"Filled For A Purpose"

"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth".  Acts 1:8

When Jesus left the earth, He promised that He would send the Comforter to be with us-- the Holy Spirit.  He told us what the Sprit would do in our lives and why we needed Him.  He told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they received the Holy Spirit.  Receiving Him endowed them with power.  That power was two-fold.  It was an empowerment to live the Christian life and be transformed into the image of Christ.  The second was to be empowered to be a witness for Jesus and the Kingdom of God. 

My question to those of us who say we are "Sprit-filled" is-- why are we Spirit-filled if we aren't going to be led by Him to reach the world for Jesus?

Many people stop with the first reason-- the more personal one.  They are allowing the Spirit to do a work in them, but they are not allowing Him to move through them to reach others for Christ. 

We have been empowered to be able to witness to others.  He desires to work through us to reach the lost for Christ.  He has given us gifts of the Spirit that will show the world that He is real, powerful and worthy of being served.  He has empowered us to lay hands on the sick and see them recover.  He has anointed us by His Spirit to do miracles, signs and wonders so that Jesus is exalted before men.  The Spirit's work in our lives is in order to convince the world and convict the sinner of who Jesus is.  So, my question again is-- Why aren't we letting Him move through us?  Why are we "keeping Him in a box"?  Why are we confining Him to one role only?

Have a great day.  Why are you Spirit-filled if you are not going to let the Spirit do through you the thing that He has filled you for?

"Real Peace"

"Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them."  Psalm 119:165

When we feel stressed out, tried, weary, overwhelmed by life, we will go to great lengths and take all kinds of measures to try to regain and restore that peace.  We will spend money on all sorts of remedies.  We will go to the doctor and get a prescription to calm our "nerves".  We will take a nap.  We will get a drink.  We will take a trip.  We will engage in some sort of entertaining activity.  We will go for a long walk.  We will try to get away from reality for a while.  If we think it will help, we will do it.  But we will neglect to do the one thing that will ensure that peace---- Go to God's word.  We will totally neglect it or use it as a last resort.   

For some reason we don't think that His word is what we really need.  Evidently, we don't think that it is as powerful as the other things we are willing to try.  If we did, we would go to it.  If we did, we would take the time to read it.  If we did, we would sit down with it and "bathe" our heart, mind and emotions in it and let it wash away all the mental clutter, confusion, frustration, anxiety, worry and emotional fatigue. 

Before you totally neglect His word and put all your hope in some other alternative, that only brings temporary relief, remember this:  His word is life.  His word is peace.  His word brings hope.  His word is trustworthy.  His word is powerful.  His word is Him.  It is His very breath, heart, love, grace and will.  He is the Living Word.  He is the Prince of Peace.  He is the glory and the lifter of your head.  He is Grace; therefore, He gives grace over every trying thing that wants to steal your peace. 

Do you want real peace?  Do you want just momentary peace?  Do you want just some peace?  Or do you want great and sustaining peace?  Remember, great peace comes as you love His word and loving it means you read it, study it, embrace it, hide it in your heart and do it. 

Have a great day.  Do you want peace?  Real peace?  Then you will find it in God's word.   
 

"Storms Have Purpose"

"And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?"  Mark 4:38

Storms in life are a given.  They are unavoidable.  We have to go through them sometimes.  Remember, Jesus sent His disciples out to sea knowing a storm was coming. 

Storms do three things: 
1)  They test our reactions.  They test what we are made of.  They expose what is inside of us.  The disciples reacted in fear, doubt and unbelief.  The storm exposed the fear that was hidden in their hearts.  It exposed their lack of faith in Jesus and His word.  They had heard Him preach and teach.  They had seen Him heal the sick and cast out devils.  He had already told them that would do the same in His name.  But then the storm came and they were tested.  Their hearts were tested, not just their intellect. 

2)  Storms also reveal our trust in the Lord.  The disciples got in the storm and didn't trust His word-- His word that they were going to the other side; not that they were going to drown in the sea.  They didn't trust His presence that was with them to keep them safe.  They didn't trust His love for them.  Instead, they believed He didn't care.  They trusted Him enough to get in the boat but not enough to keep them safe in the boat.  Sound familiar?  We trust Him until it gets rough.      

3)  Storms give us a revelation of who Jesus really is.  "And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" (Mark 4:41)  Again, they had seen the miracles He had performed.  They had seen the devils bow down and submit to His authority.  They had heard Him teach with an anointing and authority that the other teachers of the day did not have.  But when they saw His power demonstrated in the storm they marveled and became afraid because they realized this was no ordinary man. 

Are you in a storm?  You may have to "ride it out".  It may not go away quickly.  But let the storm cause you to take inventory and see what is in you.  Let it take you into a whole new level of trust in the Lord.  Let it give you a fresh revelation of Who Jesus is, and through that revelation give you peace to weather the storm and go through it to the other side.  It is possible when you realize exactly Who is in the storm with you.

Have a great day.  Storms serve a purpose in our lives.  Therefore, sometimes we just have to go through them.   
 

"Follow The Instructions"

"I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye".  Psalm 32:8

I don't care how old you are, how well educated you are or how much you think you know, we all need instructions from time to time.  Practically everything we purchase or have to assemble come with instructions.  When we try to get information concerning a service we have, get through to our doctor, check on our banking, we have to follow the instructions given to us by the automated menu.  Those instructions are meant to help us. 

This world is full of instructions to help us navigate through it.  By the same token in order for us to be successful in our spiritual life God has given us instructions as well.  If we heed and follow those instructions, we will do well.  We will be victorious, we will walk in abundant life, we will run the race with the strength and endurance that we need.  But on the other hand, if we neglect to heed and follow the Lord's instructions we will struggle, we will fall short, we will not be successful, we will miss out.  It won't be God's fault.  We can't blame Him.  He has given us the instructions that we need to make it through whatever situation we are facing.  If we don't follow them, it will be our fault when things go poorly.   

I know people who try to assemble something without ever reading the instructions-- perhaps you are one of them.  When they think they can do it without the instructions, they mess up.  They have left over parts.  The thing is lopsided.  It isn't sturdy.  It has to be redone.  The same principle applies in dealing with the spiritual life.  If you are wondering why things aren't working out.  If you are wondering why you aren't victorious.  If you are wondering why things are always going wrong and never seems to get any better.  Perhaps it is because you are trying to do it without reading the instructions and following what the Creator says to do.

Have a great day.  You can't make it through life or have a successful spiritual life without reading, heeding and following the Lord's instructions.  
 

"Keep Your Bags Packed"

"Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh".

We are looking for the Lord's return.  By the signs of the time, it won't be long.  But also, because He hasn't return yet many are getting careless and have stopped planning for and watching for His return.  They are busy with the cares of this life.  They are consumed with the pleasures of this world.  They are taking care of the flesh and natural man and are neglecting the spiritual one.  They have stopped looking for Him to come because they have heard so much that says it will be soon but don't see the evidence of it.  They protest that they have heard it for so long, but it has not happened so why believe and watch for it.  According to the Bible, this is another sign that His return is soon to come. (2 Peter 3:4)

The key to this verse is "be ready".  It doesn't say to get ready then forget about it.  It doesn't say to only think about getting ready.  Since we don't know when His return will be, we are to get ready and stay ready.  In times past when a woman was pregnant you never heard much about their labor being induced.  We all just went to have the baby when the pains hit us, and the baby was ready to come on its own.  Therefore, the closer it got to our due date we would make preparation and have our "hospital/baby" bag packed and ready to go.  Once we packed it, we didn't unpack it.  It stayed packed and ready to go with us at all times because we had no idea when it might be time to go to the hospital.  That time could come during the day or the middle of the night.  It didn't matter, that bag stayed packed and in an easily accessible place. 

In this same way, we have to make sure our "bags" are packed and we are ready to go regardless of when the time of Christ's return takes place.  If we are ready, we have nothing to worry about.  If we are watching, if we are looking, if we are living in expectation of His return, we have nothing to worry about, we will be prepared for that time regardless of when it comes. 

Are you "packed and ready" to go when He returns?  Were you "packed" but have unpacked a few things?  Have you stopped watching and waiting for His return?  Have you neglected the fact that He will return again--- it could be today?  Are you ready?  And are you staying ready?  If not, get ready and don't let anything hinder you from staying ready.... for in the time when you think not, He will return.  Let Him find you ready.

Have a great day.  Are your "bags packed" and ready to go should the Lord return today?