Doctrines of the Faith: The Spirit in You

As we continue to look at Church Doctrine and consider the Third member of the Trinity, we find this gem from Paul: “The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God…no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God…we have received the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand…” (1 Cor 2:10, 11, 12). Put simply, because the Holy Spirit is God, He knows how God thinks. He “hears” God’s thoughts. Because the Holy Spirit indwells believers, He reveals those thoughts to us – Jesus said “He speaks what He hears” (see John 16:13-14). And when He speaks to our spirits we are convicted, commanded, comforted, challenged, encouraged, directed, and inspired. (Which, by the way, is how Peter explained the transmission of the Scriptures: “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but man spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet 1:20-21).)
What are we to do with the Spirit’s messages? Obey. Paul called it being “controlled by the Spirit,” “living according to the Spirit,” and being “led by the Spirit.” How does work? We “set [our] minds on what the Spirit desires.” We “set our minds on things above, not on earthly things (Col 3:2). When the Spirit says one thing and the world says another, we choose to meditate on and obey what the Spirit has said. The world tells us that God has no authority over us. Paul said that we are “obligated” to submit to God’s Word and His Spirit. And if we don’t? Paul said we are not God’s children. God’s children are Spirit-fed, Spirit-led, Spirit-filled people. (See Romans 8:1-17)
There is another aspect of the Holy Spirit in us that I want you to grasp. Paul said in this same passage that “the Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children” (v. 16). Why is that important? Because the enemy and the world will try to tell you the opposite. Satan will hound you that God has rejected you because of your sin, that He could never love you. The Spirit says you are God’s child and God loves His children.
Give heed to the Spirit; believe and obey Him, Beloved. He is the very Life of God in you.

Follow Jesus

Obedience is the mark of faith in the Christian’s life. Sometimes obedience is simple, even delightful. When the Scriptures say, “Forsake not the assembling of yourselves” (Heb 10:25 KJV), it is a Joy to obey and gather with our church family. When Jesus commanded, “Love one another” (Jn 15:17) it is (usually) a sweet pleasure.
But what about when He tells us to do something hard, something illogical, something impossible? Not so easy now, is it? But God doesn’t give us a pass when it’s hard. He still expects absolute obedience. Joshua was to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. In Joshua 3 they were camped on the east side of the Jordan River (v. 15). Canaan was on the west side. It was unfamiliar territory inhabited by fierce people groups who were not going to just hand over their homes.
The Lord told the Levites to take up the ark of the covenant and stand in the river – which, by the way, was at flood stage. Sounds like the perfect setup for rebellion. But Joshua delivered a word that gave the Israelites courage. He said, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before.” Then he told the people to consecrate themselves, “for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you” (vv. 3-5).
I’ve studied the late Henry Blackaby’s masterpiece study, “Experiencing God” several times and his wise premise is to watch what God is doing and follow Him. That is the heart of Joshua’s message. He didn’t just tell them to march out – he told them to follow the Lord their God who would do something amazing. That is the key to obedience when the task is hard.
I’m sure you are familiar with the “Footprints” poem, which says when there is only one set of footprints that is where the Lord carried you through hard times. I have a different perspective. I want to follow Jesus so closely that I step in His footprints, leaving none of my own – especially when the way is hard. I want to hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Mat 25:21).
Beloved, I don’t know what difficult thing God is asking of you, but I know two things for certain – He will go before you and He will do amazing things when you follow Him. Step out into His footprints, good and faithful servant.

Spiritual Ears

One of my favorite games with Joy when she was very little was “Where is Joy’s . . .” toes, eyes, fingers, nose . . .” “My nose is wright here” and she’d tap the end of her nose. Sometimes I would change it up and ask her “Where is Nana’s nose?” and she would giggle and tap my proboscis. One day I asked her, “Where is Nana’s ears,” and she touched them, then looked curiously at them, and said, “Nana, I know why you have ears. So you gwasses don’t fall down!” Then she noticed the frames resting on my nose and she was awestruck. I started to laugh until I noticed that she was serious. She had made a connection: Nana’s nose and ears are important for keeping her gwasses in place.
Jesus told the Parable of the Sower (Matt 13:1-23) and said, “He who has ears, let him hear.” Of course we all have physical ears – some of ours do double duty as Joy discovered – but Jesus was speaking of spiritual ears. Ears that will not just receive words like an adult talking in a Peanuts cartoon, but ears that hear – that attend to and consider what is said so that one might understand and perceive the purpose of the message. The purpose of hearing what Jesus said is obedience. God doesn’t just speak to be heard, He speaks to be obeyed.
Maybe that is why so many of us are not using our spiritual ears when we quickly run through our daily devotional. We know that if we hear and understand what the Bible is saying, we are obligated to respond. Jesus quoted Isaiah in saying: “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving” (v. 14; Is 6:9). We are looking for a nice word of encouragement to get through the day, but we don’t want something that is going to change our comfy lives.
But hear what the Psalmist said about the Scripture: “I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free” (Ps 119:32). There is real freedom in the Words of God. There is real rest and peace in His truth. There is real Joy in obeying His Word.
Don’t just let the words bounce off your ears, but receive them into your heart so that you will abide in them (Jn 15:7). Beloved, Let the Word of God be your delight and obedience be your offering.

Words of Wisdom

The book of Ecclesiastes was written by King Solomon, the wisest ruler that ever lived. His wisdom came to him directly from the Lord God when he took over his father’s throne as a very young man. He began his rule well, submitting to the Lord’s authority and Law. His decisions were righteous and just and his reputation for both understanding and wealth were known far and wide. Israel enjoyed peace and prosperity during his reign. But for all that God-given wisdom, Solomon acted very foolishly in his life. For starters, he got tangled up with multiple women – 700 wives and 300 concubines – most from foreign lands. “And his wives led him astray; [they] turned his heart after other gods” (1 Ki 11:3,4).

He also turned his heart toward himself. He “built houses for myself”, “owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem,” “amassed silver and gold for myself,” and  “denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure” (Eccl 2:4-10). The result of all his pleasure-seeking and self-satisfaction? “Everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind” (v. 11). He discovered what God knew all along – a self-centered life is a miserable life. Everything he did, everything he built, everything he gained was all for himself.

It’s a lesson humanity still hasn’t mastered all these generations later. We live in the age of self – self-esteem, self-worth, self-care, self-determination, self-knowledge, and selfies. No other generation seems more self-focused than this one.  When life is all about self, life is meaningless. People who do not have a relationship with God have such a sad outlook. But when our lives are about the glory of God, we find real meaning and purpose and passion. A life lived for self is wasted. A life lived for God is full and rich.

Solomon divided his discoveries into things “under the sun” and things “under heaven.” Under the sun referred to anything that was temporal: buildings, pleasure, wealth, possessions, reputation, earthly wisdom, position and popularity. Under heaven was anything with eternal value: love, Joy, heavenly wisdom, people, salvation, humility, kindness, peace, hope, and the glory of God.

In the end he said, “Here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Eccl 12:13). It was the wisest thing he ever said. Beloved, it is the wisest thing you will ever do.

Speak Lord

Have you ever wondered why God speaks to some and not others?

I found a clue in one of David’s Psalms this morning: “The Lord confides in those who fear him; He makes His covenant known to them” (Ps 26:14). Do you see it? The key to hearing from God is to fear Him – to reverence and respect Him and hold Him in absolute authority. By extension, that means to obey God. Because God speaks to be obeyed not just heard. God is going to speak to those who agree with Him – who obey Him.

There are two sources of the voice of the Lord. One of them is the written Word – the Bible, the very expression of God’s heart and His history in the Created world. His commands are there. His plan is there. His purpose is there. Everything humanity needs for wisdom and truth is there – between Genesis and Revelation. If you read the Bible with a heart to believe and obey – God will speak to you.

The other is the Living Word – Jesus. John said, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God” (Jn 1:1). The writer of Hebrews said, “In the past, God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son” (Heb 1:1-2). The last proclaimed word of God to the people of Israel came through the prophet Malachi. Then there was silence from heaven. For four hundred years. And then Jesus came. He was the walking, talking expression of the Lord. Every word and act of Jesus is God speaking. If you study the life and work of Jesus with a heart to believe and obey – God will speak to you.

When God speaks to me, and He does, I don’t hear an audible voice in my ear. I get a sense of God speaking, and the Spirit in me confirms this is from the Father. And I need to obey. I don’t always get that right, but my heart’s desire is to obey and I try to always be sensitive and submissive.  Sometimes it’s very hard. Sometimes I don’t want to obey. Sometimes God’s command to me rubs hard against my will. But I want God to keep speaking, so I obey. Imperfectly sometimes.

God wants to speak to you too. You have to have listening ears and a willing and obedient heart. But it’s worth it. Oh, Beloved, it’s so worth it.

Life is about Knowing God

Do you remember those early days of love, when you wanted to spend every moment together, learning all you could about one another? What is her favorite flower? What is his favorite song? What makes her happy? What makes him laugh? You became “a student” of the one you love.

Do you have the same desire to know God?

He is the greatest love you will ever have and offers you His heart forever. Over and over God’s Word expresses His desire for us to know Him. The same principle in our earthly relationships holds true in our relationship with God. The more we get to know Him, the more we seek to discover all the wonderful things about Him, the more we will love Him. The more we know of Him the more we want to know.  

So how do finite human beings get to know the infinite God of Heaven and Earth?

We study His Word. We read the book He wrote about Himself. We find God in the pages of the Bible. But the Word of God is not just written words. John said Jesus is “The Word [who] became flesh (1:14) and Hebrews declared that “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being” (1:3). Jesus said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father . . .  Believe that I am in the Father and that the Father is in me” (John 14:9–10; cf. John 17:6). Everything Jesus did was what He saw from His Father in heaven (John 5:19). Every word Jesus spoke was straight from the Father (John 12:49). To know God, we must know Jesus.

We also determine to walk in His Spirit. Paul said, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (Gal 5:25) That means we listen and obey. When the Spirit says, “That young man is cold and hungry. Help him.” We do it. When the Spirit says, “I know you are not the one in the wrong, but apologize anyway.” We swallow our pride and say, “I’m sorry.” John said, “We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands” (1 Jn 2:3).

By engaging our minds to know Him and walking in obedience, our hearts are filled with wonder and love for Him. To borrow from an old 50’s song: “To know, know, know him is to love, love, love him.” Beloved, get to know your God. Fall in love with the One who loves you.

Acts: When God Changes Your Plans

I had a plan for my life when I was much younger. The only part of my plan to come to reality was I got older. Proverbs 16:9 says “In his heart, a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” I could have written that verse myself – you probably could have too. For sure Paul understood those words and lived them out. His life plan was to be a Pharisee – he was trained in Jewish law by the wise Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). But the Lord had other plans for him – “to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people Israel” (Acts 9:15). He interrupted his plans on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19).

The Lord also interrupted his plans in Acts 16:1-10. Please read this passage and come back here.

After Paul brought Timothy on board his missionary team, he had plans to take the gospel into new territory. But Luke said that he and his companions had “been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia” (Acts 16:6). This was followed by another redirection as “the Spirit of Jesus” prevented them from entering Bithynia (v. 7). No additional details are given but as the passage unfolds, we learn why. God wanted Paul elsewhere. During the night Paul receives “a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’” (v. 9).

Here’s what the Holy Spirit is pointing out to me. First, when God saved me, He also claimed me as His own. It is His right to override my plans and send me in another direction. Secondly, His plans will always be better than mine. But here’s where I am being confronted and convicted. Paul didn’t complain. He didn’t whine about not getting to do what he wanted to do. He responded with immediate obedience. “After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them” (v. 10).

God is all about changing our plans and our direction. That is the Christian life in a nutshell. If He did not interrupt us, we would have no hope. I look back over my life, over my plans and see the foolishness and futility of them. I’m grateful He turned everything upside-down and inside-out. Beloved, are you still clinging to your plans, even as God has shown you a new direction? Lay them down and follow where He is leading you. The sweetest place you can ever be is in the center of His will.

Thy Will Be Done

How many times have you prayed the Lord’s Prayer and said “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”? Have you ever stopped to think about what that really means and why Jesus included it in His model prayer? You can be sure it is not there to give the prayer rhythm. It is there to remind us that the will of God is supreme. It must be our highest priority as His people.

The question of God’s will has been a constant theme in Christendom for thousands of years. We all want to know God’s will for our lives, we want to do what we were created to do. Isn’t that what Ephesians 2:10 says? “We are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” That’s not at all a bad thing, but Jesus’ prayer invites us to look for the bigger picture and how we fit into it. While God does have a will – a plan and purpose – for our individual lives, that will is encompassed by the greater will of God: to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under the sovereign authority of Christ (see Ephesians 1:10). This is the fulfillment of the times—the ultimate purpose of all existence is the Lordship of Christ Jesus. God’s plan was firmly fixed from before time began. Understand that God isn’t making decisions and altering events as they unfold. All of human history has been moving toward one result: the coronation of Jesus Christ as the King of kings with “authority, glory and sovereign power, everlasting dominion, and a kingdom that will never be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13-14).

So when we pray “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” we are surrendering our will to the will of God and committing to be part of ushering in the Kingdom of God and Christ. Like the angels in heaven, we are swearing our total allegiance to the authority and rule of the only rightful Ruler of the universe. This is God’s will for your life. He created you with so much more in mind than you can conceive. He created you to be part of His eternal kingdom. Beloved, as you consider the words of this prayer, ask yourself, “What would the world look like if God’s will were done on earth through me?”

Building a Wise Life

I used to think if just studied the Bible enough, poured over it every day and memorized verses, I would be wise. Then I wondered, how can I know so much Scripture and do the foolish things I do? The Bible gives much wisdom about finances, yet I was always broke and drowning in debt. God has volumes to say about relationships, but I did not have good relationships with my family, friends or co-workers. Why? Because, while I knew a lot of Bible verses, I wasn’t being obedient to what I knew. I wasn’t following those Biblical principles for financial management or healthy relationships.

Jesus said “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matt. 7:24). Likewise, He says, “But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand” (Matt. 7:26). There are two components to the wise life: hearing God’s Word combined with obedience. Together they become the sure foundation for the life of a Christian. Listen to James: “The man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:25). God doesn’t speak just to be heard, He speaks to be obeyed.

The Bible really is very practical to our daily lives. There is nothing we will encounter in life that the Bible does not address, either directly or implicitly. There are “do’s and do not’s” and there are teachings that guide us in the best way to live. But they will just be words on a page to us unless we walk in obedience and submission.

Is there a particular area of defeat in your life Beloved? Look up Scriptures that address that area and ask God to help you put them into practice. Read and study the Word of God every day and consider how to bring your life in line with what He says. You may need to make some changes and hard choices, but the blessings that come from walking in obedience are worth it. Build a wise life on the Word of God and obedience to Him. Then when “the rain comes down, and the streams rise, and the winds blow and beat against your house, it will not fall, because it has its foundation on the rock” (Matt. 7:25b).

Dads and Daughters and Forgiveness

“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13).

My Dad and I had a rough time starting in my early teens and for some 20+ years after.   The details are not important, but the pain was very real.  There was a long stretch of time that we did not speak at all and when we did begin to reconnect it was infrequent and strained and awkward.  And honestly, I was okay with a minimal relationship.  I had moved away from my hometown and was busy raising my family, working, and making my own life.

Sure, I knew the importance of forgiveness and had told God “I forgive him.”  But God required something deeper from me—and for me.  My brother wanted us to come for dinner for Dad’s birthday.  I would have just as soon sent him a card but my brother insisted, and so we agreed to go.  A couple of days before God took me to 2 Corinthians 2:7-8 and told me very pointedly this word was for me regarding my Dad.

“Now you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.  I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him.”

Wait, God wanted me to forgive, comfort, and reaffirm my love—for my Dad’s sake?  That seemed a bit unfair, after all, I was the injured party here!  I was the one who had lived all these years with “excessive sorrow.” Shouldn’t he be made to comfort and love me? Didn’t he owe me something?  God patiently heard my arguments (read whining), but kept coming back to the same point: “Are you going to obey me?”  “Lord,” I answered, “I will do as You have said, but only because You said it, not because I want to. 

That year had presented a lot of health challenges for my Dad, and when I saw him in a motorized chair with his oxygen, it gave my heart such a shock.  My Dad was so frail. I felt a piece of ice crack around my heart. Still, we sat on the opposite ends of the table but my eyes kept drawing back to him. As we left I walked ahead of him, moving chairs and obstacles out of his way.  We took some pictures in the parking lot and my sister-in-law positioned me directly behind my Dad in his chair.  I put my hands on his shoulders, and he reached up and pulled my hands lower so that I was bent over him in a hug.  Another piece of ice broke away.  On our way home she sent me the picture and suddenly the frozen dam broke and flooded my eyes.  I didn’t see the man that I had been so hurt by or so angry with.  I saw my Dad with such a glad look on his face with my arms wrapped around him.  The thought came to me: “This is not the same man who hurt me,” Forgiveness rushed into my heart, filling all the places where the bitterness had taken root.  The person in that picture was someone I truly loved.  And then God spoke to my heart: “You are not the same girl so full of pain and anger anymore.  I have carried you and I have been your Father all these years and my love for you has washed away your pain and bitterness.  Now you can love your earthly father with the love I have poured into you.”  My heart had been set free.

Forgiveness is a gift that God gives to every person who will receive it.  Forgiveness is a gift that you and I are also called to give, but the truth is, we are often the most blessed.  Forgiveness sets us free because bitterness is the heaviest burden known to man.

I know that someone is reading this and thinking, “But you don’t know what this person has done to me!”  I chose not to go into detail about our past, but it was deep and painful and affected every aspect of my entire life.  When I forgave my Dad, it was an act of obedience to God, not because of a warm-fuzzy feeling on my part.  But that step of obedience broke the dam of bitterness and God took away that pain and anger.  He changed my heart.   Perhaps God is waiting for you to look up from your tangled emotions and simply say, “I’ll forgive them because you say so.”  That Beloved, is the first step in the direction of true freedom.