Destiny Thinking

On May 2, 2016   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Romans 8: 5

For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

So the question is, “What am I thinking about?” Is this convicting or what? I must admit that the greater part of my thoughts in a day are about things of the world rather than spiritual things. I am thinking about my work, my family, my workout, my diet, leisure, and on and on. What percentage of the day am I really considering my heavenly Father, big brother and the Spirit of God? How often am I considering Dad’s goals and wishes? In truth, the things of the Spirit and prayer are taking up a smaller portion of my day than the things of the flesh. How, then, can I truly say that I am a spiritual person. Those whose thoughts are predominantly of the world and the things of the flesh are those who are “according to the flesh”.

I believe we are all called to be people of the Spirit. That is why Jesus sent the Holy Spirit. Before he left the earth he said that it was to our advantage that he leave so that he could send the Spirit (John 16: 7). We are the New Testament temples because the Holy Spirit has come to make his abode in us. We were destined to have our being in him. Far too easily, though, the world comes to dominate our thoughts and everyday existence. Perhaps today’s verse acts as a reminder of who we are in Christ Jesus, who we are in the redemptive power of the Lord Jesus. However, we get to choose whether we will stand in the office preserved for us. We get to decide whether we will live according to the flesh or according to the Spirit. With that power comes responsibility. That is always the rub with the allocation of power.

Where we live our lives, whether in the flesh or in the Spirit begins, as it always must, with our thoughts. That is why David prayed for God to make the meditation of his heart acceptable in God’s sight (Psalm 19: 14). David realized that his heart and mind must hold onto the thoughts of God if he was to be successful. Paul taught this same idea in Romans 12: 2, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” If we are going to live our destinies then we must marshal the power of our minds and direct it towards God. We will have to intentionally seek direction and assistance in not only what we do but in what we think and think about. As a man thinks, so is he (Proverb 23: 7).

I am convinced that if we will invest our thinking time and power on the things of God, we will do all things better, even the things that are worldly, like our jobs. Our destinies are tied up in God’s thoughts. Think on Him and his ways and fulfill your destiny!

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Seek and Find

On October 7, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Ezekiel 39: 29

“And I will not hide My face from them any longer, for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,” declares the Lord.

Wow! You have God’s promise that He will show you His face. Isn’t that what He says? As you think on this verse, don’t get hung up on the language “the house of Israel” because we have seen in Joel 2: 28 that God said he was going to pour out His Spirit on all mankind. Besides, if you want to know the whole truth, you have been adopted into the family of Abraham so this definitely applies to you.

I really love how God had this all planned and how He was anticipating the pouring out of His Spirit. I can almost sense His eager anticipation. The sending of the Holy Spirit really was a huge deal. I often think that the modern church does not understand what a major event this really was. I have said it before – I believe we are living in the age of the Holy Spirit. The Old Testament was mostly about Yahweh, God the Father. It looked forward to the coming of the Messiah and foretold that happy event. The New Testament is mostly about Jesus and the effect of His coming. Jesus foretells of the coming of another. He is looking forward and telling us of the new age to come. In fact he said, “It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you but if I go, I will send Him to you (John 16: 7). I can well imagine myself disagreeing with Jesus if he told me it was to my advantage that he go away. None the less, Jesus understood these things and knew the huge effect sending the Holy Spirit into the world would and could have.

This, then, is the age of the Holy Spirit. There is so little we know about him, so much we can learn. We don’t teach, preach or talk about him nearly as much as we should and there is such huge revelation just awaiting those who will seek it. God said He wouldn’t have to hide His face from us anymore because of the poured out Spirit. How huge is that? It is bigger than I can teach because I certainly have not grasped the enormity of God’s statement and the truths behind it.

I want to encourage you to seek the Spirit of God. He is the third person of the trinity so he is God. You can pray to him, you should talk to him. Invite him to fill your home and your body. Invite him to permeate your workplace. Let’s all invite him to be with us and to teach us. There is a great awakening, a mammoth revelation just waiting for us. Seek and find.

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The Promise

On October 6, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Numbers 11: 16 – 17

The Lord therefore said to Moses, “Gather for Me seventy men from the elders of Israel, who you know to be the elders of the people and their officers and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. Then I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit who is upon you , and will put Him upon them.

This “Spirit” spoken of is the Holy Spirit of God. God reveals to us in this passage that His spirit was “on” Moses. That is a powerful revelation for anyone who has ears to hear. 

Moses did gather the seventy elders and God did put His Holy Spirit on them too so that they could help shoulder the burden of caring for the Israelites. When God put His Spirit on them, the Bible tells us that they began to prophesy (v. 25). That is the power of the Holy Spirit.

This is the same spirit which was spoken of in Acts 2. God promised in Joel 2: 28 that He would pour out His Spirit on all mankind. This outpouring was a monumental occurrence, the fulfillment of a long awaited promise. In fact, if you study all the verses which speak about the Holy Spirit you will see numerous references to the promise of his coming. Then in Acts 2 we get to witness the outpouring of the Spirit. 

In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit came “upon” people as was the case with Moses and the seventy elders. This resting of the Holy Spirit upon people gave them tremendous ability and power. Jesus told the disciples that when he left he was going to send the Holy Spirit (John 16: 7). He also told them that the Holy Spirit was coming to live IN them (John 14: 17). 

This is a new dispensation, if you will. We are talking about the same Holy Spirit which brooded over the waters in Genesis 1: 2. However, a new thing was happening. Jesus was sending the Holy Spirit into the world to stay. Not only that, but importantly, the Holy Spirit was sent to us individually rather than collectively. That is an important distinction. The Holy Spirit was with the nation of Israel as they sojourned to Canaan but He did not live “in” them. Jesus has now sent the Holy Spirit to each of us, to live in us and to be our constant companion. He said the Holy Spirit would be to each of us a go along, a teacher, a guide and a helper (John 16: 7, 13, John 14: 26).

Certainly there is an aspect of our own responsibility. We must each receive the Holy Spirit personally. He is not going to set up house within you without your permission. However, when you invite Him in, the power, authority and ability that was with Moses comes and takes up abode IN you. You become the vessel, the carrier of the power of God. This power and authority does not just rest on you and then remove Himself, He is with you and in you all the time. That is a much better arrangement than the Old Testament saints had.

I invite you to meditate on today’s verse and ponder the role of the Holy Spirit in today’s world but most importantly, in your own life. I pray that the Spirit who was upon Moses will come rest in you and with you today.

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Part Three

On May 18, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

John 16: 13 – 14

But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak and He will disclose to you what is to come. He shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose it to you.

Jesus said that it was to our advantage that he go away because he was going to send the Holy Spirit (John 16: 7). I’ve got to say that when I read that for the first time I was really surprised and I had a hard time believing it. How can we be better off without Jesus here? As we continue to read chapter 16 we begin to understand what Jesus was conveying to us. The Holy Spirit is a powerful ally. He is a comforter and a teacher, a guide and a constant helper. I do not believe, however, that we (the church) have a revelation of the Holy Spirit. There is so much more about this third person of the trinity than we are experiencing.

Did you know that you can have a relationship with the Holy Spirit the way that we have relationships with Jesus and the Father? He will even speak to you. Well, I suppose that is really quite apparent if you think about it. Jesus said the Holy Spirit would guide us into all truth so how would he do that if he didn’t speak to us? Furthermore, today’s message from Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit will “speak” whatever he hears. So there it is in plain language. None the less, many times we do not embrace this idea of communicating with the Spirit.

 So what is he disclosing? Jesus says that the Spirit takes what is Jesus’ and discloses it to us. That is his role. Jesus goes on to say that whatever the Father has is his so whatever the Father or Jesus have, that is what the Spirit is here to give you. Now I am thinking that is pretty huge. He is going to take whatever Jesus knows and disclose it to us. Is anyone hearing this as big as it sounds to me? The Holy Spirit is here to disclose to us everything that Jesus has and Jesus has everything that the Father has.

It seems to me that a worthy goal might be to get to know the Holy Spirit. We are missing out on too much and not taking advantage of the Father’s plan. To develop or further develop your relationship with the Holy Spirit is, I believe, as simple as talking to him. Tell him your desire to get to know him. Begin to communicate with him daily and give him your questions. He has been sent here to help us so let’s cooperate with his purpose. Get to know the third person of the Trinity.

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Staying Dry

On May 26, 2014   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Ephesians 1: 13

In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation – having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise.

We are sealed in Christ. Our lives are sealed in Him. That is enough good news for us to close the book and go home. Perhaps some of you are outdoors adventurers and can relate to this. I like to kayak but one thing about kayaking is the water. Now, I love the water but my electronics don’t and even the dry clothes I carry with me are useless to me if they do not remain dry so I have dry bags for everything. I have a dry bag fanny pack and a dry bag for my phone and a dry bag for towels, clothes, etc. The technology of sealing these bags is remarkable. Some bags have zip lips, others fold down and clamp, others have zip locks that are impenetrable. So when I think of being sealed in Christ I have an idea that nothing unwanted, not even dust, can get to me. I am hidden away in Christ. We are in Christ but it is the Holy Spirit which seals us in Christ. So, imagine that Jesus is the dry bag. The Holy Spirit is the new technology of zip lips. The Holy Spirit is the seal that secures us from the damaging effects of the world. Jesus and the Holy Spirit are one working together for our protection and security much like the dry bag and the closure on the dry bag. You cannot separate one from the other and truthfully say, “Well the bag is what protects my phone,” because the bag would not function fully without the seal and vice versa.

This is part of the miracle of Jesus’ victory over Satan. We know that Satan is like a lion on the prowl just looking for someone he can devour (1 Peter 5: 8). We know also that Satan’s intent is to steal, kill and destroy (John 10: 10). Knowing Satan’s nature God devised a plan to send the Holy Spirit into the world. Jesus even told us that it was to our advantage that he leave the earth so that he could send the helper, the Holy Spirit (John 16: 7). So, God sent the Christ to die for us so that the eternal life we live might be with Him in paradise. Then the Christ sent the Holy Spirit of promise so that we might live this life on earth in security and victory. God’s plan was a master plan that left nothing out. He did not disregard the time that we spend here on earth. He made a plan to seal our eternal life in His son, the Messiah and his plan further sealed out all of the devastating effects of life in the earth.  

I include amongst those ravaging effects the decay that the things of the world undergo. You know that just living on this planet creates a wear and tear on our bodies. Even gravity, for all of the good it does us, has its down side too. It is just like the water when you kayak. It is really, really beneficial to have water if you want to kayak but at the same time you have to protect yourself and your possessions from it too. So God gave us dry bags, and life preservers. In the same way, God sealed us from the negative impact of living in the earth so that our bodies do not have to suffer the negative effects of living in the world without protection.

The revelation of Paul was so huge that one little statement, such as today’s verse, contains a marvel of the miracle and mystery of Christ. This is why we must meditate on the scriptures. There is so much contained in even just a few words.

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Abundant Life

On April 9, 2014   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

John 10: 10

I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.

John 6: 63

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.

Jesus told the world, in his own words, that the reason for his coming into the earth was to bring us abundant life. He also told us that life comes through the Holy Spirit. So which is it, does life come from and by the Holy Spirit or through and by Jesus? In the last phrase of John 6: 63 Jesus said the words he spoke were both spirit and truth. So, abundant life and the Spirit are ours through Jesus and the words that he spoke.

Just before his crucifixion and death, Jesus told his disciples that it was to their advantage, and hence ours, that he go away so that he could send the helper, the Holy Spirit (John 16: 7). When we read these verses together we realize that this increased life, this life of abundance is a product of the Holy Spirit which is realized in us by Jesus and his words. No one comes to the Holy Spirit but by the son and no one comes to the son apart from his words. The words of Jesus lead us into his saving grace.

The Word of God is the seed that yields life. When we plant this seed in the fertile soil of our hearts it produces all good things in abundance including peace and joy. There is nothing of our carnal life that profits us. Only our investment in Jesus and his word lead us to the freedom in the Spirit which is the deep need of every human soul.

The desire of Jesus’ heart is for us to live in the abundance that his life, death and resurrection bought for us. He is passionate about us attaining to this high life. And it is for that reason that he has given us his words directing us to this fullness of life. Enfold Jesus and the revelation of his words into the tender folds of your heart. There let it nurture the life of plenty and fulfillment.

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