Living in the Spirit

 (studying Galatians 5:13-26)

Gal. 5:16  "Here is my advice.  Live your whole life in the Spirit and you will not satisfy the desires of your lower nature."  (PHILLIPS)

We live in conflict between our natural desires and our life in the Spirit.  We often try to split our life---this part is God's, this part is the world's.  As Christians we cannot do that.  It  is all to be lived in Christ.  The Spirit is our guide and mentor all the time.  Once we claim Christ as our Lord and Savior we can't keep looking back at the attractions of the world.  Christ demands all of our heart, not just part of it.

Paul points out here the things that characterize the worldly spirit and the things that characterize the Holy Spirit.  If we are still drawn to the things on the worldly list than we are not yet living our whole life in the Spirit.  As the Holy Spirit works in our lives, he produces the character of Jesus Christ---the "fruit of the Spirit"---love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (vs. 22-23 NIV)  

We will be known by our fruit.  Our true character in Jesus Christ will show in our thoughts words, and actions.  Verse 25 says, "If our lives are centered in the Spirit, let us be guided by the Spirit." (PHILLIPS) 

 or ""Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads, or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives." (MSG) 

I like the way the MSG expands the meaning of this passage.  Being guided by the Spirit has to go deeper than a mere idea or sentiment.  Working out its implications in every detail of our life is how we apply the Spirit's guidance.  We move from just thinking something to putting it into action.  We allow the changes that the Holy Spirit wants to make to become a part of our life.  We obey the word, rather then just listen to it.  This is life wholly lived in the Spirit.

Thank you, Holy Spirit for producing your fruit in us and help us to live our whole life....not just parts of it....in your Spirit. amen.

Counting blessings...

Psalm 18:1-3  "I love the LORD , my strength.  The LORD is my Rock, my Fortress and my Deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.  He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.  I call to the LORD who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies." (NIV)



I'm thinking again about the blessings I receive from God, as our Sunday school lesson has instructed us to do.  Reading in the Psalms is a good place to be reminded that our greatest blessing is God, himself.  I listed my top three blessings as God (his presence), my salvation (his pardon), and prayer (our connection to him).

 This always makes me think of Numbers 6: 24-26: "The LORD bless you and keep you.  The LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the  LORD turn his face toward you and give you his peace."  (NIV)

The 6 "p's"----provision, protection, pleasure, pardon, presence, and peace.  All precious gifts from our God!  Prayer isn't on this list but I put it there in my mind.  Like, David, when we think about God as our personal stronghold---refuge, strength, defender, shield, rock, fortress---we are filled with his peace as well and respond with our prayers of praise and thanksgiving.  God is good!  Praise the LORD!

Too often I concentrate on my "asking prayers" as being the most important ones that I must find time for.  I'm so afraid of not bringing my loved ones and their problems often enough before God for his blessings and healing.  I short-change my prayers of thanksgiving and praise.  God knows the needs of my family and friends better then I do.  He doesn't forget them if I don't pray enough for them.

 My praise and thanksgiving show that I know this.  They show that I understand what sort of God I am praying to and that I know something of his character from my own life.  The more I can concentrate on recognition of who God is and all he has done, the more confidence I will have that he hears my cries for mercy and compassion for the needs of those I pray for.  I will have greater hope and expectation as I look up and wait for his answers.  His presence is the source of my peace.  His pardon is the foundation of my hope.  Thank you, LORD God Almighty!

Intercession....

If we truly love people, we will desire for them far more than it is within our power to give them, and this will lead us to prayer.  Intercession is a way of loving others.".....Richard Foster

I think this is both a beautiful and important way to think about our intercessory prayers.  We often feel very helpless in the face of the trials and tribulations that our family and friends are facing and wonder "what can I do?".  

We don't often take seriously the role that our prayers for them can have.  We are too accustomed to seeking practical worldly answers to everything.  But in the face of helpless and hopeless situations God can always act and we can always come to him in prayer.  This is our way to offer love when we have little else to offer. 

 This makes me think about the story in the second chapter of Mark where the men bring their paralyzed friend to Jesus for help and literally remove the roof to get him into Jesus' presence.  Our prayers of love offered persistently for others are our way of "digging through the roof" to get them to Jesus.  We carry them by our love and compassion, and we strive persistently until we gain Jesus' notice of our cause.  

Jesus tells us to love others and he tells us to be persistent in asking.  We do this through intercessory prayer.  He also gives us the right and power to ask in his name.  Thank you, Jesus for the power of prayer in your name.  amen

Limitless fountain of inspiration...

 

Romans 15:4  "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope." (NIV)

Romans 15:4  "For those words that were written long ago are meant to teach us today; so that we may be encouraged to endure and to go on hoping in our own time." (PHILLIPS)

 "God's word is a limitless fountain of inspiration and hope and encouragement as we trek along the road of life."----David Rosage

A "limitless fountain of inspiration"---what a beautiful way to describe God's word!  Cool refreshing, life-giving words of inspiration encouragement and hope.  Wow!  The inspired words of scripture are designed to meet our every need.  We find guidance, love, forgiveness, mercy, relationship lessons, faith lessons, rebukes, questions that lead us to new personal awareness and actions, and hope and encouragement in large measure.  

We cannot exhaust the lessons in scripture and they are never stale or out-dated.  God's word is alive and just like a fountain refreshes our hearts, minds, souls, spirits each time we draw near.  

God's words show us God himself.  Jesus is called "the Word" because he came to bring us all of God in himself as our gift of grace and peace.  When we listen to Jesus we have all of the Father's love, authority and power flowing over us and through us.  Living Water---fountain of life---God's word!

Deuteronomy 32:47  "They are not just idle words for you---they are your life."  (NIV)

Love...do good...bless....pray for....

  Luke 6:27-28  "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.  (NIV)

This verse is a good example of the teaching that shows us how to follow Jesus.  Jesus asks us to do things that seem unnatural to the way the world lives.  He expects more of us and he expects a different focus for our actions.  Instead of putting ourselves first, as the world does, he wants us to look away from ourselves to the people around us.

He wants us to show love to everyone---even enemies---and to bless and pray for everyone we meet.  Our reactions to how others treat us should always be based on love--- love for God and love for others---not on our own feelings.  We don't make friends by hating and cursing and mistreating others.  That is the mistake the world makes.  We don't find peace by living in a tit-for-tat manner.  

We have to rise about our natural human reactions and seek to show the same unmerited love that God showed us.  We don't deserve God's love, but we have it anyway.  We in turn should love those who we don't think deserve our love.  We want to show godly responses not worldly responses to others at all times.  We should see others as being just like ourselves and expect them to want and need the same love and understanding that we need.

Love---do good---bless---pray for.  That is the way of Jesus Christ.  That is the creed we live by as Christians.  Thank you, Lord, for loving me and help me to love others with your love.  amen

New every morning...

   Lamentations 3:21-23  "Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:  Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness!"

It's easy to get discouraged when we feel our faith has been too weak, our prayers don't bring the answer we desire, we forget once again to do some ministry task to help someone, we can't memorize scripture and retain it for long, we have been worried or anxious about circumstances in our lives, we have spoken harsh or unkind words, or dozens of other reasons that cause us unhappiness and stress.

We fail God on a daily basis.  That is what sin is all about.  We feel that since we are Christians we should always be able to do and think and say "the right things".  Satan and the world have other ideas about that.  But our sins and mistakes are forgiven through Jesus Christ and his mercies are new each day.  We get a clean slate each morning.  We get to start over after each mistake.  We get to try again with the Spirit's help to change and become more Christ-like.  

We can't continue to look back at our failures, if we want to keep moving forward towards Jesus and his new life for us.  We have to say, "thank you for your new mercies and help me start again today."  Jesus will do that if we keep following him and keep trusting his mercy and love for us. 

 Thank you, Jesus for new mercies every day and the power of the Holy Spirit to help us grow more Christ-like each time we turn to you for a new start.  amen

Ephesians 2:4-5  But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions----it is by grace you have been saved."

Alive with Christ---what beautiful words!  We need not fear death.  We don't need to bow under the load of our sins.  All is new "with Christ".  God's love and mercy and grace have saved us, redeemed us, restored us in Jesus Christ.

Drawn with loving kindness....

  

Jeremiah 31:3  "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness." (NIV)

When I read this verse I always sense both meanings for the word "drawn".  First, I see it from an artist standpoint.  God draws us lovingly.  Not a caricature that exaggerates our flaws, but a picture that reflects his love for us, seeing only beloved children dressed in the righteousness of his Son.  He looks beyond our negatives and through his love sees our positives.

But I also sense the other meaning of "drawn".  We are drawn to God "with loving kindness".  It is because he loves us that we are attracted to him.  We sense that he wants the best for us, wants to lavish Fatherly love on us, wants to bring us home to abide with him. 

 Even though we hear him say, "go and sin no more", we hear the love that refuses to stone us and condemn us.  We hear his grace, loving us and calling us home.  We are the "found", the saved, the children brought back to life through his everlasting love!  Drawn in love and by love.

Psalm 25:7  "Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD."  (NIV)

Prayer and focus....

 

 The devotional writer, Sarah Young says in one of her books: 

 "Though many people think beginning the day with Me is sufficient, they frequently go off course unless they continue seeking Me throughout their waking hours."..."The more frequently you return your attention to Me, the better balanced your life will be."

A few  quick words of prayer in the morning or at meals or the end of the day is too often our only time of communication with God each day.  As the day unfolds and our circumstances change and each new situation or problem occurs we begin to depend on our own ability to react and handle the situation and to control our life.  We forget to consult God, to call upon him, to seek rest in him, or to seek strength and guidance from him.

We need to more often each day consciously make an effort to draw into God's presence---to speak to him, to bring decisions to him, to listen and wait for answers, to remind ourselves of scriptures that tell us how he wants us to behave, and to speak and to act towards others.  We need to notice our bad habits as they arise---anger, frustration, self-righteousness, envy, pride, arrogance,
judgmental attitudes, etc. and to immediately call on God to correct us and forgive us and change our attitude.

This sounds impossible in our fast paced world, but it isn't when we make a habit of focusing on God and his word throughout the day.  We begin to hear ourselves as he hears us, and recognize our errors and confess them.  We start apologizing more, speaking out less, worrying less, judging less, and showing more kindness, more of God's love.

Besides these small moments of focus throughout the day, if we can also commit a longer time to sitting quietly in God's presence and meditating on his word, we will deepen our sense of inner peace and adopt a more restful attitude at all times.  The more we focus on God, the more he draws us to him more quickly in the future.  He becomes our rest, our rock, our sanctuary, our anchor, our sense of balance at all times.

Lord, help me to spend quality time in your presence today and every day.  Show me the things I do and say that I need to change and give me an attitude adjustment that is in line with your will when it is needed.  Draw me into prayer.  Draw me into your presence.  Thank you, amen.

Chain reactions....

" Matthew 5:16  In the same way let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (NIV)

I sometimes play a video game called "Jewels", where you line up 3 jewels of the same color to make them go away.  Sometimes when I make a move amazing things happen and a whole chain of explosions takes place clearing half the board.  My one small move is just the one needed to trigger a dozen other events.

When we let our light shine into someone else's life we may cause the same sort of chain reactions and never know it.  One kind word, one kind deed, may trigger big events in someone else's life.  Spreading the gospel to one other person may end up touching their whole family.  Each time we act or speak in God's name we can influence many others in a chain reaction unknown to us.  

Each chink of light we shine lights up another spot of darkness in this world.  As the light grows whole sections of our world come out of darkness and find the light of Christ's love. It starts with the good deeds we do in Jesus' name.

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of your light!  You have entrusted us to keep this light burning in a highly visible way that shines on others and spreads your light.  Make me a vessel of your light and show me where to shine.  Thank you!  amen.