Holy Spirit, Gift Giver.

Writing about gifts of the Spirit is nothing new on my blog, I have mentioned them several times, they are listed in 1 Corinthians 12 just before the Love chapter 13, which is really all about Jesus and His sacrifice, and what pure love is.

While tongues and prophecies and discernment even working miracles are something, love is what never fails. Whatever you do and do without it makes you just a tinkling cymbal. we are not saved by works but He gives us gifts and callings and works to do.

I love blogging, praying for people, I taught some Bible Studies. I loved helping people and helping out but I often over did it, wasn’t doing exactly what I should have been or helping who I should have been. Jesus said there would always be poor, and He was reluctant to heal, giving the children’s bread away, but He did when she dropped her pretense. She was addressed Him as if she were a Jewess.

I definitely think it is correct to help the poor. But you know I have run across some putting up pretenses. I believe our first priority is to fellow believers and those in ministry. Are we to use our gifts continually trying to persuade someone unwilling to change? Or should we come to the assistance of a fellow believer in midst of a crisis? The Holy Spirit will have to let you discern that one.

Though I thought I was doing things in love, some people are just not as loveable, and if you begin to just see the ugly side of things, it weighs heavily on a spirit that was meant for love, no matter how good your intentions are. You burn out, wear out, suffer mentally and physically. And you spirit will grow weak without the Holy Spirit’s help and gifting. We were not made to face mortal combat everyday, He placed His creation in a garden  of life.

So let’s talk about gifts, He is the gift giver, and He gives different gifts at different times to whom He chooses, the more obedient and receptive to the Spirit you are the more He can help you and you can have one good gift or many, you might need one one day and another the next, He knows the deep things of hearts and minds, ours and God’s.

While a lot of people have their own ideas about what they desire, God wants us to delight in Him, He gives us the desires, and they are His for us, and they are best, some you may wait for and not others, He decides the time to and He will make it beautiful. I used to think I wanted to write, but that was God.

Foolishly and in pain I offered to quit for healing. Wrong! I wasn’t getting results anyway, wrong! I thought I should quit a lot of pursuits, I needed a real career. Wrong! Don’t let the enemy take what He sows in your heart, don’t try to bargain. He wanted me to write and heal and indeed they went together.

A lot of gifts will last a lifetime, His love. Some are for a while and then you are promoted on to other pursuits. Some gifts are just for a day or a week, to help you overcome. The extra bounce in you step, the faith you bring up from the well of your soul, the living water that overflowed to friend in need, although it refreshes daily.

There will be times you need extra rest, and sometimes more energy. He gives lots of gifts, the butterflies fluttering outside my door, cool breeze of His gentleness that helps us breathe, the drifting clouds, the sunrise, the seasons, the moonlight.

The scents of flowers and of fall, crisp air and tastes of His goodness and grace, you have to look for His gifts, thye are there, and don’t be afraid to ask and pursue new things, He does them all the time. We are to pursue peace, but He is pursuing us as well.

He welcomes all who believe and gives many gifts, not only the ones mentioned but others, all gifts to thank Him for, He speaks our names tenderly as He has us engraved in His palm, let’s slow down and enjoy our gifts and let others see the Holy Spirit in us. Shouldn’t we speak His name the same way, whisper Jesus when we need Him. Allow the Spirit to pray for us teach us and move us. Some may never believe, Jews should even be jealous to a point that their God is working so through the Gentiles, and the ones who won’t listen, leave them to heaven.

He is a good Father, who gives good gifts to His children, not spoiled and demanding bratty ones, though He is merciful, He gives good and perfect gifts, they are yours  forever. So remember to do and give in love, and do what you do for Him and through Him, being a Christian should not be so difficult, especially when it is and was all laid on Him, it is finished.

What are some of your gifts this week? Leave a comment if you care to. Rebecca Jones / Anete Lusina, pexels.

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Holy Spirit, Heart Healer.

People are sitting with a lot of baggage and a lot of loneliness. I know and understand that, and so does Jesus. He is close to the broken hearted and truly the only one who can mend them, knit them back together even more perfectly than before. Let’s look at the Word on that, while we know sin and shame and even the neglect and hurt inflicted by others are a cause, let’s see how it happens and how to let Him heal you.

Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. Hebrews 3:12 That’s powerful, we deceive or kid ourselves into thing one thing when it is another, like God’s ways and thoughts are higher. When we turn our hearts from Him, even as believers, because our prayers are not answered quickly enough, or maybe we are waiting. Should someone have left you or died, getting mad at God without fully understanding isn’t the way.

Everyone has doubts, He can understand that, He wrestled with humanity. But unbelief hardens the heart, and He calls it evil. So should a believer  equate with an atheist, being hardened against the Lord? An atheist who may be by the world’s standards a good person, even likeable, but that is what God says about the heart, and that it is also foolish to say there is no God.

And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:5 To me, this is more profound. Why, if the Holy Spirit has been poured into our hearts, do we feel shame and even allow ourselves to hinder and grieve Him.

I was made to feel that shame and it was not just from some people’s words or unbelief but my own self doubt. God believed in me more than I was believing Him. that was something to be ashamed of as the Lord was crucified for me. Much of it was railing accusations of the enemy, old fears, worries and lies that had no place in my heart and only cause me to lose hope and grieve, both my heart and the Spirit’s.

We are forgiven, redeemed, deeply and lavishly loved by the Father, Jesus died to give us access to His Father’s throne. He purchased us at a great price, we are His pearls.  We are the joy that was set before Him as He cried out in agony, ” Finished. ” He dismissed His Spirit, and that is powerful love to take our place literally and for eternity, bearing every sin, sickness, fear and so much more. No wonder we feel unworthy, we are! But He made us righteous.

We are not entitled, but privileged to receive by His grace all manner of gifts and favor. And how did we become so rich in grace? We can look back to place called Gethsemane, and see the night He prayed, He wanted to quit in the natural, like many of us, suffering unimaginably, He fought the enemy once more, and told the Father He would do His will, walking back He found the disciples asleep, like many believers are. Not that He doesn’t want you sleep, sleep heals, sleep is part of His rest. It’s just we should wake our spirits to tune in with the Holy Spirit.

Man came with torches to arrest Him. Read John’s account. It is powerful! He even heals the ear cuts off, and His power knock them away even before that, so we don’t think He hears us or can answer? Or will heal? His love is powerful but Judas still betrays Him with a kiss, Jesus even called Him friend. He allows them to bind Him, He gave Himself for us. And then the horrible death, but the blessed resurrection.

But we can go back to the Passover, what we know as the Last Supper, the Lord has told them someone at the table will betray Him and Peter starts asking who, it’s not him. Yet, he did didn’t he? This time it is Judas. John 13:2, Passover and washing feet.

During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him. I started to put this in all capitals for impact. You know being raised in the south and more traditional church, people will overlook a lot, and sometimes ignore the obvious. I don’t think I even heard of lot of spiritual applications in some Pentecostal services, but I am not criticizing, it is just that we should pay attention to what our hearts are full of, Jesus say it comes out in what we say, and it will in what we do.

I am telling you that people told me the devil could not affect Christians, the more like God teaching you a lesson, He allows it. While I don’t think He could possess a true believer, he can certainly oppress them in major ways. Look how close Judas and even Peter were to Jesus. The devil most certainly can put thoughts in your head, evil in your heart, but you don’t have to allow it. Let the Holy Spirit keep love in your heart.

I know the Proverb says for us to guard our hearts. I was lousy at it. I got hurt, I said hurtful words that were not mine, my vocabulary is better. But no matter the wounds suffered or inflicted, His are deeper still, and I have found that Phillipians 4:7 works better. I am letting Him guard my heart and mind. And that peace passes understanding, because it is His peace from John 14:27.

I read a cute phrase a mother asked her children growing up, ” How does your heart feel today? ” I will ask myself that question. And I hope you will. We don’t want to be greedy like Judas or sifted like Peter.

What is in there? Hate, envy, jealousy or pride? Or joy, peace and love? Let the Holy Spirit pour it in there, and make sure to uproot the bitter weeds that grow in our heart’s garden, life may not always be a proverbial bowl of cherries but it is with His help, coming up roses.

So, ” How is your heart today? ” And what about shaloam, more than hello and good bye, or even peace but ” How is your peace? ” I hope it is John 14:27 and Phillipians 4:7 and that you are wise enough to not let satan put anything in your heart but let the Holy Spirit pour love in and heal it. Rebecca Jones / Viktor, Picjumbo, thanks.

 

 

 

Holy Spirit, Breathe On Me!

The seasons are changing again though it is still hot here, it is hurricane season, and flu season, and a season of harvest. Since we reap what we sow, we do not what to sow to the wind with our words and reap the whirlwind.

We want the Holy Spirit to breathe on us, while we live in a fallen world and run into allergies and flus, they don’t have to have a stronghold on us. I pray for many people and some with asthma, emphysema, lung cancer, COPD and a host of issues, one thing I like to pray, especially for those on ventilators is for the Holy Spirit to breathe on them and for them.

It is no less true of our day to day walk. While word for breathe in Hebrew is neshemah, breath or breath, we may be more familiar with wind or spirit, ruach or the Ruach Ha’ Kodesh. And of course, pneuma, in Greek where we get the word pneumonia.

We breathe in and out a lot of things, germs, pollen, smoke, irritants and pollution. All these things have a natural effect on our bodies and lungs. Cold and heat and other things contribute as well. I breathe cooler air much better.

But what else do we breathe in or out? Seriously, love, joy peace, fruits of the Spirit? Anger, hate, lust or foul language? Psalm 27:12 refers to breathing out cruelty. Is our breath spouting out words that damage our spirit or those of others, words that are not from the Holy Spirit, although Jesus did not mince them.

It comes from the word yaphach, which means to breath hard, or to snort. In Acts 9:1 we read about Saul’s  threatening breathing and slaughter. He breathed murderous threats against the disciples and went to the High Priest to get orders to take to Damascus in order to arrest both men and women.

But on the road to Damascus He met the different High Priest and was knocked off his high horse. And became the Apostle Paul with a new breath on him. Whether you are spouting off or the one on the receiving end as a believer or just in the earshot of obscenities or coarse jesting, malice, slander, you know what you should not say or think, what is and isn’t good fruit.

He had Ezekiel prophesy to the dry bones. I will put my breath in them and they will live.  Ezekiel 37:9. And in 2 Timothy 3:16, Scripture is God breathed, theos, God, pneo, breath out, and is it inspiring. Jesus breathed on the disciples, and they received the Holy Spirit in John 20:22.

Let’s look at breath or breathing as it is defined.To respire; to inhale and exhale air; hence, to live. To take breath; to rest from action. To pass like breath; noiselessly or gently; to exhale; to emanate; to blow gently. To inhale and exhale in the process of respiration; to respire. To inject by breathing; to infuse; — with into. To emit or utter by the breath; to utter softly; to whisper; as, to breathe a vow. To exhale; to emit, as breath; as, the flowers breathe odors or perfumes. To express; to manifest; to give forth. To act upon by the breath; to cause to sound by breathing. To promote free respiration in; to exercise.  To suffer to take breath, or recover the natural breathing; to rest; as, to breathe a horse. To put out of breath; to exhaust. To utter without vocality, as the nonvocal consonants.

A lot of these are applicable to the Holy Spirit and even a prayer language, we know He helps us pray. Romans 8:26. So we can not only say Holy Spirit, pray for me but breathe on me as well. Inhaling peace and heaven, exhaling the cruel words of others. And even the devil’s railing and accusations. Bringing us back from exhaustion. Healing breath, loving breath, life itself. God’s awe inspiring words.

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis 2:7

The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. Job 33:4

How can I, your servant, speak with you, my lord? Now I have no strength, nor is any breath left in me. Daniel 10:17

I know the feeling Daniel and I bet some of my readers do too. Then a man touched him and He was strengthened, while angels strengthened Jesus, in the Old Testament, we often read of the Angel of the Lord, which I believe to be Jesus. So it is likely Jesus who touched Daniel.

And finally, Psalm 150:6, Let everything that breathes praise the LORD. Hallelujah! Rebecca Jones / public domain

 

Wednesday Bonus: I Had Someone, After All.

Jesus asked the man who lay beside the pool that stirred,

Would you be healed? He replied, I have no one to help me.

But He was talking to the Living Word.

I have no one to help me as the waters stir,

And others get ahead of me, sir.

But Jesus was not deterred.

For obeying the Father,

He said what He heard.

Take up your mat and walk.

And the man was a sight to behold.

He stood upon His feet,

His mat he began to fold.

He picked up his mat, which was his rest,

He was healed and he was blessed.

Now some were angered and demanded to know,

The man who told me, He’s the one.

Jesus had vanished in the crowd.

His work here was done.

So you see, crippled for years,

While others get ahead.

Or just not knowing and sure.

Yet, He even raised the dead.

The man crippled lay beside the pool,

Many jumped ahead, when the angels stirred,

Having no one and trampled, feeling like a fool.

He encountered Jesus, who only spoke the word.

He was crippled and lay for years,

Hoping against hope,

And with many tears.

He fought the urge to stay away,

But he was drawn again to the pool that day.

Whether he crawled there,

Or walked upon his knees.

He was free and whole again.

Healed from that disease.

He was sick and lonely,

Feeling very small.

I have no one, he thought.

But just like us, he had someone after all.

We may feel the same,

I know that I have felt overlooked and small,

Not insignificant to Jesus,

We can take His rest and walk,

Pray to Him and talk.

We have someone who loves us, someone who died.

The man at the pool, was before He was crucified.

He knows our name and hears before we call,

And we have a beloved someone, after all.

Rebecca Jones / public domain

Holy Spirit, Helper.

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him. 2 Chronicles 16:9

While this is an Old Testament verse and we know the Holy Spirit only came upon people then and we have have Him within us a believers now, it is no less relevant. God is looking for people who He can help who will listen with their hearts. These people in the verse had not and we going to have wars.

Jesus said we have problems or tribulations as it say but He overcame  so we could. If we don’t listen and obey His words and the prompting of the Spirit, we too have wars. Let’s read.

For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. Galatians 5:17

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

Notice it says in obedience to Christ, we make so much about us when it is all about Him. We can’t do anything for Him or without Him really. we are just bless to be so loved and allow to live and He wants us to be in love, joy and His peace.

So as He explained in John, He sent a Helper and God is watching to see who He can help, if we are not listening, we are like the Old Testament people who were in disobedience and while their wars were literal ours can be spiritual, so we have read how to fight the battle against our flesh and against spirits that would assault us.

And believe me that thoughts come after our minds and the attacks on the body. Metaphorically and literally speaking, the thief would come to steal, kill and destroy us as the body of Christ.

We need to be in His rest as a body of believers, in order to have a strong and healthy body, and heart. Some people run and some walk, for some it’s all about the physical body. But even healthy people are not immune to spiritual battles or enemy attacks, and besides, it is not about us anyway, it’s about Him.

If our hearts are perfect to Him, mature to Him, open to Him, He can speak to us and His eyes, the eyes of Jehovah are looking constantly for someone to help, I know I always need it. Rebecca Jones / Pete Bellis Unsplash

 

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The Realm of the Holy Spirit

What is the realm of the Holy Spirit? Or where is it? You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. Romans 8:9 Well obviously, the realm of the Spirit is spirit, not in the flesh.

That is not to say He does not affect the flesh or permeate it or even emanate or radiate from some believers, He comes from the inside, out. He heals the flesh in many instances, delivers from the power of the adversary. In Acts 16:7, when disciples tried to go to Bithynia, the Holy Spirit stopped them. One translation, which is accurate, says the Spirit of Jesus stopped them.

He is more than a conscience or the proverbial gut instinct or even woman’s intuition though. Even unbelievers have a certain amount of that understanding, and certainly the Holy Spirit is probably close to a lot of people urging them to come to Christ. He convicts of sin, but is not condemning. Though He is power, He is also love and the sound mind Timothy talks about.

It was the Holy Spirit that led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil, because Jesus had to overcome him in order be strong for His ministry. He was on a major fast, thankfully, I have not done that forty day one except as a partial. Most of us would want a roll and be ready to eat that rock, but would we knowing the devil was behind it? Thankfully too, he isn’t behind every rock. A lot of what we give him credit for is our own disobedience or that of others.

For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”… Romans 8:13-15

Jesus calls Him the Spirit of  Truth and says He will guide us and teach us and show us things to come. I believe where we should and shouldn’t go, He may lead you to a school or ministry or even a blog, a certain verse, He will give you gifts to discern spirits. The gifts are listed in 1 Corinthians 12, though I believe there are others that are specific to each person, though they may be like someone else’s, music or art, even prophetic, they vary by individual, to make every one of us a masterpiece of His making, each with the unique signature of God. For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable. Romans 11:29 Your gifts are forever yours.

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.…Ephesians 4:4-6, so while are are to do the works He called us to do, being saved by grace, we can all work together and be in one accord in the Spirit, if we will yield to Him and not hinder or grieve Him.

His realm is everywhere and everyone, He can be in heaven and on earth. He even went to hell to bring Jesus back and raise Him. He  can surely lead us if we will follow. His realm encompasses everything and everyone if they would allow Him, but the world does not know Him like believers do, or at least should know Him.

Wherever you are, He is there, the psalmist says this in 139: 7-11 , Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? 8If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, ( or hell ) You are there. Even there Your hand will guide me; Your right hand will hold me fast, If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light become night around me. Even the darkness is not dark to You, but the night shines like the day, for darkness is as light to You. ”

I’d say that about covers the realm of the Spirit. So let’s start paying more attention and expecting good things from our Advocate, and we will never be led astray following Him for He knows all that goes on, He dispels spiritual darkness with glory, demons flee, angels and God’s love and peace show up, I want to be in that realm of the Spirit. Rebecca Jones / Jody Hong, Unsplash thanks.

Holy Spirit, Speak To My Heart.

Isaiah 40:2 is a lovely verse and for the sake of us all I don’t think He would mind us substituting our names as believers. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.

Isn’t it a lovely thought then for Him to allow His Spirit to whisper tenderly to us, all the reminders of Jesus’ love for us and say that our warfare is over our sins are pardoned and even being rewarded doubly?

Job received double, although none of us want that experience. yet, the adversary, certainly prowls about. There is another verse in Ruth, and others about being repaid for wickedness. God will repay. He says vengeance is His. He will decide and reward, we are not to repay evil for evil.

And of course, we know there are so many verses about our words. What is in your heart is what we will speak, Jesus said so. I tend to speak frustration lately, what about you? Sometimes, i write all this beautiful love of jesus and walk right back into the turmoil of the day. I long to hold the peace you have given me in my heart, a perfect gift, I hold it in my heart so tightly and dearly.

Holy Spirit, speak His peace to my heart. Speak His healing to my heart. Speak His wisdom and love to my heart, so that I can speak it to others. Speak tenderly to me, so that I may speak tenderly.

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord. Ephesians 5:19

The heart of a wise person instructs his mouth; it adds learning to his speech. Proverbs 16:23 I like this, your heart teaches your mouth, from the Christian Standard version, and this Contemporary one, You can persuade others if you are wise and speak sensibly.

In Hosea, the prophet redeems his wife, and the story is an allegory of God being the husband to Israel, though she has been unfaithful, he speaks tenderly to her. To a degree, it is the same with us all, He speaks tenderly to us to woo us back to Him.

Luke 6:45 says we speak what the heart is full of and Ephesians 4:15 teaches us to speak the truth in love, and grow in Jesus. And another Proverb 15:28, The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked blurts out evil.

We have already learned that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, He is the Helper, reminds us of God’s Word. He speaks what he hears directly from Jesus, since God has put Him charge over all things, He will speak tenderly, it is up to listen and obey.

Jesus knows about broken hearts, He had one for us in the worst way, let’s not break it anymore and grieve His precious Spirit, but speak firmly to those who need it, to the wicked and tenderly to those who desire to hear His grace and kindness, speak to my heart Holy Spirit. 💓💜💓 Rebecca Jones / Kaboom pics

And I had to come back and add His peace from John 14:27, and remind us for Him to speak to it that it needs to not be troubled or afraid. Let Him quiet you with His love, Zephaniah 3:17.

 

 

Sunday Bonus: Is Being in the Ministry Killing You?

 

 

I didn’t want to write another suicide post. I heard about three last week. One a pastor, you heard right. Apparently, being a Christian does not make you immune. In fact, it can make you even more of a target, it wasn’t the first and sadly may not be the last.

While I am one of the people who fight to keep the healing power of God working in me, there are others who would rather die, and believe me I understand, I have had pain that would make you think that. But is that the sound mind of Christ? No, it’s not.

And neither is worry or fear or a host of other things. While we share the gospel, we can be quick to judge. Grief and depression are twin evils, you don’t just say to get over it and it go away. The recent 9/11 anniversary reminded me of what I remember saying months afterward as people still searched for loved ones.

I was quick to say that they had to be there for others and could not linger in that mind frame, their children needed them, they had to attempt to start life in another way. I can’t begin to imagine waiting for a call that we found something and the DNA matches. I once hear about a  woman who could not hear or speak for years, when she snapped out of it, she recalled she had seen her family murdered.

Many suffer from PTSD, another thing that has been on the agenda this week, a side effect of spousal abuse as well as war, and probably other things. God did not create war or death or abuse. That is the devil’s schtick, kill, steal and destroy.

Jesus came for us to have live and more abundantly. John 10:10 If by one man’s sin death reigned, how much more should life be reigning by Jesus death for us. Isaiah 53 reminds us of the gruesome punishment He took for our peace. The wounds for our healing, He paid a high price for us. We are valued by Him. So, no suicide is not the answer.

And especially, as ministers of His grace, that would make us all recipients of it? Would it not? I am not telling you you do not pray enough or have enough faith. I am not saying having a dialogue about things like suicide and abuse are not relevant, but focusing on the problems more that on His sacrifice, which is the only solution because His love si so pure, puts us on shaky ground instead of holy ground.

And we are living in a time we need not have our faith in Him shaken, questioned or mocked. The righteous will not be shaken Psalm 116:12 We need a fresh revelation of how we are made righteous because He was cursed and hanged on a tree. Only He could impute righteousness, our self righteousness, is nothing. I don’t know everything, I encourage people to get medical and psychological help if necessary, but if you can’t trust God who loves you enough to send His Son to take your place, who can you trust”

Ministers, men or women are just as human as the next person, though held to a higher accountability and rightly so. But when our trust is in people, they can fail us and even themselves. When it is God, firmly and deeply rooted in faith, a house He built, it will not be in vain. It is not as likely to shake and crumble with the floods of life. No one should ever be so over run or over worked as to not have time for His rest.

Obeying the Spirit calls for us to do that because you cannot give out more that you take in. You cannot pour from an empty pitcher. Or drink from an  empty glass the living water you thirst for. Nor a cup that isn’t filled or running over. He’s preparing you a table. a banquet and a Marriage Feast.

You cannot eat from a plate that is empty, and you hunger for the bread of righteousness. You can’t juggle plate after plate and not drop one sooner or later, or keep them spinning with your head beginning to. And it cannot be so overloaded, so that you are so full, and still not satisfied. Only Jesus can satisfy and satiate a soul. ( And souls are what I am writing about next month. )

None of us can know the depths of one’s despair, even if we have walked there. We are not the same people. You can’t truly say, ” If  I were you, I’d…” , no you wouldn’t, if you were me you’d be right here blogging. And you’d be hurting for the hearts of others, and you’d try to present His words with compassion and empathy, yet with a firm belief that His love is greater than any force on earth, even death. and you’d be right.

I believe He wants to give us abundant life and health, peace. So many things, dare we believe and receive and rest in His sacrifice? When do, ministry should not be killing anyone, the Spirit gives life, and not being in ministry could also be killing you, have you been called or chosne and not acted on it?

We are coming to the Day of Atonement, with Jesus as our High Priest, we can step behind the veil of the temple, which is His flesh, and go to directly to His heart, easily touched by our prayers and tears, so don’t let life shake you.

See that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject Him who warns from heaven. At that time His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, Once more I will shake not only the earth, but heaven as well. Hebrews 12:25, 26.

This shaking is already beginning, He is coming. Hold fast to Jesus our hope and let go the pressures, He will not leave or forsake us not does He desire martyrs, or ministry to be killing us. Rebecca Jones / Adina Voicu

Holy Spirit of Truth

Ever feel like you are on the wrong track? Looking for the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, and hoping it isn’t the train? We all have. Jesus gave us a way out of that, He sent His Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth to help us. Our lives don’t have to be the so called train wreck, and we don’t have to be loaded with baggage.

He promised to straighten our paths, and then we will be on track. So many people live on the fast track, always busy and never slowing down and hardly to even breathe, how can we ever know the Spirit of Truth, while there is a verse that says God whistles for His sheep, you may not hear a whistle but feel the wind and know He is present. He is the very essence of Jesus and the breath of God.

Let’s look at what Jesus says about the Spirit of Truth. If you don’t know already I love the book of John. He loved Jesus and he knew Jesus loved Him.

And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever–
the world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you. John 14:16,17

But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness about me. John 15:26

When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on his own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come. John 16:13

This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ–not by water alone, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies to this, because the Spirit is the truth. 1 John 5:6

And then there is John 4:24, God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. The Hebrew word for truth is emet. Interestingly enough it is spelled aleph, mem, and tav. the first, middle and last letters of the Hebrew alef-bet or alphabet. It is representative of strength, blood and water and a cross. That sounds like Jesus, and it is expressed in the word pictures from the Hebrew and Aramaic language. And His heart was pierced and blood and water came forth, relative to 1 John 5:6.

In effect, He was at the beginning, middle and end. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Hebrews 13: 8, and He is the way, the truth, and the life. See how the pattern is of three’s  God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit or the Spirit of Truth, because He is the Spirit of Jesus, and of God who is a man who cannot lie.

The Strong’s Concordance says emet is firmness, faithfulness, and truth. And sure enough this word comes with the feminine usage. God even created His words with both male and female applications. More proof that He sees us as equals partners in, life, marriage and in Him, men and women working together, fitting perfectly into His plans, and following the Spirit of Truth. Rebecca Jones / Unsplash

Please read and pass along my Sunday Bonus.

https://adaughtersgiftoflove.wordpress.com/2018/09/16/is-being-in-the-ministry-killing-you/

Holy Spirit Freedom!

 

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:17,18.

I had a bracelet when I was very young, I don’t know if it is still around in an old jewelry box or was given away, but these words were on it. Verse 17. Lately, these words have been on my heart because I had let myself slip into the mode of accepting the status quo, that situations might not change or the people involved, but I am a changed person, and I have His freedom.

In America, we are free to come and go, speak, protest and vote people in or out of office. In Jesus, the Holy Spirit knows us as in Psalm 139, when we get up or sit down, all of our comings and goings, and we are free to go places, He will warn us of danger though.

We can speak up or out, for the widows and orphans, the lowly and oppressed. whe have the right and authority to speak His Word over our lives and loved ones. We can speak in the tongues of men and maybe even angels. We have the right to pray.

We can protest the adversaries presence and vote him right out of office, he has already been impeached and has no right to move in on us, and we have the Holy Spirit power and grace not give him and inch or else we let him be the ruler. And this is only a political figure of speech, we are to pray for those in office, so that we might live peaceably.

We are free from the law, we don’t have to cling to the Old Covenant or the Ten Commandments, will all respect. I read and study the Old Testament and have broken a few commandments but desire even more to please the Father by following Jesus new command to love and then the others fall into place.

If Paul calls the former the ministry of death, and many were saved, how many more should be under the ministry of the Spirit, the Spirit of Grace and Truth? Jesus fulfilled the law, and brought us grace and truth, and if the Son makes you free, you are indeed. John 8:36

For the law of the Spirit of life has made us free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2 The Lord is a Spirit and we must worship Him in Spirit and in truth. John 4:24. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery.  ( to sin or the law ) Galatians 5:1

You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. Romans 8:16 And only Jesus makes us righteous, by His death on the cross. There are so many passages about our gift of the Holy Spirit and the freedom of His grace, I am going to have read through  the New Testament again. Our new covenant with the Lord by His Spirit, the grace to be free from sin not to commit it or abuse His mercy.

People have fought for rights for so long and all along we have had freedom in Christ, the Son has made us free, with Holy Spirit freedom. Rebecca Jones / Melancholia, thanks.