to do with fasting? Before I answer, let’s read what Jesus said about fasting.

“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward…” Matthew 6:16

Jesus said, “when you fast,” not “if you fast.” He left us no elbow room. Fasting should be part of every Christian’s life. For those celebrating Lent, your fasting and abstinence from meat are already underway; I’m proud of you! For others, fasting and/or abstinence may be a new or atypical aspect of your walk with Jesus.

Fasting doesn’t need to be total self-denial of food. In fact, that can be dangerous or impossible for many people. The self-denial of food (i.e., fasting) is something you must discuss with your family doctor before trying it.

We each need to pray and ask Jesus to show us the things that have control over us. Food, TV, video games, shopping, and so forth; things that aren’t sin until they are. From your list allow the Holy Spirit to guide you to one and fast it. How long? It’s between you and Jesus. 

Why Fast?

Why fast? Well, there is that directive from Jesus we just read. Also, fasting is intended to help us hear from God. We don’t change His will by fasting, and we don’t fast to lose weight. We fast to carve out more time for us to spend in prayer and to draw closer to our God.

Oh, how does the story about my first guitar fit with fasting? Well, learning on that Sears guitar was really difficult and really painful, but I didn’t care. I was learning something I loved; I still play. Like the Sears guitar, fasting is something that can be difficult and uncomfortable, but those annoyances pale in comparison to what we gain from walking more closely with Jesus. 

Photo by Shawn Rodgers on Unsplash

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college party

Make No Provision For Sin

By / 3 minutes of reading

Today is the second day of Lent. I won’t be writing devotionals specifically related to Lent since I’m sure your church has provided you with literature to guide your church through Lent 2020. However, today, I do want to touch on an aspect of Lent.

Lent gives us a specific time to set aside the noise of life and to meditate upon what our Lord did for us on the Cross. Of course, the purpose of Lent is not to have us live in sadness and despair. Rather, Lent realigns us to the powerful work of our Savior, Jesus, and our hope in Him, and of our resurrection, and that day when every tear will be dried (Rev. 21:3).

Make No Provision For Sin

Today’s Scripture contains an important reminder and a little truth, which we will zero in on. Romans 13:11-14: Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Notice at the end of this passage, we find “make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” Think about how your past sins entrapped you. Let’s pick lasciviousness.

An Example

Lasciviousness means: inclined to lustfulness; wanton; lewd behavior. This manner of expression is evidenced in many college parties and university clubs. However, lustfulness is hardly limited to young people, for we find this condition of the heart spilling out in nearly all social occasions from people trapped by this deadly sin.

There is an aspect of this sin from which we all can learn and bolster our righteousness. Notice that Paul wrote, “make no provision.” Now I am going to step on some people’s toes. Sorry, but this truth is essential.

How do we make provisions for lasciviousness? Well, men and women buying condoms before attending a social gathering is a way to prepare. Men are infamous for bringing a “wingman” to parties with the intent of corralling a woman with the purpose of taking her to bed. There’s an article about this in GQ.

There have been several scientific studies that show women dress more provocatively just before their period. One such article is from the American Psychological Association, and another article on this subject is in Live Science.

The above examples are clear preparations for sin. Of course, nearly all sin is first prepared for in our thought-life, usually through “baby steps.” Each step should warn us that we are approaching our entrapment in sin. Don’t do it! Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for sin.

The enemy of God is always looking for ways to trip up Christians to destroy their testimonies. Be on your guard.

Photo credit: william couch on Visualhunt / CC BY-NC-ND

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man helping young soccer player tie his shoe

Fulfill All Righteousness

1 Comment / By / 2 minutes of reading

But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he [John the Baptist] consented. – Matthew 3:15

This passage of Scripture occurred when Jesus came to John the Baptist for baptism. John was perplexed. He said, “I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me? (Matthew 3:14)” Nevertheless, Jesus would not allow any aspect of righteousness to be assumed or bypassed even though He was the “Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29).

Since Jesus lived that level of awareness and commitment for the sake of fulfilling righteousness, how carefully then should we live that way as imitators of Jesus; we should from what Jesus said, as recorded in Luke 6:40, “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.“

Therefore, search your life to discover the righteous things; do you neglect any? Perhaps there are none, but if you find one, no matter how apparently insignificant, I advise you to fix it so you will be suitably attired when you come before the Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:13). Plus, you’ll be a better person for doing this.

Amen.

By the way, today is the first day of Lent.

Photo by Adrià Crehuet Cano on Unsplash

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a group of people text messaging

The Answering God

By / 2 minutes of reading /

A small frustration of mine is the plethora of messaging apps for mobile phones. Some people use Facebook Messenger and Google Messages, while others use Apple Messages and Microsoft Messenger or LinkedIn Messages. Some people prefer an open-source app like Jabber; that’s the shortlist!

Messages get lost because the person receiving the message may rarely check the app that received your message. For this reason, I consider text messaging unreliable. For example, if the person I’ve texted via Facebook Messenger has that app on his or her 5th screen of their phone, it may be days before they see, “Hey, can you pick me up now?” How can I remember which app each of my contacts uses?

God Hears And Answers Prayer

For the reason I stated above, I prefer a phone call to a text message, but that’s just me. (Now you can guess my age ;-)) But, here’s the thing, whether you need a “phone call” God, One you can talk to in that nanosecond, right before you wreck your car or a “texting” God, where you keep a journal and write down your praises, thankfulness, and prayer requests, either way, God hears you and will be there for you.

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. – 1 John 5:14-15

He’s Not A “Can You Hear Me Now” God

Once you have received Jesus as your Savior and have the Holy Spirit within you, you have a direct line to God (Matthew 7:7). You never need to wonder if God heard you; He did. You don’t have to try, “Can you hear me now?” There are no “dead spots” with God, there are no roaming charges if you are in another country, and with God, you have unlimited text and talk! Plus, God has paid for this service (John 14:14).

So, with guaranteed delivery to the God of all Creation, we should use this service, for God not only listens, He answers. And He can make a way for you where there is no way (1 Corinthians 10:13)! Praise God!

Photo by Jens Johnsson on Unsplash

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a group of your adult friends

The Value of Lifelong Friendships

By / 2 minutes of reading / ,

Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends. (Proverbs 17:9 ESV) Friendships matter to God.

Women and Men

I may not be politically correct, but from my observations, women seem to be better than men at keeping friendships for a lifetime. I know some men can do this, but I think more women succeed in long-term bonds.

I’ve personally watched this with my sister, my wife, and others. As an example, my sister is older than me (sorry Sis), yet she is still deeply connected to several friends from her high school days, so is my wife. As for me, I have no friends from high school.

Cultivating Lifelong Friendships

Cultivating long-term friendships is a Godly characteristic, and therefore something we all should strive to accomplish. Jesus gave us the promise that “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them. (Matthew 18:20) “When you have deep friendships, you can gather together; powerful prayers come from these gatherings.

We have God’s wisdom from Ecclesiastes 4:12: And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Restoring Friendships

Yet how many friendships have been lost over a single event? Perhaps your friend lied to you, chose someone else to go to a concert, failed to show up for dinner. Maybe it was you that let a friend down. “Whoever covers an offense seeks love.” Seek to restore lost friendships.

There’s great value in friendships, and the longer the bond, the higher the value and the greater your reward. However, if your friend changes and becomes unreliable, untrustworthy, worldly, those repeated offenses can break a friendship. This change applies to us as well as others. Priority and transparency are key ingredients to maintaining friendships.

Friendships With Christians

God desires us to have deep, long-lasting friendships with a few Christians, for what do believers have in common with unbelievers? As Paul wrote in Galatians 6:10, “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” We should prioritize our brothers and sisters while not neglecting anyone.

I pray that you will strengthen your friendships, especially the ones that have kept on the back burner of your life.

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steam engine with conductor

The Little Train That Wouldn't

By / 4 minutes of reading

We are all probably familiar with the children’s story of “The Little Train that Could.” It’s the perfect story for young kids, and the moral of the story is exceptional – you can’t overcome unless you try. When you try, it may seem impossible, but ignoring the crowd and pressing on, you can overcome difficulties. 

As I said, it’s a great story. But have you heard the story of the little train that wouldn’t? There’s a good message in this story, too.

The Little Trains

The air that morning was crisp, so Mr. Conductor pulled on his denim jacket over his striped blue overalls. Putting on his conductor’s hat, he cocked it ever so slightly to the right and then walked out of the train station. Mr. Conductor ambled over to the switchyard early that morning. The train tracks looked so bright and shiny because of their daily use. On today’s crisp, sunshiny day, the polished tracks looked like silver ribbons scattered across the switchyard. They made Mr. Conductor very happy.

All the little trains were polished and repaired the night before. All were ready for service, and all were on their own train tracks. All were in the same excellent condition. Mr. Conductor looked them over, and they made his heart feel good. He loved these trains.

When the trains saw Mr. Conductor, they each cranked up their engines and tooted their horns. They were excited to begin the day’s assignments. Mr. Conductor read out loud the train schedule so each little train knew the part they would play in making their customers happy and Mr. Conductor proud of them.

The train engines Juan, Amy, and Jimmy each heard their names as Mr. Conductor read off the day’s schedule. The little engines were eager to get started. Juan had a hefty load to deliver to Awesome Creek. Amy had a load that would easily break, so she would need to use all of her skills to make her delivery to Fine’n Dandy. And Jimmy was given just one rail car to pull. It was small and would be easy to deliver to Master’s Crossing.

The Little Trains Begin Their Adventures

Mr. Conductor was careful to get each train engine connected to their rail cars. Stepping back, Mr. Conductor was filled with pride for each of the train engines. Looking at his pocket watch, he saw it was time for them to get started, so he changed the signal on the railroad tracks to “Go.” Juan immediately groaned under his heavy load, but he knew Mr. Conductor wouldn’t give him more than he could pull, so Juan tugged and pulled, and soon he was heading down the tracks.

Next, Amy began her journey. Amy had to be very careful as she started pulling her fragile load. Slow and steady was the only way she would be able to deliver her cargo unbroken, but she wasn’t worried. She, too, knew that Mr. Conductor would never ask more of her than she could endure. So, ever so slowly, Amy began her journey.

By this time, Mr. Conductor had walked back to the train station. He hadn’t stood outside watching the little trains because he trusted them and he knew they each had received the best assignment for them.

When Mr. Conductor sat down in his office chair and looked out of his office window, he was concerned. Juan and Amy were already out of sight, but Jimmy hadn’t moved at all! Mr. Conductor hurried out of his office to the railroad track that Jimmy the little Engine was quietly sitting on.

Trouble In The Trainyard

“Jimmy,” Mr. Conductor called out, “why haven’t you started your trip to Master’s Crossing? You’re going to be late and disappoint the mayor and townspeople.” Jimmy huffed and blew out a massive blast of steam, but he didn’t say anything. 

Mr. Conductor asked again, “Jimmy, why aren’t you going to Master’s Crossing?” Jimmy replied. “Mr. Conductor, I don’t think I can, and I don’t want to get in trouble with you. If I pull this load, I may not get to Master’s Crossing on time, or something in my cargo might get broken.” 

Mr. Conductor was sad. He said, “Jimmy, you’ve made me sad because you don’t trust me to take care of you. You know I gave you this assignment because I know what you can do. Why would you doubt me?”

Jimmy, the little train engine, was sad because he knew Mr. Conductor was right. Mr. Conductor called out to Jake, the engineer, and some trainmen to disconnect the rail car from Jimmy and connect it to the little train engine, Raj. Then Mr. Conductor asked Jake, the engineer, to please park Jimmy back in the rail yard. Jimmy would miss out on his adventure today because he wouldn’t trust Mr. Conductor.

Matthew 25:29 (ESV) – The parable of the talents
For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

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3 legged stool - conclusion

Wobbly Stool – Conclusion

By / 4 minutes of reading /

Our key Scripture for this series is found in 2 Corinthians 13:14: “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.“

“The Holy Spirit in us is one thing, and the Holy Spirit on us is another.“

DL Moody

Luke’s Baptism Account

Luke wrote about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This baptism is something Jesus does rather than the universal imparting of the Holy Spirit that came from Father God (1). Luke’s account (2) is obviously not about the salvation of the Apostles since Jesus had already imparted the Holy Spirit into His disciples (3). What we see is that Jesus was quoting what John the Baptist prophesied at the beginning of Christ’s earthly ministry (4).

The baptism Luke wrote about in Acts is Christ’s baptism of the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ first Holy Spirit baptism was recorded in Acts, chapter 2. This baptism was what John the Baptist prophesied (6) and what DL Moody was referring to for the baptism “on” believers. 

Paul’s Baptism Account

So, we have the universal imparting of the Holy Spirit that Paul wrote about. For all Christians, the Holy Spirit desires our fellowship, leads us into all truth, helps us pray, is the seal of our salvation, and will be with us forever. We can summarize the work that the Holy Spirit does for all believers is this: He guides, comforts, and provides.

The Holy Spirit Brings Power With Him

What if you want more of God? If you feel like your prayers aren’t what they should be, if when you pray with people it seems there’s something lacking, if you know God has a job for you but you don’t know what it is, then ask Jesus for more of the Holy Spirit. Ask Jesus to baptize you as He did the 120 in the upper room (7). Then you can say as Paul said, “What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. (8)”

“Though Christian men and women have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them, yet He is not dwelling within them in power; in other words, God has a great many sons and daughters without power.”

DL Moody

Conclusion

Living for Jesus is an exciting adventure. Thankfully, He provides all we need to do what He desires us to do! That wobbly stool will be rock-steady when we are fully engaged with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

References:
1) John 14:16: And I [Jesus] will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,
2) Acts 1:4–5: And while staying with them he [Jesus] ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
3) John 20:19, 22 19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you…” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” 
4) Luke 3:16: “I [John the Baptist] baptize you with water, but he [Jesus] who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He [Jesus] will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
5) 1 Corinthians 12:12-13: 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves[a] or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
6) Acts 19:4-5 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”  5 On hearing this, they were baptized in[a] the name of the Lord Jesus.
7) Acts 1:13-15: 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.  14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. 15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120)
8) 1 Corinthians 14:15: “What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.

3 legged stool - part 3

Wobbly Stool – Part 3

By / 2 minutes of reading /

Our key Scripture for this series is found in 2 Corinthians 13:14: “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.“

Chronology

Apostle Paul wrote that all believers receive the Holy Spirit when they are reborn. And this truth is no doubt based on the promise Jesus made when He said, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,” (John 14:16 )

So, when did the disciples get saved? Let’s read John 20:19, 22 which takes place after Jesus rose from the dead: 19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you…” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

We can’t be certain when all of the Apostles personally received Jesus as their Savior but they would have done so before Jesus imparted the Holy Spirit into them.

After the ascension of Jesus, “Then they [the Apostles] returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.” (Acts 1:12) In Jerusalem there were about 120 believers as well as the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. (Acts 1:14-15)

Summary

1. Paul wrote about the universal imparting of the Holy Spirit into every believer in 1 Corinthians 12:12-13.

2. After Jesus rose from the dead, He entered a locked room where the Apostles had gathered. Jesus breathed the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit into the Apostles. (John 20:19-22)

3. After the Apostles received the Holy Spirit in them, then Jesus ascended into Heaven (Acts 1:9). 

4. Next, the Apostles returned to Jerusalem (Acts 1:12) to wait for Christ’s promise. 

5. The promise was for power when the Holy Spirit would come upon them (Acts 1:8). 

We see that Jesus was quite busy during the time after His resurrection and when He ascended into Heaven. All of His activity was in preparation for establishing His Church and empowering believers to go into all the world and make disciples in every nation. This assignment is still being fulfilled through missionaries and laypeople. 

Tomorrow we will look at the promise of the power of the Holy Spirit and what that means for us.

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3 legged stool - part 2

A Wobbly Stool – Part 2

By / 3 minutes of reading /

[Summary from Part 1: When it comes to our relationship with God, I think we sometimes create a wobbly stool. We embrace the truth of the Trinity of God. We pray to Father God, and we talk with Jesus, but we don’t always know what we should be doing with the Holy Spirit.]

In the Apostle Paul’s benediction, found in 2 Corinthians 13:14, we read, “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.“

When we received Jesus as our Savior, we received the Holy Spirit. However, through the grace of Jesus Christ, we can go deeper. For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk “but in power.” – 1 Corinthians 4:20

The best way to show that a stick is crooked is not to argue about it or to spend time denouncing it, but to lay a straight stick alongside it. – DL Moody

God wants you to be that straight stick and for people to see you alongside the crooked ones, not to fellowship with them but to provide a reference for the people in the world of what Godliness looks like.

That’s a high calling and one that is not easily attained. If what the world sees and hears is only doctrine and history then few people will respond to God’s call. What people want is to be touched by God, to experience God, so they know the difference between the stimulants of this world and the power of God. 

We can’t fake the power of God. For most of us, our salvation experience included someone witnessing to us. A Christian told us about their personal salvation experience and the power of the Holy Spirit’s work in their salvation. When we received Jesus, we experienced that power of the Holy Spirit’s conviction. When we prayed the sinner’s prayer, we KNEW we were unholy and utterly lost. And then we were made clean and reborn and knew the Holy Spirit was inside us.

This truth is confirmed by what the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to write: For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. – 1 Corinthians 12:12-13

From this passage of Scripture, we know that every believer has received the Holy Spirit. God lives in each of us. And through us, God touches the lives of others. How wonderful is that! But there’s more. We’ll look at the “more” tomorrow in part three of “A Wobbly Stool.”

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The Wobbly Stool

By / 3 minutes of reading /

Have you ever sat on a three-legged stool where one of the legs was shorter than the other two? I’m not easily annoyed, but I find wobbly 3-legged stools distracting. I don’t own any of these stools, so the only time I sit on one is if I’m visiting someone. The moment I sit down, I know I’ve got a challenge because a wobbly stool is so distracting that I find it quite difficult to follow our conversation.

Wobbly Theology

When it comes to our relationship with God, I think we sometimes create a wobbly stool. We embrace the truth of the Trinity of God. We pray to Father God and talk with Jesus, but we don’t always know what we should be doing with the Holy Spirit.

In the Apostle Paul’s benediction, found in 2 Corinthians 13:14, we read, “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.“

First, notice the order Paul used for the Triune God – Son, Father, Spirit. This order is different from most accounts (2 Corinthians 1:2;), and the Holy Spirit led Paul to do this. Paul is saying that there is equality within God. We find no wobbly stool in God.

In our Scripture, Paul begins with the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, we receive the love of God through the grace of Jesus Christ. We have fellowship with the Holy Spirit through the love of God, because of the grace of Jesus Christ. Our understanding of this completeness in God is how we avoid a wobbly theology.

Now, in my experience, I have met many Christians that carry a wobbly stool with them. When they speak of the things of God, they fumble a bit, for they tend to leave the Holy Spirit out of their thoughts. In truth, their faith in God is wobbly. Christ and the Father are fully understood and acknowledged, but the leg of the Holy Spirit is shorter. He is not ignored. It’s just that the believer doesn’t know what to do with the Holy Spirit. That creates wobbly faith, and none of us want that.

The Shy Person of God

Sometimes the Spirit is referred to as the shy Person of God. This perspective is because many references in the Bible show the Holy Spirit pointing us to Jesus, which is His ministry in this world, today. However, He has a very active role in the lives of believers. 

When we pray, we can (should) ask the Holy Spirit to direct our prayer. The Triune God should be active as we pray. The Holy Spirit will help us remember people and circumstances that we need to bring to Father God. He will reveal things in us that need to be dealt with. The Holy Spirit will also reveal to us things we would never have considered, which require prayer. I could go on, but let’s move ahead.

As today’s Scripture reveals, we should be in fellowship with the Holy Spirit. He (not it) desires a profoundly personal, deeply impactful relationship with you. 

I am going to continue this wobbly stool idea in my next blog post. For now, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26) – Amen

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