The Evidence of God's Love: From: Holy Spirit, To: You (Do Not Open Until...) - Pt. III

If you haven't experienced it yourself, you have probably seen someone go through it. The difference between many of the rooms we walk into are a result of the perpetual battle going on between flesh and Spirit, and that is why many of us experience either loneliness or a sense of true belonging. Do not get confused with the external, environmental sense of belonging or loneliness. You can never read the setting in a book to determine the outcome of the story. In the case of community, a sense of belonging, or loneliness, is found within, and when people find true, genuine community, they know it.
Why do they know it? Because deep down inside we are given with the innate desire to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. We feel connected when others around us genuinely enjoy our company. While this part of the Gospel, unity with fellow believers, is crucial in the development of the newborn Christian. there is another gift that far surpasses the connection we feel with the church body, and this connection is much, much bigger than ourselves.
2 Corinthians 3:17 says, "...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." We gain true freedom from bondage when we dip into the blessing of the Holy Spirit, whether or not our fellow believers are encouraging our walk with Christ. Now that we are given the blessing of community, our mindset should be on connection with the Spirit, as well as a constant download of the wisdom the Holy Spirit provides.
When Paul preached and spread the Gospel, he warned those who heard him that "Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, [he] relied on the power of the Holy Spirit" (1 Corinthians 2:4). Why? So we would "trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God" (2:5). Paul understood that his freedom did not come from the people around him, as encouraging as they might have been. His hope was found in God the Father and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is what took him deeper than he could go, and it gave him freedom from bondage.
Other than giving us freedom, why else would we want to be driven by the Spirit?

1. In order to comprehend the mysteries and secrets of God, we must tap into the Spirit:
"...so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us." (1 Corinthians 2:12)

2. When people lived under the Old Covenant, the glory was to remain sacred and untouched and unseen. Moses actually had to intercede on behalf of the people of Israel. Under today's Covenant, we can see and hear within our hearts the wonderful blessing of transformation into his likeness (Romans 12:1-2).
"..the veil is taken away...all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord...makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image." (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).

3. The Holy Spirit gives us confidence and boldness to live out our true calling - this genuine confidence cannot come from believers, but can merely be encouraged by them (Philippians 2:1-4). Paul calls us to be one in spirit together, encouraging one another to live out love, being "one in spirit and of one mind." However, we receive that confidence and boldness through the promise of the Holy Spirit.
"...as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit. So we are confident.."(2 Corinthians 5:5-6).
"Since this new way (the New Covenant talked about in part I) gives us such confidence, we can be very bold" (2 Corinthians 3:12).

4. The power of the Holy Spirit gives us peace and hope that transcends all understanding (Philippians 4:7).
"...by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope" (Romans 15:13)

5. We receive conviction to live out a healthy lifestyle with our body, including what we see, hear, touch, and think about.
"...don't you know your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

6. You are chosen by God to be imitators of him, and in doing so we receive conviction when living in the Holy Spirit.
"...because our Gospel came to you not only in Word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction" (1 Thessalonians 1:5)

7. We have access to his thoughts! Isn't this amazing? We can access his thoughts about us, the world, and how we can be stewards of it.
"No one can know a person's thoughts except that person's own spirit, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit" (1 Corinthians 2:11)
*Remember, we have been given the Holy Spirit, which is "God's own Spirit." = "...but we understand [the Lord's thoughts] because we have the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:15-16).

These seven reasons we should invest in the Spirit on a daily basis is only touching the surface. Paul goes much deeper than this, and he encourages us as a body of believers to dive into the secrets of the Holy Spirit. Through the Holy Spirit, we have the mind of Christ, We understand and comprehend the vast knowledge of God when we are devoted to the part of us that is so much greater than our ordinary self (1 Corinthians 2:16). In fact, the Holy Spirit is the very part of us that makes us extraordinary.

As a challenge, begin looking to the Holy Spirit within you for guidance. "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:4). One way to "delight yourself in the Lord" is to seek the Holy Spirit. As you do that, you will begin to understand what your hear truly desires.

Go deeper with the Holy Spirit, because with it you will discover things much bigger than yourself.

"Spit" Decisions

Littered through our lives is one thing that will never go away. It can be the toughest challenge to face, and it is always fought best when confronted personally. No one can make it for you, yet so many times we do not know what to do about them. These are infamously known as "decisions". Lebron James made one in 2010, President Barack Obama makes them all the time, and as Christians, we constantly have to be mindful of them. Unfortunately, many times in our lives, we are indecisive; with our jobs, our lifestyles, our friendships, etc. Worst yet, we are indecisive as Christians. We are not sure whether we should stay in the boat or whether to trust God and get out. We are not even sure whether or not we should "really" live for God. Oh, decisions, decisions, decisions.
In Revelation, there are seven churches that are mentioned. Each church has made some decisions and has to deal with them, and at each church - Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea, a letter is written to the angel that resides there. To the church in Smyrna, the letter encourages the angel saying, "I know about your suffering and your poverty - but you are rich!" (Rev. 2:9). As opposed to the church in Smyrna, the church in Laodicea claims it is rich materialistically, but it is really poor in spirit. Furthermore, what the church struggled with greatly was what is was doing in the sight of the Lord, and it was all...worthless.
As a matter of fact, if we are to fully understand the meaning behind the letter written to Laodicea, we would have to understand the context in which it was written. Around this church was a source of water in the form of a fountain and water tower. Along with the tower, an aqueduct was constructed from hot springs four miles south of the town. All around the Laodicea, cold and hot water was used to take care of the people and the land. Hence, giving some context to the letter to Laodicea, which boldly states:

"I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!" (Revelation 3:15-16)

The Laodicean church was doing things (and/or not doing things) that were unacceptable in the eyes of God. The letter is explaining that, like lukewarm water, there was no use for it and it might as well be tossed out (or more repulsively, "spit out"). There are many who are hot and seek the Lord faithfully, while cold water people have a heart that rejects God. Laodicea?  It couldn't make up its mind. In this context, it is far better to be cold and stone-hearted than be halfway between yes and no. A relationship is  unhealthy when one desires to go to his/her lover and then rejects the relationship moments later. Being indecisive is one of the worst strategies to use to get into or out of relationship because it is dishonest. This is how Laodicea was treating its relationship with God.

As Christians, we can easily become a Laodicea. We proclaim, as the Laodicean angel did: "I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!" (v. 17) We get swept away by our comfortable decisions and our comfortable lifestyle. Our lives become about us. We may not like to admit it, but we become so full of ourselves that we become stagnant, stale, and unworthy of carrying the most prized possession: Jesus Christ. In the next season, we praise and love God for what he gives  us ("everything I want"). We can't make a decision on whether to be 100% in or 100% out, so we lower our expectations to maybes. God makes it clear we need to knock it off.

Coffee, in our generation, comes in all different forms. We need to stay awake, so a good shot of espresso almost becomes a necessity. In order to provide it year round, coffee joints sell iced coffees in the summer and hot coffee in the winter. 

Never do they sell lukewarm coffee. It is gross, and it can be compared to the coffee you leave sitting out all day. Just like the town of Laodicea, the hot water and cold water was used for something, but the warm water could not be put to use in any way. It was worthless.

Many times, we are that coffee that sits out too long. The ice melts and becomes watery; the hot coffee reaches room temperature. We sit out and do nothing with the spiritual blessings God has given us. And, God does give us them:

Paul says, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." (Ephesians 1:3)

Unfortunately, after we make the decision to follow Christ, we tend to pull Laodiceas all the time. We sink into a comfortable lifestyle and become useless couch potatoes, and because of our indecisiveness, we look less like volunteers for our most High God and more like lazy servants who do nothing with their gift (Matthew 25:14-30). 

If we dare sit still, yet claim we have made God our Lord, we are merely trees tossed out and thrown into a fire (Matthew 7:19). In fact, just because we cry out, 'Lord, Lord,' this does not ensure eternity with him:

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven," Jesus said (Matthew 7:21)

We need to constantly be aware of His will for us. We need to "...use whatever gift [we have] received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 4:10-11). In doing that, we can then "...make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19), all for God's glory.

Despite all of the decisions we are constantly making each day, one decision that should never be difficult to make is to live out our commitment to Christ Jesus our Lord. Make yourself of use for the glory of God, and see how He can personally make you a vessel for His Kingdom.

So, what will your decision be? Will you be a stagnant servant, lukewarm in all your ways? Or, will you live out 1 Peter 4:10-11?

See also: James 1:22-25, Matthew 7:19, Matthew 25:14-30, 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, 1 Timothy 1:6-7, 1 Timothy 4:11-14

Throwing Stones

If you were asked if you have ever sinned before, you would probably nod your head or reply with a hesitant "yes." You might even boldly go into exhorbitant detail, making others provide you a quizzical look. Well, if you lived in the Old Testament, you would not be as prepared to nod your head.
If you broke Sabbath and did not keep it holy, you were put to death (Exodus 31:14); if you curse your father or mother, you were put to death (Exodus 21:17). In John 8:2-11, the Pharisees brought forth a woman caught in the act of committing adultery. Armed with stones and eager to punish the woman, the Pharisees asked Jesus what should be done to the woman (the intention was to trap Jesus). The Pharisees added that the Law of Moses commanded such women to be stoned.
So, what do all of the accounts have in common? If you sin, you die. Under the Law of Moses and the Old Covanent laws found in the book of Exodus, it was made clear that there were major punishments for committing various sins, and the major punishment was death (Exodus 20-23). There was no hope if you were caught in sin because that is what the Old Covenant was about.

Now, if we go back to the story of the adulterous woman, we notice that Jesus' response connects to what the New Covenant does in contrast to the Old Covenant:

"Let anyone of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her. (John 8:7)"

We are all seen as sinners, including the Pharisees, yet the difference between the Old and New Covenant is not the sinning, but the saving. Consider what made the New Covenant a necessary change to the laws:

 First:

Hebrews 8:6 makes it clear: "But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood (Old Covenant), for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises (NLT)" In other words, God has brought about a better covenant through Jesus Christ. 

Second:

Hebrews 8:7 gives us the reason a new agreement was formed: "If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it. But when God found fault with the people, he said: 'The day is coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah.'" Keep in mind as to why God formed a new covanent through Jesus. Clearly, God found fault with the people. We could not live up to the temptations (consider Cain in Genesis 4), the evil, and the ability to remain faithful. To put it plainly, we could not uphold the old covenant because we were dirty sinners. We needed hope, and the New Covenant was that hope.

Third:

Hebrews 8:12 is the redemption scene: "And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins." It is through this statement that grace has been magnified through the remodeling of the Old Covenant. God, seeing that we messed up the Old Covenant, wanted to express his love and grace towards us by creating a new agreement that we could withstand.

Exit death and punishment.

Enter grace and love.

Before we throw the Old Covenant out because it is considered "obsolete" (Hebrews 13:8), we have to realize the intentions of Jesus. While Jesus did come to introduce a new Covenant, it does not mean we should erase the Old Covenant that was around for so long. Jesus came to fulfill the law, not abolish it (read Matthew 5:17) - as a puzzle piece finishes a puzzle. The law, incomplete through the disobedience of the people, is now made complete through Jesus.

Most importantly, the Old Covanent required that animal sacrifices were made every year to atone for one's sins. The beauty of the New Covanent is that Jesus is that sacrifice. Blood sacrifices are no longer necessary and all stones can permanently be put away because Jesus is considered the permanent savior of sins. Not only is He the symbol of saving grace, but He is also the introduction of a new promise of life through the grace of God.

Although it is the transgressions of the people that caused the New Covenant to surface, we can take joy in what this New Covenant is all about: Love and Grace. "You are put to death," was the phrase that came with the laws of the Old Covanent. "You are redeemed, forgiven, and covered by the blood of Jesus" is the phrase that comes with the New Covenant. The Law of Love and Grace is now the engine that runs the vehicle.

So, dear friends, let us live in this glorious era and realize the New Covenant is symbolic of the love and grace God bestows upon us everyday. We are no longer the image of sin, but the representation of forgiveness, love, and unfathomable grace.

Flesh vs. Spirit

Our flesh is filled with sin. Lust, greed, alcoholism, selfishness, debauchery (links with lust), lying, cheating, adultery (again, lust), murder, coveting. When you think about it, sin is pretty abundant in our lives. Mark 7:21-22 says, “For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice (intentional meanness), deceit, lewdness (lust), envy, slander (bad report, whether a lie or gossip), arrogance and folly.” It comes from within us, yet is a part of our flesh, not the Spirit. In the case of the Spirit and the flesh, we need to clarify the meaning of each. Romans 8:2-3 declares: “Through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” It is the last part of Romans 8:3 that sticks out the most: “…and so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us…” In this sense, there is a clear separation between our flesh and the Spirit, which comes from God; ultimately, sin is tied to our flesh. Along those lines, John 3:6 says, “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to Spirit,” suggesting that the flesh is separate from the Spirit, and that the flesh and Spirit cannot coincide with one another. The context of John 3:6 is when Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus about being born again. Although we are born in flesh (as sinners), we can receive Jesus Christ through the Spirit, which is something the flesh can have no part in.

With so much sin trapping the very fabric of our being, who we were meant to be comes crashing down and is replaced by a monster we never knew could exist. We are reminded in Galatians 5:16 to “walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Along with Galatians, Romans 13:14 tells us to “clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.” Again, Galatians 5:17: “For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other.” The last part of Galatians 5:17 suggests the Flesh and the Spirit are at war.

So, when we think of sin as falling under the following categories – lust, greed, alcoholism, selfishness, debauchery, lying, cheating, adultery, murder, and coveting – we must realize that sin is anything that opposes God, or the Spirit. If you are uncertain this is true, the verses above speak volumes of the two. Do you worry? Are you obsessive over worldly things? Are you prideful? Well, if these things are not of God, then they must not be a part of the Spirit. If they are not a part of the Spirit, they are a part of our flesh. If they are a part of our flesh, then we must not do those things if we are in the Spirit. Unfortunately, worry, obsession, and pride are forms of sin as well. Fortunately, there is a cure. There is a remedy

Yes, our flesh is filthy. Our flesh is gross, and only wants what is opposite of the Lord. So, how can live in the Spirit? Looking at the verses above, it is clear the flesh is in opposition of the Spirit. The beauty of this contradiction is that, out of the Flesh and the Spirit, the latter always wins. As long as we “clothe [ourselves] with the Lord Jesus Christ (the Spirit),” we win. As long as we abandon our fleshly desires, we win in Christ.

The next question might be, “How do I ignore such a big part of my life?” Yes, sadly, our Flesh plays a major role in who we are. After all, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23 declares.

But, Galatians makes it clear to us. “Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ.” In other words, douse yourself with the love of Jesus (remember? The man who took on the sins of the world?) “Take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ,” 2 Corinthians 10:5 says. Everything we do and say must reflect Christ. Allow the Holy Spirit to work, and do not give over to the desires of the flesh. Be reminded of who you are in Christ. Commit yourself to excellence from God’s perspective, not your own. And, the best part, God promises he will never leave you or forsake you. After all, with his guidance, what can mere man do to you (Hebrews 13:5)? NOTHING.

It is not easy, but when you begin learning to ignore the flesh, you walk towards the Spirit. You give proper attention to the Spirit. Listen to the Spirit, and it will guide you. All you need to do is clothe yourself with Jesus Christ.

The Love Connection

One day, long ago, God decided to create something around him. Not only were the birds of the fields, the water, the trees, and everything that has breath created, but God did something that connected us to him. Hebrews 2:7 says, "Yet you made them (us) only a little lower than the angels." God's connection with human flesh did not stop there. While we were made a little lower than angels, the connection had to be deeper. Enter Jesus, who did not just die a horrible, bloody death so we may live, but also so that we may have a connection with purpose, passion, and ultimately, the Father who governs over all creation. Hebrews 2:14 even clarifies that Jesus became flesh "because God's children are human beings - the Son also became flesh and blood."
Again in Hebrews 2 (verse 11), God sent his son so that "...Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same father." In other words, Jesus was "given a position 'a little lower than the angels'" like us so that Jesus could connect us to God. Furthermore, since "the Son did not come to help angels [but] he came to help the descendants of Abraham" (Hebrews 2:16), "therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us" (verse 17). Jesus came to help the humans of the world, and did so in human form so we may relate and connect to a much bigger purpose - that being God and his plan for every individual.
What is most shocking is how Hebrews 2 concludes. "Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested" (verse 18). Here, it shows that Jesus has gone through the biggest test, bigger than any test we can go through. Therefore, we can humbly go before God knowing that his Son was put through much worse. Now, because of Jesus and God's decision to place him "a little lower than the angels," a perfect leader for the sinners of the world, we can walk across the bridge and into the arms of the Father above. This beloved connection shows that God did not just want a world to stare at and watch closely, but he wanted a world He could give love to and receive love from. He desired to have a world that he could interact with, stay connected to, and extend unfathomable grace, mercy, and hope to. He so strongly desired a connection because he knew that was what we needed. We needed a bridge. We needed hope. So, Jesus came in human form (someone we can talk to and relate to) and went through human pain and suffering so that the connection could be made new again.
God, who is higher than the lowly sinners of the world, has found a bridge to us; that bridge is Jesus Christ, and he was sent as one of us in perfect form, yet died as if a sinner. Now, it is because of Jesus and his human form that "Jesus is not ashamed to call [us] his brothers and sisters." We, as disgusting sinners, can be connected to God because we are called brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ, who is God's Son.
Do not forget that Jesus did not just come so we may live (as incredible as that is), but He came so that we may know God, and so that God can call us His own - "to bring many children into glory."