A Spirit-filled Life

Friends,

A young boy asked his father, “How can I believe in the Holy Spirit when I never see Him?” The father, who was an electrician, said, “I will show you.” The boy went with his father down to a power plant in their town. There, he showed his son the generators. “This is where the power comes from to heat our stove and give us light. We cannot see the power, but it is in that machine, and in the power lines.” “I believe in electricity,” said the son. “Of course you do, but you don’t believe in it because you can see it. You believe in it, because you can see what it can do. In a similar way, this is what takes place with the Holy Spirit. We may not see Him, but we see what He can do.” Jesus says a similar thing to Nicodemus in John 3, when he tells him, “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." (3:8)

We come to a memorable section of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (5:18-20). Some might argue that it is the most important message in the letter, especially as it relates to Christian living. I would be remiss if I did not mention what it is not first, and that is -- an argument for acapella singing in assembly. I have heard the argument…and have made it myself...and I am not necessarily saying it is wrong to do so. But, I believe that this does not respect the context in which it is written, as this passage (along with v.21) describes five ways that we should be filled with the Spirit of God. Paul also shares in Romans 8:16ff that the Spirit helps us, and works with our spirits to help us know we are God’s children and to empower us. It is only by His power that we are able to live in harmony with one another. Paul shares a very important message for believers that are seeking to live as spiritual people.

Paul’s imperative is “to be filled with the Spirit” plural, meaning “Y’all.” This is something that is able to take place for all Christians, and not just a select few. And this is opposed to being “filled with the spirits” (alcohol), which Paul calls dissipation. Dissipation literally means a loss of self-control, which is just the opposite of the Spirit, who offers “the fruit of self-control.” God’s desire is for Him to be “in control”…Satan’s way is to be “out of control.” The drunk makes a fool of himself and calls attention to himself, whereas the Christian glorifies God and is a witness for Christ.

Referencing the John 3 passage once again, Christians experience a “water and Spirit birth” (3:5). We are baptized, cleansed in order to walk in a newness of life…a life filled with God’s personal power at work in our lives…a life filled with His Spirit. As John mentions, we are baptized once, whereas we are able to be “continually cleansed” when we ask for forgiveness (1 John 1:7). This is closely related to the fact that we are able to be continually filled with the Spirit. When we are cleansed, the Spirit is able to fill that void where sin once was residing. For any English enthusiasts, this is a present tense verb – “keep on being filled with the Spirit.” And passive voice, as we do not fill ourselves, but it is God who “fills us.” Once again, this is to be controlled by God’s power…our mind, our emotions, our will under His guidance. When our lives are made full by the Spirit, we are able to experience His fruit – love, joy, peace, etc. (Galatians 5:22-23). We Christians are able to experience contentment, confidence in spite of circumstances around us. Instead of rising and falling with the temperature of the issues around us like a thermometer, when we are “filled with the Spirit”, He…like a thermostat…helps to determine the spiritual temperature of the circumstances. There is a significant difference between these two.

Spirit-filled people have songs in their hearts and on their lips. Through singing or listening to Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs from our hearts, we give glory to God and exemplify Christ. The Spirit is revealed in our eyes, smiles…in our lives. A famous preacher once said, “When speaking of heaven, let your face light up, let it be radiated with a heavenly gleam, let your eyes shine with a reflected glory…but, when you speak of hell, then your ordinary face will do.”

We must remember that Paul is a prisoner when he writes these things. Yet, he is thankful for what God is doing in him and for him. It is not so ironic that the words “gratitude” and “grace” have the same word root. As Paul indicates, if we have experienced the grace of God, then we ought to be grateful for what God brings to us. As the saying goes, “if God brings you to it, He can bring you through it.” When Spirit-filled people find themselves in difficult situations, they give thanks to the Father, in the name of Jesus, and by the power of the Spirit to resolve any fears, anxieties, or worries that seek to undermine their spirits. Being thankful to God is a great secret to a happy home and good relationships.

I want to finish with this – “standing on the deck of a ship in mid-ocean, you can see the sun reflected from its depths. From a little boat on a mountain lake, you can see the sun reflected from its shallow waters. Looking into a small mountain spring, you can see the same great sun. Look into the dew drops of the morning, and there it is again. The sun has a way of adapting itself to its reflection. The ocean is not too large to hold it, nor is the dew drop too small. So, God’s Spirit can fill any person, whether their capacity is like the ocean or the dew drop. Whatever be the capacity, there is opened up the possibility of being filled up with the fullness of God.” Perhaps, you are feeling empty -- being filled is just humble submission away…all we have to do is ask. We are not going to be able to put aside the distractions and difficulties of this life by tackling them on our own, but inasmuch as we allow God to fill us and battle for us are we going to be able to find success in the spiritual battle, and greater faith.

Blessings, Don

The Ephesian Disciples

Friends,

This is a follow-up to previous messages regarding the Holy Spirit.  There has certainly been a lot of discussion concerning the Holy Spirit, historically...and in our fellowship of believers as well. I believe that Paul makes it very clear in His letter to the Romans (8:9, et. al.), letter to the Ephesians (1:13-14, et. al), letter to the Corinthians (3:19, 6:19), that the understanding of the Spirit's nature and His power is a critical subject for believers...and, in fact, could very much be the difference in relationship to a person's salvation.

In Acts 19:1-7, Paul "providentially" connects with several disciples at Ephesus. Just as Priscilla and Aquila apparently had discussed Christian baptism with Apollos (Acts 18:24-26), so Paul does here with these men. He asks them if they had received the Holy Spirit when they believed -- i.e. were converted, baptized. Paul apparently already expected them to have the Spirit...and this would be consistent with Acts 2:38-39 and every other Christian baptism related in Acts.  But, these believers had only received the baptism of John…for repentance. The message concerning baptism is clear here and Paul baptizes them; they receive Christian baptism -- a water and Spirit birth (see Jesus and Nicodemus, John 3:1-8). Now while Paul goes on to give these disciples a special, exceptional dispensation of power from the Spirit for this time, the point is, these disciples still had the same conversion experience that every Christian has in coming to the Lord. (See 1 Corinthians 12:13). Once again, Paul asks the Ephesians if they "received the Holy Spirit" when they believed (v.2)...not whether they had received some miraculous gifts from the Holy Spirit, or that the Holy Spirit was synonymous with some miraculous gifts. The assumption of v.3 is that they are to be baptized with a Christian baptism...one that includes the Holy Spirit and not to simply settle for John's baptism. For the Ephesian disciples, the spiritual gifts that they received would come as the result of the laying on of hands by Paul (as with Timothy, 2 Tim 1:6, etc, receiving certain gifts of the Spirit).

It is interesting that the baptism of John was not sufficient, but why would it be? It was administered by John the Baptist under the Old Law. Christian baptism involves not only repentance, as did John's baptism, but also the receiving of the indwelling Holy Spirit. This is primarily what separates the two baptisms.  It's pretty difficult to live according to the fruit of the Spirit -- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control -- if we don't really acknowledge, understand, or trust the source. On many occasions, I have heard Christians talk about Acts 2:38, as Peter says "...be baptized for the remission of your sins..." and this is it. Is it? Is the part concerning the Holy Spirit just an oversight? Is it assumed? Or, is it intentionally omitted? (Is it really even understood?) I have been concerned for some time that there are some in our fellowship that have, in effect, taught John's baptism in the place of Christian baptism much to the detriment of many believers.  So, some believers have inadvertently received the baptism of John -- at least in language -- but hopefully not intent.

The question remains -- why take the chance? The power of Christian baptism should be sufficient for us. We need to talk about it as Peter shares it right from the text…there is nothing to lose, but everything to understand and gain as it relates to the Christian walk. I will say this -- I wouldn't have much of a chance to walk upright, blameless or spiritually for the Lord without the help of His Spirit to guide me along the way. He is our guide, not in an arbitrary, controlling sense, but quietly, indirectly. We are not robots, but free moral agents with freedom of choice. The Spirit uses the Word to teach us and help us (Ephesians 6:17), and helps us in our prayers (Romans 8:27).  He also is our seal so that when the Lord comes again, He will identify those who are His by whether they have His Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14, etc.).  There certainly had to be a wonderful transformation for Apollos and the Ephesian disciples as they would continue to grow in knowledge, wisdom and experience with and in the Lord…as it should be for all of us.

Blessings, Don

Religion of the Heart

Friends,

A man relied upon an experienced guide while crossing a dangerous African swamp.  The two stepped from one clump of grass to another as they crossed.  The clumps all looked alike to the man, but the guide repeatedly warned about certain clumps.  They all appeared to be secure…but, while some of the clumps were fastened to rocks, others were free-floating.  The native had learned by experience how to tell the difference between the two.  What the guide knew that his follower did not could very possibly save his life.  He had learned wisdom through his experience.  He knew that if he did not take care to attend to the things that truly mattered, that all could be lost.

This is, in essence, what Jesus is saying in this section of Matthew 15 (vv.1-20). Jesus is dealing with Jewish leaders who had become not only distracted, but corrupt -- their hearts were not right with God.  They had indiscriminately stepped, religiously, where they were not supposed to, and this led them down a path away from God.  What they needed was a right religion -- one based upon a genuine relationship with God -- that would help them not to please themselves, but to seek God with all their hearts.  At times, we believers can say the right things, do the right things, keep all of the correct regulations, traditions…and still be far from God.  Unlike the Pharisees, we have every opportunity to make good, spiritual decisions for our lives, and this will ultimately be the difference between whether we sink or swim.  As I shared from John’s gospel recently, the Holy Spirit is the Advocate and Helper that we need.  God, through the Holy Spirit, is the guide that helps His people to know where to step. 

Meanwhile, in an unsurprising development, some Scribes and Pharisees come to test Jesus.  They accuse His disciples of breaking “the traditions of the elders.”  These traditions (or Mishnah) were a significant number of extra rituals and regulations that the Scribes and Pharisees thought the Jewish people should do as a part of their belief system.  Jesus’ disciples were not adhering to the ritual purification cleansings before eating bread.  (The stone jars at the wedding at Cana in John 2 were those that were used for such washings).  To the Pharisees and Scribes question, Jesus asks a question of His own…and by so doing, tells them that they are violating the Word of God for the sake of their traditions.  In a similar situation (Luke 11:37-39), Jesus tells the Pharisees and Scribes that “they clean the outside of the cup, but the inside is dirty”…that is, that they look good on the outside, but that they are full of wickedness.  They looked good, sounded good, probably even used their Axe body spray, but they were corrupt in their hearts. 

Jesus tells them, in essence, that they know that a Jew is not to speak evil of his father or mother (as seen in the Ten Commandments), yet they neglect their parents by taking their Corban, “retirement money” (similar to social security) “committed” to them and give it to God (as a contribution).  In so doing these Jews were claiming to be doing “the righteous thing.”  But, they were taking away from their parents, thereby making void God’s Word.  (It is what we call “straining for gnats and swallowing camels”…or nonsense).  Jesus quotes Isaiah 29:13 and plainly tells these Jews – “you are of two minds” (hypocrites).  Their hearts are “far, far away” from God, and because of this, their worship is in vain.  Jesus goes even further to explain His words (vv.10-11).  "Listen and understand.  What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth…that is what makes him 'unclean.'"  The disciples see it as a parable (v.15), but it is a critical statement.  The key thought is that…it is an inner, spiritual religion that matters, not an outer “going through the motions” religion.

Now the disciples come back and tell Jesus…in one of the great “duh” moments in the New Testament…saying – “Do you know that you offended the Scribes and Pharisees?”  Yes, He knows.  In fact it was possibly a shock value statement for a purpose -- He wants them “to hear and understand.”  And not just the religious folks, He wants His disciples to understand that these religious leaders are not reliable as “spiritual” guides.  Jesus presents two more images --”plants without roots”, and “blind guides,” in order to cement what He is saying.  Peter, speaking for the others (nothing unusual there) expresses confusion concerning what Jesus has been saying.  And for His part, Jesus is amazed at His disciples’ lack of understanding.  So, He makes one final spiritual application – what goes in the mouth (food, drink) is not as important (in a spiritual sense) as what comes out of the mouth.  What comes out of the mouth comes from the heart.  The point is -- everyone has a heart condition (spiritual), and it is either good or bad.  Jesus goes back to the beginning of the discussion to make His final point…it is not the washing of hands that defiles, but an unclean heart, life, which is the condition of the religious leaders.  If our life and religion keep us from seeing Jesus…and more than this, having His heart, mind, living like Him…then something has to change.  God is not going to be impressed with our worship on Sunday or any other day of the week (Romans 12:1-2) if it is not from the heart.  We must consider Jesus’ admonition to keep the proper perspective and strive to be spiritually focused.

I know that some have seen the following video, but I think it illustrates well…especially concerning those in our fellowship…what Jesus is talking about in this message.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_Clfx_hcVw.

Blessings, Don

Conviction

Friends,

Missionary John Hyde went to India a little over a hundred years ago. He felt a strong calling to the nation of India and began to spend hours in an attempt to learn the culture.  Then the day came. It was in 1892 that he boarded a steamer in New York bound for the nation of India. On the ship, John received a telegram from a close family friend.  He opened it hurriedly on the deck of the ship. The only words of the telegram were, "John Hyde, are you filled with the Holy Spirit?"  John's response was one of frustration, anger. He crumpled the paper, put it into his pocket and went to bed. Unable to sleep, he tossed and turned all night.  He arose from bed in the early morning hours, took the piece of paper and read it again. He thought, "The audacity of somebody to ask me that question, 'Am I filled with the Holy Spirit?'  Here I am a missionary, sincere, dedicated, leaving my home and going to another country. How dare they ask me if I am filled with the Holy Spirit?"  Wasn't he equipped for his call? After all he had received a B.A. degree, studied the language, was even on the way and was determined to pursue his destiny.  Yes, he was on his way, but Hyde's spirit was challenged by the note. After much soul searching, he fell to his knees before the Father.  "O God," he cried out, "the audacity of me thinking that I could pray or preach or witness or live or serve or do anything in my own strength and power. Fill me with your strength. Fill me with Your power."  John Hyde became one of the great missionary statesmen of all time. Why? Because of the Spirit which enabled him to face the challenges of his life in the power of God. (From "Praying Hyde", Basil Miller, copyright 1943, Zondervan).  A rather poignant story, I believe.  And such is the case for anyone who is open to the call and leading of the Holy Spirit.  He enables us to be God’s people…and we will see more of this here in this passage.

As we were discussing last week, believers are going to face persecution in this world (John 15:18-27), but God has given us the opportunity to overcome through the power of His Holy Spirit (16:1-15).  For three years, Jesus has been with His disciples to protect them from attack, but now He is about to leave them.  He has already shared this fact with them (13:33).  These are His last hours with the disciples and so, He is trying to impress upon them matters of greatest importance.  Jesus explains why it is important for them that He must return to the Father.  The major reason is that the Holy Spirit might come to empower the church for life and witness.  Also, as their ascended Savior, He would be able to intercede for His people in the heavenly places.  How does the Holy Spirit encourage believers when they are facing the hatred and opposition of the world?  It is primarily through the Word of God, but certainly not exclusively so.  The Word is the sword of the Spirit that He uses to teach us and train us to be the people God has called us to be (Ephesians 1:16-17).  The Spirit wields the sword in our lives.  The Spirit also witnesses to us and through us during our times of persecution...as Paul shares with the Romans (8:16, 26-27), He helps us to know what to say, and helps us in our prayers.  And through all of these things, He bears fruit in the lives of those who belong to Jesus (Galatians 5:22, et. al.).

In context of this passage, times of persecution have always been times for the church to be able to witness for the Lord.  We must always be ready “to give an answer” when we are called into question or are attacked.  Apart from the power of the Spirit of God, we cannot give a clear witness for Christ.  It is important to note that the Spirit comes to the church and not to the world.  He works in and through the church…at least He is supposed to do so.  The Holy Spirit works in and through the people in whom He lives.  And in this section, we see that the Spirit comes to reprove.  “Reprove” means “to bring to light, to expose, to refute, to convict and convince”…which is quite a mouthful.  It could also be translated, “pronounce a verdict.”  The world may think that it is judging Christians, but it is Christians who are passing judgment on the world as they witness to Jesus Christ.  In a sense…to use a court room illustration…believers are the witnesses, the Holy Spirit is the prosecuting attorney and the unsaved are the guilty prisoners.  However, the purpose of this indictment is not to condemn, but to bring salvation.  The Holy Spirit convicts the world of unbelief, in general, and it also convicts the sinner of the need for righteousness, who is Jesus Christ, in person.  The Spirit reveals Jesus Christ in the lives of believers.  It is important to note that we are not to be “the prosecuting attorney” in and of ourselves…we are not to be the judges…but, are to be receptacles whereby the Holy Spirit can convict and convince.  So, the world cannot receive or see the Spirit of God, but they can see what He does as they observe the lives of believers.  What the Holy Spirit convicts the lost sinner of…is judgment.  When a lost sinner is truly under conviction, he will see the folly and evil of unbelief.  He will confess that he does not measure up to the righteousness of Christ, and he will realize that he is under condemnation because he belongs to the world and the evil one (Ephesians 2:1-3).  Jesus is the only one who can rescue him (as with any of us).  There can be no conversion without conviction, and there can be no conviction apart from the Spirit of God who uses the Word of God and the witness of the child of God.  When the Holy Spirit would come to the disciples, He would teach them and remind them of what Jesus had taught them.  The Spirit would also guide them into all truth.  And as we have seen, the Holy Spirit does the very same thing for all of us.

Susan Cosio, a chaplain at a medical center, writer, and mother of three, writes one of the best messages I have seen regarding the Holy Spirit and life, “I believe in a daily walk just to listen. I believe I have to remove myself from the voices that barrage me in order to find my true compass. This includes a daily walk just to listen. The guiding light of my life is the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit. In our hectic, noisy world, I have to slow down or withdraw in order to hear it. Prayer, I have discovered, is less about what I say and more about what I hear.  Discerning God’s voice is not so hard when I make time to listen closely. Sometimes I hear it as a sudden insight when I step back from a situation. Other times, it’s a deep sense of my priorities, or a conviction about something I should do or say. I often take a walk with a pencil and notepad in my pocket, and return with notes for a speech or a piece of writing. Later, someone tells me she was moved by the words I’d scribbled on that paper, and I know my prompting came from God.  My pursuit of spiritual truth is not about religion as much as it is about relationship.  I believe in a daily walk to listen because it is when I am close to God…and that is when I find my way. And I am most at peace when I tune out the voices of the world long enough to hear the still, small voice of God directing me. “Be still,” Psalm 46 reminds me, “and know that I am God.” [This I Believe: Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women, “A Daily Walk Just to Listen,” Susan Cosio, (New York: Henry Holt, 2006), 43-45]  When we listen to the Lord and how He desires to work through the Holy Spirit, we are able to hear His voice, and this is the beginning of wisdom and growth.  Submit yourself to His leading in order that God can grow you to be the person that He desires for you to be, and so that you can withstand the persecution that comes from the world.

Blessings, Don

Staying Connected

Friends,

We have a pecan tree in our front yard that has a habit of shedding…fruit, leaves, seeds…and if that was not enough, it sheds it share of branches.  It happens with some regularity that I am dragging a branch 5 to 20 feet long around to the side of the house to be chopped up and put in the trash. Yet, what do you think would happen if I took one of these branches out into the yard and planted it in the ground and watered it…would come back to life? No, we understand that this is not how it works, because branches get nutrients that they need to live from the tree. Branches cannot live or grow without the tree. If the branch comes from a fruit tree, there will never be fruit on the branch if it is separated from the tree. I have to wonder if this is what prompts Jesus to break into this discussion concerning the vine and the branches with his disciples on their last night together. In the time of Jesus, a great golden vine hung over the entrance to the Jerusalem temple. Jesus and the disciples would have likely walked by it on their way to the upper room, and it would have been fresh in the minds of all who were present…and thus, it would provide a fitting illustration as to their spiritual reality.  It is also interesting to note that the grapevine symbol was also found in coins, Temple décor, burial places, and art of the period. These examples demonstrate the cultural presence of the vine symbolism for Israel before, during, and after the time of Christ.  The key for Jesus is that He wants His disciples to understand just how important it is that they stay connected to Him and to one another.

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener” (John 15:1, NIV).  This is the seventh and final of the great “I AM” statements that Jesus makes in John’s gospel.  Since the cultivation of vineyards was important to the life and economy of Israel, when Jesus starts using this imagery, it is not something new, but is familiar to every Jew. There are different vines found in the Word of God.  One is old -- the past vine was the nation of Israel.  In an act of grace, God transplanted Israel into Canaan and gave the nation every possible benefit. God asks, “What could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done in it?” (Isaiah 5:4)  If ever a nation had everything it needed in order to succeed, it was Israel.  But, the vine produced “wild” grapes.  Instead of practicing justice, it practiced oppression…instead of producing righteousness, it produced unrighteousness. God chastised Israel, but even that was not enough, for when the Son of the Master Gardener came into the vineyard, the tenants killed Him (Matthew 21:33-46).

The other vine is new – it is Jesus Himself.  He is the true or “original” vine.  In Him is genuine life…and the branch that is connected to Him has life. For believers, it is our communion with Christ through the Spirit that makes it possible to bear fruit. The fruit of the Spirit is present in the life of a growing believer…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Jesus says, “You will know them (true disciples) by their fruit" (Matthew 7:20).  A true branch, united with the vine, will always bear fruit.  Not every branch is going to bear a bumper crop, but it will bear fruit…as there is always fruit where there is life. This imagery is similar to what Paul shares concerning the Head and the body.  Christ is the head and the church is the body.  They are inseparably connected…you cannot have one without the other. Many of the images of Christ and the believer given in Scripture (head, body…bride, bridegroom…sheep, Shepherd) emphasize the importance of union and communion…and we can see the connection.

Something else to understand about the vines in the Holy Land…they were very strong, and it was nearly impossible to break off a mature vine without injuring the plant. That being said, a branch disconnected from the vine is weak and useless – branches are good for bearing fruit or for burning. The sooner that we believers discover and understand that we are but branches, the better we can and will relate to the Lord…for we will know our own weakness and confess our need for His strength. I do believe that “self-sufficiency” is the bane and decay of the vineyard today.  When we think we are strong enough and can handle things on our own, in effect, we sever ourselves from the vine.  When we are so busy that we cannot “be Jesus” to one another, then we are too distracted. We need to be strongly connected. The key word in this passage is “abide”…it is used eleven times.  How can we tell when we are “abiding in Christ?”  Is there some special feeling that is associated with it?  No, in fact, most of the time, our feelings will run contrary to this “abiding, connectedness”.  Satan will try to dissuade from being “connected.” There are evidences of “abiding” that are clear.  When you are “abiding” in Christ, you are “producing fruit” (v.2).  Also, you will experience the Master Gardener’s “pruning.”  He will teach, train and discipline us in order that we can grow. The believer who is “abiding” has his or her prayers answered (v.7), experiences a deepening love for Christ and for other believers (vv.9, 12-13), and experiences “joy” (v.11). The abiding relationship is natural to the branch and the vine...but, it must be “cultivated” in the Christian life – it does not happen automatically. Abiding demands worship, meditation on God’s Word, prayer sacrifice and service.  Once we begin to cultivate a deeper communion with Christ, we will have no desire to return to a shallow Christian experience.

In Ontario near an abandoned cemetery, there is this broken dead tree branch, devoid of life, hanging between two trees. At one end, a vine has intertwined itself around the dead branch and the trunk of one of the trees that supported it, giving the appearance that of still being part of the living tree. But in truth, it isn't…it is dead, truly dead, hanging by a thread! Or should I say, hanging by a vine?  If we are not leading a victorious life through the authority Jesus gave us, we are not "remaining in the vine". We may appear alive, but the sap that gives us victory is not coursing through our veins. We have somehow been detached from the source of real living!  "No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." (John 15:4 NIV)  Faith stands firm in the face of trial and temptation, believing in God's promises:  Are we grafted in the vine or are we lifelessly hanging between trees?

I believe that many believers are like that branch being held up by the vine…they have the appearance of being alive, but they really are not.  Something we must understand as we come into this New Year -- we are not going to gain by being disconnected from the Jesus and from one another…in fact, we are going to be hurt, spiritually. We need to be committed to Jesus and to the body if we are going to grow and prosper spiritually.  As we have discussed previously, we live in the most technologically connected, but least personally connected society, in the history of mankind. It is good that we can communicate with friends around the world via Facebook, Twitter and the like, but we hardly spend time with one another outside of our regular meeting times. I don’t believe this is where the Lord would have us to be…especially since many of the early believers were meeting day by day in fellowship (but which also would be entirely unrealistic today). If we are separated from Jesus, and from one another, our leaves will wither and die and we will never put forth any fruit.  If we are staying connected, our lives will produce beautiful leaves and delicious fruit.  Since we have so many distractions today to keep us from being connected, what are we going to do to fight the cultural norm and the spiritual battle? This is an important question that each of us has to answer.

 

Blessings, Don

Walking with the Spirit (Considering Galatians), Pt. 6

Friends,

On to part six, which is really the latter part of chapter 5...not to be too confusing. :-) When people think of the letter to the Galatians, I am certain that...nine times out of ten...this is the section that comes to mind -- the fruit of the flesh vs. the fruit of the Spirit (5:16-26).  Paul continues with this second theme that is prominent in relationship to the Galatian believers, that is, the struggle some of them were having with the flesh.  He has already addressed their struggle concerning keeping regulations, but the struggle against the flesh appears to be just as important an issue...it is one that he needs to address (just as it is for believers today).

Paul is plainly speaking about the fact that believers can live in only one of two worlds...the world of the Spirit or the world of the flesh.  Paul is, in a sense, sharing what John shares in the first portion of his first letter, but with more detail -- "This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.  If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.  If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:5-9, NIV)  There is no fence-riding on this...we will be in one camp or the other.  Christians may be able to fool themselves and others, but not the Lord.  As Paul shares with the Roman believers (6:1), people can't live in sin and expect that the Lord is going to shower them with grace...there will be a recompense, but it will be His justice.  Paul says that believers who seek to live according to the Spirit are not going to chase after the offerings of the flesh, but the converse is also true -- believers who chase after the flesh are not going to be able to comprehend, appreciate and appropriate the things of the Spirit.  Paul insists that we "walk according to the Spirit."  This means that we should focus on the matters of the Spirit, as these are truly what should "matter" to us.  Concerning the fruit of the Spirit (and notice it says "fruit" and not "fruits"), all of these elements are part of one "fruit" being born out in the lives of God's people (sort of like a spiritual blended fruit smoothie, I guess :-).  When we are living according to God's Spirit, then the unity of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control is going to be working itself out in our lives.

If there is a message where there is nothing new under the sun, it is this one.  The greatest human spiritual problem, hands down, according to the word of God is "immorality" -- it has been this way virtually since the creation of man and woman.  As I have shared, our greatest struggle is not against what we may have perceived at one time was "doctrinal impurity"...but much more so, "personal, moral and spiritual impurity."  As much as I liked to believe that Paul's major focus was the former issue at one time, as I have read and reread his letters, I have come to understand that he is more so concerned with the latter, as evidenced in this letter.  I will say this -- if we do not continue to fight the fight against the sensual and sexual demons of this world, the church is going to suffer for it...and in some places, it already is.  Once again, as I shared in my last message, we who are in Christ must not give in to the evil one and his schemes, but fight the good fight of faith.  There are a lot of spiritual resources in order to help Christians overcome the filth of the flesh and its nature.  I do believe that the greatest threat in this time is not going to come from any external force, but it truly is internal...the struggle against the flesh and the battle for the souls of men and women.  It was a struggle with Christians then...and it is also a struggle today.  But, it is a struggle that we have all of the spiritual riches in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and of His Spirit, to overcome...and to prosper (1 John 4:4).

Blessings, Don