Life Without Holy Spirit?

Yesterday I had the opportunity to take some reflection time twice, once in the morning and once on my flight from NJ to Chicago.  I was reading one of my blog entries from my Ebooks, and saw something in a verse that I hadn't seen before. Here are the verses - John 16:5-7,12-15 NIV:

[5]...”but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ [6] Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. [7] But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 

[12] “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. [13] But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. [14] He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. [15] All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

I know I have definitely read the underlined verses before, but I guess today the significance of what Jesus said registered in a different way in my mind!  He is saying very clearly that if He didn’t leave, the Holy Spirit would never have come!  I am sure it didn’t seem like a great gift in that moment to the Apostles, but this is amazing news!  If Jesus would have stayed here, our experience of the Holy Spirit would have been limited! 

I am sure at the time He said it the Apostles really didn’t fully understand how Jesus leaving could in anyway be a better plan!  However, John is writing this decades later and in retrospect he must have understood!  The Holy Spirit was working through them all, everywhere all at  the same time.  He was empowering them, working miracles, signs and wonders and giving very direct guidance to the church.  John was one who walked closely with Jesus and He saw what a great gift the Holy Spirit was to the Church and, in my opinion, wanted to make sure the Church understood this point as well.

Jesus laid out briefly the benefits, and by looking at them we can see what life would have been like without the Holy Spirit. We would have not had Him as our guide, as our advocate.  We wouldn’t have the fruit or gifts of the Spirit.  We wouldn’t have had him telling us what is to come, what Jesus and the Father were saying, none of it! Wow!  

I guess I had never really thought about the possibility that there might have been a scenario where we wouldn't have hte Holy Spirit.  Father, I am so grateful for the fact that You don’t think like us, and our ways are not Your ways (Is 55:8).  You knew that the only way for the Church to really expand to cover the earth was through the visitation for the Holy Spirit!  We thank You for the gift that He is to the Church!  Thank You Holy Spirit for all You do for us!

Amen!

Living Stones Built Up

This morning I turned back to some verses I was reflecting on yesterday, found in Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth.  I came across a verse somewhere else, and I was looking it up and I felt the nudge of the Holy Spirit to spend a bit more time on these verses - 1 Corinthians 14:1-4,26-33 NIV:

[1] “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. [2] For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. [3] But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. [4] Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.” 

[26] “What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. [27] If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. [28] If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.” 

[29] “Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. [30] And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. [31] For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. [32] The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. [33] For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.”

I underlined the sections that stood out to me, and they all have to do with encouraging and  building up or edifying the church.  In fact, one could argue that this is the real purpose of the prophetic in the New Testament Church.  

Looking at the underlined verses above I can build a list of what the prophetic ministry should look like, or what fruit it should produce:

1) Strengthen fellow believers

2) Encouraging fellow believers

3) Comfort fellow believers

4) Edify or build up the church

5) Instruct and encourage everyone

The belief that God chooses to speak through people is well founded in the early church, for they had the writings of prophets, and knew that God helped guide and direct His people through them.  While the Old Testament Prophets were issuing words from the Lord, they were often words of warning, correction, judgment, and direction for nations and peoples.  It seems to me that the New Testament expression shifts to more of a personal focus. There is an edification of the church, but the church is the collection of people rightly related to the Father, through His Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit.  

Peter speaks of us being built up in the following passages - 1 Peter 2:4-5 NIV:

[4] “As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— [5] you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

I like this imagery, of being living stones.  In our life, stones are not living, they are not growing, they don’t get bigger or stronger.  However, if we put these two sections of Scripture together that is what we get.  Prophecy is supposed to strengthen and build up the individual believers as well as the church.  I also like the image of being stones versus bricks, for each stone is unique, size, dimensions, shape, color, etc. and so are we the members of the Body of Christ.

Additionally, I love the fact that the Lord desires for us to be encouraged, strengthened, comforted and instructed.  That is true for all of us, whatever level of maturity, position or length of relationship, we all need and benefit from these! As living stones, we each can grow, change and have greater impact. 

This morning I am just generally encouraged, knowing that the Lord does speak, and His intentions in doing so are for our betterment, and edification.  I am encouraged that the Lord desires for me to grow and be joined to others in the Church, in ways that builds it up.

Sounds good to me!

The Great Pursuit

This morning my verses for reflection are some that I go back to over and over again. I am so encouraged by Paul’s heart and pursuit, and he describes them well in the these following verses - Philippians 3:7-16 NIV:

[7] “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. [8] What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ [9] and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. [10] I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, [11] and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” 

[12] “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. [13] Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” 

[15] “All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. [16] Only let us live up to what we have already attained.”

Starting at the bottom, verse 15 ought to encourage us to reread the previous verses, almost every time we read them, or at least that is what I end up doing! I have many reflections on these verses, and every time I read them, I am further encouraged, and invited deeper into my relationship with the Lord.  It is like Paul is running the race, is way ahead of me, and calling back, “There is more, there is more, keep running!”

Secondly, I need the encouragement to forget what lies behind and straining forward toward what is ahead, namely Jesus.  I can often get mired in the present, or even allow the past to affect me, and here I feel Paul’s encouragement to shake free of those and press forward.  I am reminded of something runners call “catching their second wind”, and I remember the feeling well, there is a surge of life that seems to course through your body as the exhaustion or weakness wains.  I feel like these verses have that same effect on me!  No matter what I am struggling through, there is more ahead, and I can raise my eyes, and encourage my heart to press forward in this great pursuit.

Finally, Paul starts these paragraphs focused on the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus. Worth is an interesting word, in that it denotes significance, and is often established by what someone else is willing to pay.  We love to watch the Antiques Roadshow, and the interesting thing is the value or worth of certain items. The line they use when discussing the value is, “at auction” and that denotes what other people are willing to pay, especially when something is unique. There may be several collectors that would pay significant amounts of money to add the item to their collections, and that drives up its value or worth.  

Paul considers everything else he has encountered in life, all of his accomplishments, all of his knowledge, all of his gains to be garbage compared to knowing Christ Jesus.  This serves as a very effective plumb-line for me.  I compare his statements and ask myself if I could say the same things? My answer, most of the time is unfortunately “no, I can’t say that is true for me”.  I want it to be true for me, my heart wants that to be true for me, and I do consider knowing Christ Jesus of significantly greater worth than previously, but there is still so much that drags on me.  I place too much value on the opinions of others, I allow my past to affect me, and sometimes seem to forget the Lord completely in the midst of whatever struggle I encounter!  

I know I have much further to go, but I do know that of the things I am pursuing, Christ Jesus is at the top of my list!  He is my goal, and as long as that is true I am heading in the right direction.  I might get distracted at times, seem to wander off the path at times, but the one heart cry I have consistently had for the last 45 years, is that I want to know Christ Jesus, more and more.

My prayer is that I continue to place proper worth on knowing Christ Jesus!  My prayer is that when compared to all else, I might be willing to pay the most for Him, that I might be found in Him.  My prayer is that all my brothers and sisters in the faith might succeed in this great pursuit.

Amen and Amen!

Living Sacrifices?

Recently I was reflecting on the phrase offering our bodies as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1) and was letting that roll around in my mind and spirit all day.  This morning I went back to Romans 12 and continued reading for the next chunk of verses are clearly related to the first bit.  Paul basically is saying, if you want to know how to offer your bodies as a spiritual sacrifice, here is how to do it….

Here are the verses including the first two - Romans 12:1-13 NIV:

[1] “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. [2] Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” 

[3] “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. [4] For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, [5] so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. [6] We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; [7] if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; [8] if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.” 

[9] “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. [10] Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. [11] Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. [12] Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. [13] Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

Isn’t it interesting that essentially Paul goes right into a focus on building up and loving the Body of Christ following his encouragement to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, it’s almost as if the two things are related!  

One of the things I have been looking at is the state of the Church, and by that I mean the larger corporate church that is the Body of Christ.  Using our body as an example, We can think of it as a single congregation (cellular), the city or regional group of churches (appendage or function), the church worldwide (the whole Body).  

I don’t think its an overstatement to say that most of the global and even city-wide churches don’t act like we are all part of one Body.  There is division, competition, fighting, disagreements over just about anything, and in some extreme cases, even warfare between denominations.  Locally there is often competition for believers, and congregations are often self-focused, looking at how to grow their own congregation, and not largely concerned or even relating to other churches in the same city.

Looking back at Paul’s writings, we can choose to live out these encouragements at each level, and embrace the idea of our oneness, whether we are seeing it or not.  We can choose to live like we all belong to one another, and choose to work for unity.  

I am reminded of Paul’s encouragement in his letter to the Philippians 2:1-5 NIV:

[1] “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, [2] then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. [3] Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, [4] not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” 

[5] In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:”

Paul’s encouragements are wonderful and almost the exact opposite of the spirit of this age, where so many people are clamoring to be noticed, to be followed, to influence others.  What a strange time we live in!  

In our personal lives, Paul encourages us to value others above ourselves and to consider other’s interests before our own. Imagine what this could mean, if we actually lived this out in our day to day life.  We would be concerned about other people, their situation, their needs, their livelihood, their families, their salvation.  Our neighbors, or colleagues, our friends, our acquaintances, our church family, our spouses, our children, I could continue on - these would be who we would consider.  

We wouldn’t be clamoring to be noticed, we would be working to raise each other up, to bless, to help, to express care and love! We would be outward focused, rather than inward focused.  We would take genuine interest in strangers, we would reach out to the loner, to the one that is new, or awkward, or unloved, or unlovable (our modern-day lepers).  I have a feeling that we don’t need to look far, as these people are all around us, we just don’t see them, because our eyes are focused on ourselves.

Maybe this is part of what it means to offer ourselves as living sacrifices?!

Oh Lord, I know I need your help, for my eyes are so often focused on me!  Help me to see others, to recognize that part of my call and invitation is to represent You, and I think this is how You lived, focused on all those around You!

Oh Lord, help us all to embrace our place in Your Body, where we each belong to one another!

Amen and Amen!