Mar

24

Wisdom, knowledge, and the word

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In Athens, Apostle Paul spoke to the highly educated leaders plainly about Jesus. However, despite their keen knowledge, most of them were lost and could not grasp what he was saying. Instead, they laughed at him. Such is the way of the world.

Some knowledge just can’t be obtained through logic. No matter how smart or scholarly, we are not able to encompass all that belongs to the Lord if we are devoid of faith. While he has prepared wonderful and marvelous things far beyond our scope of comprehension and can do “exceedingly, abundantly above” all that we can even imagine, there is only one way to fully comprehend the truth of God’s word and that is through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

“…we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world to our glory.” 1 Cor. 2:7.

As humankind’s intelligence is limited, how can we affirm we have any spiritual knowledge or wisdom above and beyond what has been revealed to us and that we understand through faith? In the chasm between our finite minds and God’s infinite sovereignty, there is a wealth of knowledge to be found, and the Lord is only too pleased to use the Holy Spirit to teach and to guide us as we earnestly search for His truth.

 

Mar

18

Be still…

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With all of the noise coming from Twitter, Facebook, and TV news, it seems everyone has something to say in the public square. Often, the black and white issues of the day become lost in didacticism, leaving little to be stilled in those who have it all figured out as they see fit.

For us, as God’s holy people, His word tells us to be still. Adding to that it says, “and know that I am God.” Does that mean we have to be silent at all times or become a mannequin?

No, to be still before God is to render ourselves in His capable hands and into his control. To allow the Holy Spirit to control our mind and our tongue. When we face issues that come in the heat of the noise around us, He says to release everything into his hands, remembering that He is the strength of our lives. By letting go, we’re trusting God because He’s already proven himself time and time again throughout history. After all, he is the King of Kings.

While there’s a time and place to speak and act, doing so without being still before the Lord can make our desires preeminent to the Lord’s. One day, he will be exalted among the nations and “every knee will bow” to him. As his children, we can do that right now by allowing the Holy Spirit to speak to us, to trust him to lead us going forward and, above all, to be still before the almighty, living God.

Mar

11

Reap what we sow

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A common metaphor in the Bible uses horticulture—seeds, plowing, sowing, reaping, growing to give a visual image of the Lord’s truths. The words of Jesus to his disciples concerning the vine and branches in the fifteenth chapter of John came on the night of his betrayal. He wanted to prepare them for what will soon come: the crucifixion, resurrection, his ascension to heaven, and the work that’s to be done until he returns to earth.

Jesus’s intention was to bring joy to the hearts of the disciples.  He knew they’d be despairing soon and wanted to reassure them of his intentions that if they kept abiding in him, they would be fruitful in the work set before them.

“These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” 

The world longs to have joy and often seeks it—not in the vine—but somewhere else. They may dig and plow to reap their sustenance, but outside of the one true vine, they will not find what they’re looking for and will reap what they sow.

As we grow in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, we find our sustenance can only be replenished through the one true source of all strength, light, and spiritual nourishment…Jesus.

 

Mar

04

One in the Spirit

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With all of the focus on diversity these days, it’s interesting to note that God doesn’t even notice things like race, color, or gender. These statistics don’t matter as the Lord’s focus is on the heart.

As believers, we have fellowship with him as our father, and that makes us collectively all brothers and sisters in the Lord. We comprise the body of Christ. Some may feel like they’re just the big toe, but in a body, the toe really has a huge function!

As Christians, we are called to love one another. Although we all have shortcomings, we’re to make every effort to love in spite of our predilections and peculiarities. We need to preserve the unity of the spirit at all costs. Why? Because we are one—in Christ.

Maintaining a bond of peace is not always easy, but the power of the Holy Spirit gives us the fortification and strength. May we always remember that “There is but one Lord, one faith, and one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5) and also one hope that we share. Truly, it all rests in Him.

Feb

25

Bearing fruit

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As we know from Apostle Paul, there is no good thing in our flesh, and any beauty we display is all due to God’s Holy Spirit living inside us, which bears fruit that is peaceable, good, and pure.

The early church in Galatia was aware of the presence and the power of the Spirit, but at some point turned back to their former ways… back to the old and now obsolete covenant—the Law—to live in the flesh. Paul said, Wait…no, you’re beyond that now!

“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:24-25).

 When we become saved, we are no longer the same person, and we are free from the old ways which once dominated our lives. Rather than obey its lusts, we have a higher calling and a higher purpose. No longer living for ourselves, we live to serve the King.

The power of the Holy Spirit in us has already conquered the flesh. All we need to do is want to please the Lord, and through prayer and seeking his will, we allow the spirit to work in us. There is no life more abundant than one that brings forth the fruit of God’s righteousness.