Grace: Comes Full Circle

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Jody Neufeld

[reprinted from January 15, 2010]

>Henry Neufeld

When Jesus and his disciples had finished eating, he asked, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than the others do?” Simon Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, you know I do!”
“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus said. Jesus asked a second time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you!”
“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus told him. Jesus asked a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus had asked him three times if he loved him. So he told Jesus, “Lord, you know everything. You know I love you.”
Jesus replied, “Feed my sheep. I tell you for certain that when you were a young man, you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will hold out your hands. Then others will wrap your belt around you and lead you where you don’t want to go.” Jesus said this to tell how Peter would die and bring honor to God. Then he said to Peter, “Follow me!”     John 21:15-19 (CEV)

Jesus had found the disciples on the shore of Lake Galilee. They had gone back right to where they had started. They were out fishing on the lake.

I would feel very discouraged if I had taught a group of folks for more than three years, expecting them to take up teaching when I left, and then found that at the first opportunity in my absence, they went back to their old profession.

Jesus doesn’t respond in frustration to people in that way. Jesus patiently leads people back to the path that he has tried to set them on. He’s here to remind Peter—along with the rest of the disciples—of what their mission is all about.

Jesus doesn’t talk in terms of respect that they are to show him. He doesn’t ask them why he has to fix breakfast when he visits a bunch of fishermen. He doesn’t scold. But he does question. “Peter, how important am I to you? Do you really love me?”

Do you ever hear Jesus asking you that question? “Do you really care about me? Do you care about the gospel? Are you thankful that I came and died for you? Does that thankfulness extend beyond an hour of church time on Sunday morning?”

Our human hearts would lead us to ask, “Well, Jesus, how much time do you want me to spend in church? Is two hours good enough?”

I suspect that Jesus would ask again, “Do you love me?”

Jesus doesn’t want our love counted in hours in church, or in time spent in Bible study, or in the various things that we like to do that make us feel good and pious and righteous. He doesn’t want love that is calculated at all. He gave incalculable love to us. What is the proper size of the response? All those things, Bible study, church going, fellowship, listening and meditating, are things that we would do just to be near him—if we loved him.

Coming to the point of love that is a real response to the sacrifice of Jesus will mean that we no longer count and calculate the time we spend with him. Jesus didn’t talk about the time Peter spent or should spend with him. Jesus looked at it very differently. “If you love me, care for the ones I love. Feed my sheep, feed my lambs.” John, in his first epistle puts it this way:

But if we say we love God and don’t love each other, we are liars. We cannot see God. So how can we love God, if we don’t love the people we can see? The commandment that God has given us is: “Love God and love each other!” 1 John 4:20 & 21 (CEV)

John got the message that Jesus was giving to Peter. It’s not how good or active we look. The activities we do to be in the presence of Jesus are just the result of love’s desire to be with the object of love. We long to be with Jesus. We don’t count the hours. If we are counting the hours, perhaps there is something wrong.

Jesus asks that we have an active love for those he loves; that we share his heart for other people.

“Do you really love me? Will you feed my sheep until it costs you what it cost me?”

Love in Any Language written by Jon Mohr and John Mays, sung by Sandi Patti

 

 

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It Won’t Be Like This For Long

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Jody Neufeld

Direct your children onto the right path,
and when they are older, they will not leave it.    Proverbs 22:6 (NLT)

Today is the birthday of my oldest children. Every year I think back on the years, thanking God for His precious gift and, as I do every day, praying for their today and the days ahead.

I’ve often said with laughter that “Parenting isn’t for wimps!” and that is a true statement. If I had known before I had children what I know now, it would have scared me witless! Like marriage, it isn’t to be entered into lightly and certainly not without relying on God every step of the way.

Unknown. From the beginning, God has enjoyed bringing surprise blessings into my life through my children. I did not know I was pregnant with twins, despite three ultrasounds. He hid the “double portion” of His great love. Raising children is filled with many unknowns. Each child is unique and needs unique love. What works for one child will not connect with another.

Mistakes. So many mistakes I made as a parent. I take ownership for the mistakes but God has taught me about forgiving myself for those mistakes. He also taught me about saying, “I’m sorry” to my children. It isn’t enough to tell my children to apologize to others. They need to learn to learn about admitting their mistakes and asking forgiveness from me. Now that I have grandchildren – I wonder if that isn’t an opportunity for me to “do better” the second time around.

Love. Parenting is truly about imitating Jesus’ unconditional love. So many parents say that they love their children unconditionally but children do not see that from them. Do my children know that no matter what – I will always love them? Have they seen by my actions, the tone of my voice, the words that come out of my mouth that even when I do not like their choices, I love them and that I do not reject them for who they are? Look at God’s example. Read from Genesis to Revelation how many times God’s children made bad choices. The path “home” to be reconciled to the Father was open. Remember Jesus’ story of the prodigal son (Luke 15)? The Father knew the son was making a bad choice and yet He still and always loved the son. Even the elder son was wrong in his anger but the Father reassured the son that he was loved and welcomed in the home. Parents, let us truly love our children, as the Father loves us all.

Time has flown by since that early morning when these two children came into my life and forever changed me. We have had some extraordinarily happy times in swimming pools, around the dinner table, snuggled up watching TV together, and supporting each other at games, meets, and concerts. We have also held each other physically and in prayer as we walked together through very dark days and nights. God has grown and expanded our family, multiplying His love to us and through us.

It is a day for memories but mostly for great expectation for what is to come. Our life here in this world is all about how God can use us to love and serve others so that they might know Him more. One day we will all be together forever and ever and ever. My heart is full today because, thanks be to God and His grace, my children are on His path.             Happy Birthday, Janet! Happy Birthday, John!

It Won’t Be Like This for Long co-written (with Chris DuBois & Ashley Gorley) and sung by Darius Rucker

 

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Are You One of the Cool Kids?

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Jody Neufeld

[reprinted from November 9, 2010]

Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.   Proverbs 13:20 (NLT)

“You are who you hang around with” was a popular saying when I was a teenager. I hated it. My parents seem to love to say it. I had a couple of friends who didn’t think lying was a big deal. I remember my parents told me I couldn’t go to see a certain movie because it was too sexually graphic. (Trust me – graphic then was not in the same universe as it is now!) Anyway, I wanted to see it. My friends laughed and shrugged and said, “Just tell them what they want to hear and we’ll go to the other one. No big deal. No one will know.” So I did. I didn’t enjoy the forbidden movie like I thought I would. Lying about where I was. Lying about homework. Lying…was becoming a way of life. And I so resented my parents asking me stuff! That meant I had to lie again! So…actually…it was their fault I was lying!

As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.  Proverbs 27:17 (NLT)

The deception that nothing was actually my fault continued all through my adult life until one pivotal night. I could justify my actions and always spin the blame away from me. Sometimes to do that, I had to run in the opposite direction. I had to distance myself from the truth, right? Then I began to tire from running. It was no longer a game. I was exhausted. “I give up!” and there was Jesus, standing right there where He had been watching and waiting all this time.

If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.   1 John 1:8-10 (NLT)

I had to give up my old life so that New Life, God’s Light, could be in me. And it is a “total makeover”! The ‘clean’ that comes with confession and repentance (turning away, giving up the old) is a cleanliness, a newness, that is difficult to describe and cannot be found any where else. No self-help book, self-awareness program, or anything that starts with self is able to succeed as a forever change in my life unless I start first with Jesus. That is only the beginning. So many think that their life will become perfect and no temptation will ever bother them again. Wrong! It would be like signing up for a one month gym program and at the end of 30 days, no more exercise! Eat three Big Macs for lunch! If I commit to changes for my health and understand that those changes are forever – then I understand that the same goes for my spiritual health.

Who do you hang with? Are you a loner? That will not build your spiritual health. We need the encouragement, the wisdom, the God-given gifts of others. And the enemy is a hungry predator skulking around, looking for that single person that he can ‘pick off’ with his lies! Stick with the Army of God! The Intimidators! Be a part of that sharpgroup that studies, discusses, loves, encourages, and meets together to worship their LORD and grow in their relationship with Him. That is the cool group!

Friends Are Friends Forever written and sung by Michael W. Smith 

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Do You Love Me?

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Jody Neufeld

After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”
“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.

16 Jesus repeated the question:“Simon son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”
“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.

17 A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.

18 “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.”           John 21:15-18 (NLT)

In the past 24 hours I have heard several pieces of news that are unexpected and sad. The tornadoes that killed over 50 people in Oklahoma, including children in their schools seem like random tragedies that are difficult to wrap our minds around. Why this city? Why this school? Why this house? Why this family? Why this child?

The passage of Scripture that came to me to read and meditate did not seem connected at first to the prayers that I was speaking from my heart. But God heard my prayers and He had something for me.

I am talking to you. The gospels relate that Jesus usually called this disciple – Peter. But here, Jesus uses his full name. I remember when my mother called me by my full name! I knew she meant me and I’d better listen up! I think Jesus is doing the same here. He wants Peter to understand that this is important and he needs to really listen.

God knows all the corners and closets in my heart. The writer of the gospel tells us that Peter is hurt and confused about why Jesus asks him the same question three times. And I may wonder when God seems to be testing my allegiance. After all, God does know all of my heart. He knows the depth and the limitations of my love for Him. He knows when I try to keep Him locked out of something I do not want Him to deal with. And maybe that is why God asks a question more than once? Maybe that is why God takes me “around the mountain again” when I thought I had learned a lesson. God knows.

If – then. And here is that “cause and effect” that I first learned in math class but is also true in every day life. IF I love You, LORD, THEN I will feed and take care of Your children.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.             1 John 4:7-8 (NIV)

Jesus tells me to take care of His children – not just the ones that I like or that like me.

It will involve sacrifice. Jesus tells Peter that this “way” of showing love will involve sacrifice, maybe even great sacrifice. Reaching out to someone who has hurt me, rejected me is not easy. Extending kindness to that same person is a sacrifice. Doing it all without any acknowledgment, let alone thanks, is a sacrifice to be laid on the altar for God’s glory, because it will be for His eyes only.

More and more I am hearing God tell me to open my eyes and heart to see and hear opportunities to be His ambassador to a world that is being crushed by indifference and an attitude of “What will this get me?” A smile, a kind word, going the extra mile without keeping a ledger are random acts of kindness that do nothing more – than extend my love to God. Will it be a sacrifice? Maybe. But then Jesus has already made the sacrifice for me, hasn’t He?

So instead of just asking “why?” when sad, tragic times come into my life, take a deep breath and call out to God. In His strength look for opportunities to be love to someone by offering a hand or word that says, “You are not alone.”

Love is the Greatest Gift of All from Colby’s Missing Memory, Marantha Singers

 

 

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The Trinity: There’s Always More

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Jody Neufeld

[Jesus said,] “I have much more to say to you, but right now it would be more than you could understand.13 The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth. The Spirit doesn’t speak on his own. He will tell you only what he has heard from me, and he will let you know what is going to happen. 14 The Spirit will bring glory to me by taking my message and telling it to you.15 Everything that the Father has is mine. That is why I have said that the Spirit takes my message and tells it to you.”    John 16:12-15 (CEV)

Lectionary texts: Proverbs 8:1-4, 22=31, Psalm 8, Romans 5:1-5, John 16:12-15

“There is so much more … “ Since 1995 I have studied God’s Word, spent time in prayer (conversation) with Him, worshiped Him in music, wept, danced, and just sat in awe in His presence. And I can say without hesitation that I know only a miniscule amount about God. Oh, I’ve learned a lot in 18 years but for all that I’ve learned, I know now that there is so much more!

The Father. It took me some time to trust my Heavenly Father. I have shared before how I did a word study in the Bible on “Father” and learned so much about who He is and what a real parent should be. I am still learning about this Father-child relationship, especially about the unconditional love that He has for me and all His children. I am learning that His plan for my life is more than I could imagine and that it is not part of His plan that I travel this path alone.

The Son. It is Jesus who drew me to the Father. It was His sacrifice and life that showed me the way to a relationship with God. I think I could study the four gospels, just those four books, for the rest of my life and still learn something new every day. It is through Jesus that I am learning about being a servant and about the un-ending grace and wisdom that is available to me just for the asking. I am never alone in any situation because I know that Jesus has been there before me.

The Holy Spirit. I think I would have died of a broken spirit if it was not for God’s great love, healing, and comfort that He has poured out on me. It has been His Spirit speaking to my spirit in groans beyond words that have come to me in the darkest of times. The Spirit has brought me messages that have certainly turned my mourning into praise and thanksgiving to my LORD.

There is always more but God won’t give me more than I can take. A parent doesn’t force-feed a child. God won’t force His revelation on me. But when I make time with Him a priority, He will always have something new to tell me.

Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish,
for His mercies never end.
23 They are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness!
24 I say: The Lord is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in Him. Lamentations 3:22-24 (HCSB)

Majesty and Glory (Psalm 8) arranged by Tom Fettke, sung by the Tom Fettke Singers

 

 

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The Holy Spirit: He is God

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Jody Neufeld

All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time.
28 When you give it to them, they gather it up;
when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things.
29 When you hide your face, they are terrified;
when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust.
30 When you send your Spirit, they are created,
and you renew the face of the ground.

31 May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
may the Lord rejoice in his works—
32 he who looks at the earth, and it trembles,
who touches the mountains,and they smoke.

33 I will sing to the Lord all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
34 May my meditation be pleasing to him,
as I rejoice in the Lord.
35 But may sinners vanish from the earth
and the wicked be no more.

Praise the Lord, my soul.

Praise the Lord. Psalm 104:27-35 (NIV)

All this week I have been studying the passages about the Holy Spirit as this Sunday is Pentecost. And I have been reflecting on my experiences with Him.

Cleansing. I mentioned in yesterday’s devotion how the Holy Spirit came upon me and did such a cleansing on my heart and spirit. Now that wasn’t the only time that He has taken a scrub brush to me! Traveling through this life is like driving down any road. A car needs to be washed and vacuumed periodically. It’s not just about looking good. If a car isn’t cleaned, it will begin to breakdown. I don’t want to breakdown in my relationship with God. The dirt and stink of sin keeps me separated from my LORD. Isn’t it great that God Himself convicts and cleanses me so that we are closer together? To spend time with God every day and confess my sins and receive His loving mercy. I love that clean, brand new feeling!

Wisdom. How often I come to the LORD and lay a problem or situation before Him. The wonderful part is that I know that He knew before I came to Him. Nothing takes God by surprise! And because of His infinite patience, I am learning to be at peace when God’s wisdom is “wait.” His words are life and breath to me when the world has tried to take and take from me. Time with God, listening to His wisdom is like sitting down with a friend before a fire with a hot cup of cocoa and the end result is always peace.

Comfort. Over and over this week I have remembered a specific night in my life with the Holy Spirit. It was September 22, 2004. My 17-year-old son died that evening. There were many precious moments in those last hours but what I remember most was when the house got quiet and I laid down on my bed. I thought that I might not sleep much that night. And so I laid down and looked out the window at the stars in the sky. I just let my mind drift. I prayed for my older son who was in New York and would be making the long trip home. I prayed for the friends of my son who were struggling to understand the “why” of it all. And then I felt like I was just in the arms of God. I was held and comforted. And I heard a voice say, “Shhhh, Jody. Sleep now. I’ve got this. I am here with you. And James is with me. Because of Me, you will never be separated from any of your children. Shhhh. Sleep now and rest.” And I did.

I am grateful for this study time this week. It has reminded me of the infinite power of God. He is in the quiet of a snowfall and the howl of a hurricane. God is the lightness of a feather and the granite of a mountain. His Spirit hovered over the waters before there was a beginning and He will be there to call the Bride home to eternity.

How countless are Your works,Lord! In wisdom You have made them all… Psalm 104:24 (HCSB)

I Love the LORD (Be Still my Soul) arranged by Ronald Staheli, sung by the BYU Men’s Chorus

 

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The Holy Spirit: He Moves

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Jody Neufeld

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry,“Abba, Father.”16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.      Romans 8:14-17 (NIV)

I am reading In His Steps by Charles Sheldon again. A group of people have an encounter with a homeless man which prompts them to make a group commitment to make every decision in their lives after answering the question, “What would Jesus do in this situation?” The story has been interesting to me because it looks at their faith struggles as they make decisions and how those decisions impact their lives and others.

God has faithfully been teaching me about trusting Him throughout our relationship. Learning how to listen and discern God’s voice in the everyday decisions is a 24/7 exercise. And just like with any exercise, the more I do it, the better “shape” I will be in. Jesus tells me in John 14 that the Holy Spirit will remind me of all that He has taught. Luke 12:12 says that God’s Spirit will give me words to speak “at the time” that I need the information. So if I am uncertain about whether to take a job, it would be wise for me to ask the One who knows all. The Holy Spirit may speak to me while I am reading the Bible (a passage may speak to me about the opportunities for ministry in the job), He may bring a trusted friend with wise words, or He may show me a “pro” and “con” list about the job.

I have also seen the Holy Spirit move like the wind (John 3). It is sometimes like a comforting, gentle breeze that brings peace at a time and place that is unexpected, like the hospital room of a child receiving chemotherapy. And at other times, the Spirit comes into me more like a tropical storm or even a hurricane. In the natural, those types of storms bring destruction. But when the destruction is cleaned up, often there is a new beginning or a fresh slate to work. Approximately two weeks after I made my commitment to Jesus Christ, I had such an experience with the Holy Spirit. I felt like I experienced a complete “spirit scrub.” It was a “refiner’s fire and launderer’s soap” (Malachi 3). When I left the church that night, the hard crust that had been around my heart was gone. The wall that I had built around me was gone.

When I read Acts 2, I can miss many important points about how the Holy Spirit moves and what happens when the Holy Spirit moves. When I take the time to participate in the story and insert myself, I can bring that 1st century story into my 21st century life. I can know that a touch from God can be expected but a surprise when He shows Himself in a way that I have never experienced (tongues of fire). I can know that God brings power and authority when He comes into my life (the fisherman, Peter, leaves the room and proclaims God’s Word in front of thousands of people). I can know that God in His Spirit moves in the lives of His children.

Breathe on Me written and sung by Hillsong Worship Team

 

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The Holy Spirit: In and Out of the Building

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Jody Neufeld

[reprinted from June 17, 2010]

Jesus answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he can’t enter into the Kingdom of God! That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’ The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”      John 3:5-8 (WEB)

Those who would rather not consider that the Holy Spirit is part of their Christian life will have a problem with this devotion. There was a time in my life when I felt the same way about Father God. I did not want to think about Him. I did not address Him in my prayers. Jesus was my Friend. The Holy Spirit was my Comforter. I was good with them. The Father was – THE FATHER. I thought He was waiting to whack me for my sins. I had sins so I was going to get whacked. The Spirit spoke to me and said, “Do a word study on “Father”. Let Him teach you through His word who He is.” I did. I got a whole new attitude. I love to crawl up in my Father’s lap. I love to look at Him and know His love. I love to feel His love even when He is rebuking me. Yes, my attitude has changed because I learned about who He truly is.

Jesus says I must be born both of water and spirit. My parents made a commitment for me to be a child of God as I was baptized as a child. It is a good thing for parents to make that dedication and I believe the ritual is way to commit that to the parents’ memory every day as they raise the child. It would be over 40 years before I made that commitment for myself. 40 years until I decided that there would be no turning back. I was baptized at that time because I believe that baptism is a sacrament. A sacrament is an outward sign of the change inside of me. My then 16-year-old daughter and son were also baptized that night. A night to remember.

The Holy Spirit was in me from the moment that I accepted Jesus. If the Father, Jesus, and the Spirit are One, then accepting Jesus means I accepted them. Now, as I said, I was entirely on board with that concept but where my faith is weak – God is strong. I was born in the Spirit. Every day, the Spirit has been teaching me. It’s like being hooked up to a spiritual IV.

“This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God.”        John 3:19-21 (WEB)

Here is that Three in One mystery again. The Spirit brings the Light to shine in all the dark corners of my life. There is nothing that escapes His scrutiny. When I am contemplating sin, I am moving away from the Light and attempting to stay in the shadows, trying to avoid being found out. Ha!

My life is Life with God. There are no ‘compartments’ that God is not invited in. Everything that I do, everything that I say is a reflection of God. I call myself a Christian and Disciple and so what I do is revealed as being done by God. The Holy Spirit is the ‘conviction’ that corrects me and shows me the path toward Light vs. the darkness. My choice.

Being a Christian and Disciple of Jesus Christ is not my name tag inside of a church building. It is my name tag every minute of every day no matter where I am.

Take time to read John 3 today. Listen as the Three in One speaks to your spirit.

Spirit and the Bride written by Tom Dickson, sung by Lindell Cooley

 

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The Holy Spirit: He Comes

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Jody Neufeld

“Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia,10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!”12 They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they asked each other.

13 But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!”     Acts 2:9-13 (CEV)

The first mention of the Spirit of God in the Bible is in Genesis 1:2. And the last mention is in Revelation 22:17. From beginning to end, Father, Son and Spirit are One and in all His inspired Word. God’s inspired Word is powerful, comforting, wise, loving and troubling. It is food for my spirit. Sometimes sweet as a Twinkie and other times more like a Brussel sprout. (God has been trying to get me to consume a balanced, healthy diet all along!)

So if the Spirit of God has been part of God’s relationship with His children all along, what is Pentecost all about? I believe that just as Jesus came as God-in-the-flesh, Emmanuel, and took our relationship with the Father to a new level, the Spirit came in a tangible way to do the same. Both are expressions of God’s great love for us.

Here we are, God’s children who come in all sizes and colors. We have grown up in countries, neighborhoods, and in families that have given us traditions and, at the very least, influenced our belief system. Some of us worship on Saturday, some on Sunday. We read the same Bible and yet interpret Scripture in different ways. Jesus came to save us all. He promised the Holy Spirit to us all.

The Spirit speaks to each of us in our own language. In the 1990’s, psychologist John Gray wrote what became a very popular work and catch phrase, Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus. My husband and I sometimes wonder if we are also from different planets as we often find ourselves in a “vigorous discussion” on a subject and as we attempt to communicate our point of view, we find we have the same thought, but we are using different words. We are speaking different languages. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to listen to the Holy Spirit speak to all God’s children about the wonderful things He has done?

The Holy Spirit can bring amazement and questions. From 1995-2000 I watched in amazement as God’s Spirit came in a very tangible way to a neighborhood in my town. We often call these happenings “revivals” or “awakenings.” Thousands of people came under the conviction of the Holy Spirit and turned to Jesus as their savior. Thousands received healing in their minds, bodies and spirits. They heard God speak to them in their language and came together to worship Him. I witnessed things I cannot explain. Even these years later, I have unanswered questions. What did it all mean?

How will I respond to the Holy Spirit? What has become known as The Pensacola Outpouring was a revival greeted with great joy by many and disbelief by others. How do I know what truly is the Holy Spirit and what is not? Paul told the church in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22) not to reject the Spirit but to test everything and keep only what was good; reject what was evil. What is the fruit of what is happening? Do people love God and His children more? Then it must be the Holy Spirit. Are people critical and destructive? Then it must not be the Holy Spirit.

John 3 tells us about the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, a Pharisee and by all gospel accounts a learned man. Jesus speaks to Nicodemus about the Holy Spirit. He compares the movement of the Holy Spirit to the blowing of the wind, elusive and not controlled by man. Jesus also says that it is the Holy Spirit that will bring about my “rebirth” that makes me brand new. Holy Spirit, You are welcome in my life!

Holy Spirit Come Fill This Place written and sung by Cece Winans

 

 

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The Holy Spirit: The Promise Given

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Jody Neufeld

[Jesus said,] Have faith in me when I say that the Father is one with me and that I am one with the Father. Or else have faith in me simply because of the things I do. 12 I tell you for certain that if you have faith in me, you will do the same things that I am doing. You will do even greater things, now that I am going back to the Father. 13 Ask me, and I will do whatever you ask. This way the Son will bring honor to the Father. 14 I will do whatever you ask me to do.

15 Jesus said to his disciples:

If you love me, you will do as I command.16 Then I will ask the Father to send you the Holy Spirit who will help you and always be with you. 17 The Spirit will show you what is true. The people of this world cannot accept the Spirit, because they don’t see or know him. But you know the Spirit, who is with you and will keep on living in you.”    John 14:11-17 (CEV)

Lectionary texts: Acts 2:1-21, Psalm 104:24-35, Roman 8:14-17, John 14:8-17, 25-27

Next Sunday is Pentecost Sunday and so the Lectionary texts this week are focused on the Holy Spirit. In my study experience, spending time reading and learning about the Holy Spirit will be uplifting and yet leave me with more questions than I had before I started.

John 14 has represented to me the beginning of Jesus’ intensive teachings as He knows His time here on earth is short. He is trying to get the principles across to His disciples who will carry the Good News on. He knows that in the days following His death that the disciples will be frightened and feel alone. He keeps the delivery of His words like “cliff notes.”

Have faith in Me. Jesus knows that when the events of the coming week occurs: the trial and crucifixion, that doubt and fear are going to grip the disciples. They were God’s Chosen People, weren’t they? This is not how they had envisioned God’s Kingdom ruling. How can the Kingdom come without the King overthrowing Rome and taking His place on a throne in Jerusalem?

Jesus tells them that believing in Him is believing in the Father. That believing through the miracles that He and the Father were one in power was accepting their relationship to the Him and the Father which comes with power. They would have a relationship with the Father like Moses did and the Father would work even greater miracles through them. Jesus was going to the Father and His ears would be turned to hear their prayers, their requests. Just ask Him and He would answer so that the Father would receive all glory.

If you want to show your love for Me, obey Me. Here is a warning to the disciples to not just proclaim their love for Jesus with their mouths and then do whatever they wanted to do. That is how the Pharisees said they loved God and then used their rules and rituals for their own gain and glory. When Jesus said that to be great in His Kingdom we must be servants, then obey Him by serving others.

And here is where the Holy Spirit will be key as He reminds me of Jesus’ principles and convicts me when I go off the path. If I want to know what is truly Jesus’ way, listen to His Spirit speak to my spirit.

God is with you always. And no matter what others may say or what I see with my human eyes, the Spirit is always with me and will never leave me. In the darkness of despair and grief, in the gray fog of confusion, the Holy Spirit will be the Light of Truth that will lead me out. The spirit in the world and the people who reject anything they cannot empirically prove may say I am weak or crazy, but it is by the Holy Spirit’s wisdom and love that I will live.

And so I am uplifted once again today. And, yes, I still have questions. But the Holy Spirit is with me and so we will continue to talk and I will continue to learn because God always keeps His promises.

Holy Spirit Rain Down written by Alvin Slaughter and sung by Hillsong Worship Team

 

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