You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘Holy Spirit’ tag.
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29 (NLT)
All of us dream, at one point or another, of being well-known for some type of achievement. We play out our dreams as children. Dreams of being ‘cops or robbers’ or being star athletes or president of the United States. Dreams are the stuff life is made of. As we get older our dreams become more realistic. Sometimes they are buried in the midst of failure and the wounds we receive from others that tell us we’ll never amount to anything…and we believe them. But deep inside of us we never stop dreaming of a better tomorrow.
One day, John the Baptist was preaching in the wilderness. He cousin, Jesus the Christ, came out to hear him preach. Even though they were cousins and just a few months apart we don’t really know much about their lives together as children. We do know that John had a special mission to fulfill. His ‘dream’ was to be a preacher, his mission was to make known to others the coming of Messiah.
When John saw Jesus coming he proclaimed, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” He could have called him the great healer, for many were healed by his touch. He could have called him a great teacher. Even those who don’t acknowledge him as the son of God admit that he was a tremendous teacher. His methods are still followed today! John even could have proclaimed ‘Look, it’s the creator of the world!”
But he didn’t. John’s words spoke far more loudly of whom Jesus was, “the Lamb of God.” The very term brought a visual that only the Jews of that time could fully understand. When a lamb was born it was checked for flaws. If it was a perfect lamb it was kept until the day of sacrifice. It’s only real purpose in life was to die on the altar for the sins of God’s people.
Jesus was the Lamb of God. He wasn’t born to heal us. He wasn’t born to free us from emotional, physical or political oppression. He wasn’t born to make a great name for himself. He was born to die. His sole purpose for coming was to die for my sin. Life on this earth will be filled with calamity and pain and hardship. There will be days, even years filled with tears more than laughter. But in the midst of all we go through our one constant that we can rely on is that God loved us enough to send Jesus to die so we could live. That was the plan.
PRAYER: Dear Jesus, once again I come to you in praise and worship for your desire to come to earth just to die for me. Sometimes I get so overwhelmed with life that I forget the huge price you paid for me. I ask that today, you would help me to be in constant remembrance that your sole purpose for coming was to die for me. Let that be my encouragement as I face today’s challenges. In your name I pray, Amen.
But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. Acts 2:23 (NLT)
One of my favorite movies of all time is Apollo 13. I watched the drama of the moon bound spacecraft hobbling back to earth after an explosion ‘first-hand’ on television. Still, when I watch the movie I still feel that twinge of ‘will they make it?’ surging through me. It amazes me how this group of people (some on planet earth, some thousands of miles away on a crippled hunk of metal) could work together to figure out how to solve the crisis.
Apollo 13 is a perfect example of a ‘successful failure’. They didn’t get to the moon and back safely. But they did get back safely after revamping their plans. True heroics is the ability to go with plan ‘B’ or ‘C’ when plan ‘A’ is no longer an option. To carry on when failure tells you success isn’t possible.
Although the story of Apollo 13 is intriguing, the story of salvation through Jesus Christ is even more so. Were we, as humans, able to look into the future and see how some of our decisions would play out, we’d no doubt change our plans to avoid failure. God didn’t do that.
Long before Adam was a glint in his eye he knew you would be where you are right now, while you are reading this. The website you looked at last night? He knew you’d visit there too. And the cruel words you said to or about that person at work, or in the next locker at school? Yep. He knew about that too.
God knew, long before what we call time, that you’d disobey him. He knew every failure you’d make. He knew every time you’d reject his quiet voice telling you to follow him. Even so, he made two decisions. One was to form you in your mothers’ womb in his very image. The other was to provide a way for you to escape a life bound by sin and struggle and pain.
God isn’t surprised when you fail and he’s not about to give up on you when you reject him. Nothing you can do will surprise him. Nothing you’ve done has made him give up on you. You can never escape his love and his forgiveness and grace is there for the asking.
Apollo 13 is an example of a good plan diverted by failure but ending in success. Salvation through Jesus Christ is an example of a good plan unaffected by failure and ending in a rich relationship with God and eternal life after we die!
PRAYER: Father God, there are so many times when I fail you. I even surprise myself by my weakness and inability to do the things I want to do! Thank you for the cross. Thank you that even though you knew I’d fail you went ahead and made me in your image. Thank you that your plan isn’t affected by my weakness. Empower me by your spirit to live a life pleasing to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. John 5:28-29
Have you ever been in a large room with a large group of people? There are conversations going on all around you. Some are a little louder than others. Some are laughing, some engaged in serious conversation.
Suddenly, in the midst of all the noise you hear the voice of your loved one. Not calling you necessarily. Their voice doesn’t even have to be louder than the others. You hear it because it’s a voice of distinction. It’s a voice you know because you love that person. You’ve talked with that person during intimate times and while discussing the mundane things of life. You respond because you have a love relationship with the owner of that voice.
Someday, and perhaps soon, Jesus will return to earth. He’ll come to gather up those who recognize his voice. He’ll call them from the grave that has held them. With one word they will come forth because they will recognize the voice of the one whom they love.
These are the ones who have walked with Jesus during the tough times of life. They’ve followed his ways when the world screamed at them to follow them. They have struggled. Some have fallen, often. But every time they failed they would return to him for forgiveness and then try again to change their ways. Some were victorious in areas of their lives. Some struggled from the day of their birth to the time their earthly bodies could no longer hold them. Regardless of the struggles, they respond because they know his voice as the one they love. This was the voice of one in whom they built a relationship.
Sadly, there will be others who will come forth. These are the ones who heard the voice once or twice but never responded. They chose the way of the world rather than the way of God. They worked hard to make sure that they enjoyed all the ‘good things of life’. They may have followed religion. They may have been spiritual. But they never responded to the call of Jesus to come to him for forgiveness.
They will respond to his voice now. They won’t respond because they recognize him. They will respond because Jesus is Lord of all. He is Lord over those who have responded to him in life. He is Lord over those who have rejected him in life but will come forth in death.
Those who have built a relationship with Jesus in life will be called forth to join him for eternity. Those who have not built a relationship with him in life will be sent into eternity without him,
Today, Jesus is calling you. He’s calling you to enter into a relationship with him. He’s calling you to receive the forgiveness and mercy and grace that comes freely because of his death and resurrection. He’s asking you to let him enter into your life. Someday, and someday soon He’ll call you again. This time, He won’t call you and ask to invite him into your life, He’ll call you to enter into his home. A home that will last for eternity. A home that is free of sin and sorrow and sickness and death.
Will you answer his voice today? Will you accept his invitation now to join in relationship with him based on forgiveness and mercy and grace? Let him live with you now so you can live with him in eternity.
PRAYER: Dear Jesus. I’ve heard your voice on occasion. I’ve heard about you. I’ve even attended places that teach about you and I’ve sung your songs. But I’ve never asked you to forgive me of my sin. I’ve never chosen to follow you in obedience built on relationship and love. I’m asking you now. Forgive me of my sin. Enter into my life now so I can spend eternity with you. In your name I pray. Amen.
Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:35 (NLT)
One of my favorite past times is to watch people. You have to be discreet in this process because there’s a fine line between watching people and staring at people. People tend to get a bit uncomfortable if they sense some stranger is staring at them…but I digress.
Sometimes when you are watching a group of people it’s pretty easy to see the family resemblances.
‘That group over there? The father and mother are with their son and daughter-in-law. It’s obvious that the young man is the son. He’s the image of his father! And the young lady? Obviously part of the group, but not by blood. She looks nothing like the rest of the group. Accepted? Yep. Blood relative? Not a chance’
Jesus tells us that people will know we, as Christ-followers, will know we are family. They’ll know we are the children of our Heavenly Father. How? Not by hair color or color of the eyes. Not by the protruding chin or obnoxious laugh. Nope, people will know we are children of our heavenly father because our love for one another will be obvious. Our love for each other is the defining characteristic of being a Christ-follower.
That love isn’t bound by denominational lines, theological persuasions, past experiences or relational stability. It’s not controlled by a particular eschatological view point, race, gender or political party. It’s not determined by our ability (or inability) to drive properly, sing on key or practice some particular spiritual gift. Our love for one another supersedes anything we see here on earth.
So the question each of us must answer today is this: “Do others see that I’m a child of my Heavenly Father by the way I love others who are different than me?” Think about that answer before you blurt it out. Is there someone you haven’t forgiven yet? Is there someone you’ve offended that you haven’t made it right? Have you spoken evil of someone or sarcastically joked about them?
How can you show the love of the Father to someone you don’t particularly agree with? How can you show patience and acceptance to people who live a life-style that goes against your personal convictions? In a word, how will you show God’s grace to those around you today? That’s what love is really about. Showing God’s Grace to those who deserve it the least.
PRAYER: Father there are so many times I let my personal feelings get in the way of how I treat other people. So many times when I can rationalize my critical spirit and judgmental nature. Please forgive me for the lack of love and grace in relationships with others, especially my brothers and sisters in Christ. Empower me by your Spirit to let others see your image of love in my life. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 1 John 3:1
Of all the promises God gives us, none is more precious, more powerful and more amazing than the fact that we are his children. Ponder that thought today. Say it slowly in your mind and contemplate its meaning.
‘I am God’s child. The Creator/sustainer of the universe is my dad.’
When you were in grade school and kids were getting to know you, a question that often came up was “So what does your dad do for a living?” The question was more than a casual one. You were, in a sense, judged by the answer. ‘My dad is a carpenter or my dad works at a gas station’ may not carry as much clout as ‘my dad is a doctor or lawyer or president of the United States.’ Your importance was determined by the value placed on what your father did and you were expected to behave according to that distinction.
Today it’s a bit harder to get the concept of fatherhood established. For one thing, many kids have fathers who are uninvolved in their lives or only see them on given days. The term ‘father’ has lost its luster due to divorce and the dysfunctional state of the family, especially in the USA. The fact that earthly father’s often fail us doesn’t change the character or meaning behind our Heavenly Father. He isn’t distracted by getting the lawn mowed or finishing some project at work. He’s not more interested in his golf score than your well-being. He can be trusted, counted on to always be there, to be a ‘man’ of action not words. Your Heavenly Father will do just exactly what he says he’ll do. He’ll take care of you and knows what is best for you. You can trust your Heavenly Father because you are his child.
I don’t know if the story is true or not. I heard it years ago, but true or not it gives us a perfect picture of how we can trust our Heavenly Father.
The story is told of a house that caught fire in the middle of the night. The parents made it out but were unable to reach their little boy on the second floor. When the fire fighters arrived they heard the boy calling for help from a second floor window. They tried to coax him to jump so they could catch him, but he didn’t recognize their voices and the smoke and darkness (not to mention fear) kept him from being able to see his rescuers.
Then, his father called to him and implored him to jump. Immediately the boy jumped into the darkness to be wrapped in the arms of his father. What made him jump? It was the assurance that his daddy lay on the other side of the darkness and his daddy could be trusted.
You are God’s child. The creator of the universe is your daddy. He chose to make you so. Live today in the assurance that your Father loves you, cares for you, is ready and willing to forgive you of anything in your life that will keep you from relationship with him. He is real. He is powerful. He passionately loves you.
PRAYER: Dear Dad, Much as I love my earthly father I have to confess there were times he didn’t understand me like you do. There are times as a parent I’ve failed my own children. I praise you for always being there for me. Forgive me for the times I’ve doubted you or rebelled against you. Help me to live in such a way that even though the world doesn’t know you, they will know I’m your kid. In Jesus name, Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 