Spirit Teacher

I’ve written to warn you about those who are trying to deceive you. But they’re no match for what is embedded deeply within you—Christ’s anointing, no less! You don’t need any of their so-called teaching. Christ’s anointing teaches you the truth on everything you need to know about yourself and Him, uncontaminated by a single lie. Live deeply in what you were taught. – 1 John 2:26-27 (MSG)

John is writing (or preaching) to the Christian Ephesians who were being taught and influenced by those who opposed Christ.  He says here that they have the Holy Spirit within them and that they can be led by that Spirit who will not lie and is the truth Himself.

J. Vernon McGee says in his commentary that, “we ought to get to the place where the Spirit of God is our Teacher.”  I understand and have experienced this much throughout the years.  Whether it was hearing a speaker and being very uneasy or uncomfortable about his teachings and not knowing why, but knowing not to listen to him again, or if it was hearing the Bible text and a teacher’s input and also having a revelation of wisdom that I knew applied directly to me.  The Spirit has walked with me and taught me.

However, there comes a time when it is difficult to listen to the Pastor’s sermons.  I don't mean it's bad as I always like to listen to Godly messages.  They seem, and I say this in a hopefully non-prideful manner, too shallow.  I’m not saying there isn’t good in them, there is, and I also understand the necessity to sometimes preach short messages.  Many people get bored quickly and will stop listening if it’s too “deep”.  I completely understand.  Yet in the absence of any type of available deeper Bible study, it makes the sermons a chore too often.

THIS is what I think Dr. McGee is referring too as well, at least for me.  I blamed my church and Pastors for too long over this wondering why they didn't have deeper studies.  The danger is if anyone stops listening because they've "heard it all before".  Hey, the Spirit is your Teacher, dedicate the time daily to pray, read, and study.  Reflect on it and see what new things the Lord will bring.  I find that when I can do this, that there is so much I do not know.  How little I understand God and His Word.  They are never-ending and eternal.  

It is difficult because it takes discipline and resources.  Real discipline.  Discipline to set aside the time, discipline to listen to the Spirit, discipline to be introspective to see where His Word applies to a broken sinful man.  And it takes resources.  Time must be set aside, lots of it.  It takes a lot more time to study than to sit in a class.  It takes commentaries, lots of them, to get as much as you can from each passage of Scripture.

Each of us should seek our lessons daily from the anointing of Christ, to walk in His Spirit at all times and be willing to be taught from His truth.

Faith - Emunah

Habakkuk 2:4 says, “Behold, as for the proud one, his soul is not right within him; but for the righteous will live by his faith.” (NASB)

This is referenced in the New Testament in Romans 1:17, “For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’” And in Galatians 3:11, “And it is clear that no one is justified before God by the Law, because, ‘The righteous will live by faith.’”  And in Hebrews 10:38, “But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he shrinks back, I will take no pleasure in him.”

Obviously faith is important, and that is an understatement.  Not only do those who believe in the One true living God live by it, but Hebrews 11:6 tells us “without faith it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists”. 

The Hebrew word for faith is “emunah” which is derived from the Hebrew root “aman” which means firm or strong, as something that has been secured into place and “emun” meaning craftsman, as a craftsman who is firm and secure in his talent.  “Emunah” can then be summed up to mean someone who is firm in their actions.  Therefore, having faith isn’t simply knowing that God exists or knowing He will act, rather, someone with “emunah” is someone who will act with firmness towards God’s will. 

David says in Psalm 62:2, “He is the rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.”  Of all people, David certainly acted in “emunah”.  Definitely a faith that we have trouble understanding. Faith is a substance.  It’s as real as a rock and it’s solid, firm and strong.  It is a belief; a trust in a known.  And we are to be a craftsman that acts in accordance with God’s Word in certainty and securely confident.

This is how we are supposed to live, every day.  This is how we are to think, every day.  Without it, it is impossible to please God.  Live by faith today.

King of the Curse

God speaks to Adam following their first sin.

“Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’

Cursed is the ground because of you;
    through painful toil you will eat food from it
    all the days of your life.

It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
    and you will eat the plants of the field.

By the sweat of your brow
    you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
    since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
    and to dust you will return.” – Genesis 3:17-19

In the traditional Eastern manner of learning and speaking, everything has a larger significance than its literal translation and the term thorns is no different.  Literally, this means man would no longer be in paradise, but would be opposed in his efforts to survive.  It also meant that man would suffer death.  Man was cursed.

The thorn imagery is used in Proverbs 15 to describe an obstacle to the lazy man and in Isaiah 34 to describe the consequence of God’s judgement.  Jesus used the thorn in Matthew 13 to describe how good seeds would be choked out and not grow.  Thorns are obstacles to man and a reminder of the consequence of sin, the curse of death.

Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around Him.  They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand. Then they knelt in front of Him and mocked Him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said.  – Matthew 27:27-29

Jesus wore a crown.  He was king, a ruler.  The crown was a crown of thorns, so He was a ruler of the thorns.  Jesus is the king, the ruler, over the curse on man.  The curse that opposes man and results in his death.  Jesus rules that curse, He is king over it, and He overcomes it. 

The Roman soldiers were mocking Him, calling Him the “King of the Jews”, but what they should have been saying is “King of the Curse”.  Everything that opposes their physical and spiritual life is under the authority of the person they are mocking and they are too blind to know it.  How about us?  Do we mock Jesus as God’s Son by declaring that He is God but not having faith in Him to be king over the curse upon us?  He rules over everything that opposes you.  Do you believe it?  Do you really believe it?  

A New Past

“How long does it take to make wine?” That’s the question I asked Google.  The answer varied.  The minimum time is about three weeks before it is drinkable.  But it is recommended to let it age at least four weeks after that time so that it will taste tolerable and better is to let it age for 12 months.

Why is this important?  It is important because Jesus changed water into wine.  This means He changed the past of the water. 

Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, He said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed His instructions.

When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!” – John 2:6-10

This tells us that the age of this wine was more than the minimum.  It was considered the best wine and therefore had been aged well.  The water’s past had not only been changed to reflect many months, but it had been changed to be the best.

When we confess our sins, our past is changed.  Just as Jesus changed the past of the water, He changes our past.  If we believe in Him as the substitution for our sins, that our sins are forgiven forever, then we must also believe that our past is changed, it’s gone.  We are a new creation.

The Only Thing That Matters

¹⁰ “Son of man, speak to Israel. Tell them, ‘You’ve said, “Our rebellions and sins are weighing us down. We’re wasting away. How can we go on living?”’

¹¹ “Tell them, ‘As sure as I am the living God, I take no pleasure from the death of the wicked.  I want the wicked to change their ways and live. Turn your life around!  Reverse your evil ways!  Why die, Israel?’

^12-13 “There’s more, son of man.  Tell your people, ‘A good person’s good life won’t save him when he decides to rebel, and a bad person’s bad life won’t prevent him from repenting of his rebellion.  A good person who sins can’t expect to live when he chooses to sin. It’s true that I tell good people, “Live! Be alive!”  But if they trust in their good deeds and turn to evil, that good life won’t amount to a hill of beans.  They’ll die for their evil life.

^14-16 “‘On the other hand, if I tell a wicked person, “You’ll die for your wicked life,” and he repents of his sin and starts living a righteous and just life—being generous to the down-and-out, restoring what he had stolen, cultivating life-nourishing ways that don’t hurt others—he’ll live.  He won’t die.  None of his sins will be kept on the books.  He’s doing what’s right, living a good life.  He’ll live.

^17-19 “‘Your people say, “The Master’s way isn’t fair.”  But it’s the way they’re living that isn’t fair.  When good people turn back from living good lives and plunge into sin, they’ll die for it.  And when a wicked person turns away from his wicked life and starts living a just and righteous life, he’ll come alive.

²⁰ “‘Still, you keep on saying, “The Master’s way isn’t fair.”  We’ll see, Israel. I’ll decide on each of you exactly according to how you live.’” – Ezekiel 33:10-20 (NIV)

I firmly believe that God will not allow any missed opportunities to pass anyone.  He will provide as many chances of choice for everyone as they are willing to recognize for them to repent and choose life in Him, until that unknown time when their heart closes forever.  He takes no pleasure in the death of anyone who refuses Him and His free gift of life.  How could love take comfort in a soul’s destruction?  It can’t, it isn’t possible!

All the good that any of us do has no bearing on our salvation.  None.  In fact, the term “good works” is even debatable in my opinion.  If we do good works in the eyes of man, is it really good works?  If we do good works of our own effort, is it good works?  But if we join God to work I where and what He is working, then it most definitely is good works.  However, you can’t do this last effort with a wicked heart that rejects God.  Although you could do the first two with a wicked heart.

The one thing that matters is whether you are repentant regarding your ways.  Do you accept the one true living God?  Do you believe in His only Son and accept His life, death, and resurrection as real and as a substitution for your sins?  Whether you think life is fair or not doesn’t matter, but whether you choose life in salvation offered freely from God does.  And it’s all that does.

Sailing

Today’s thought in The Book of Mysteries by Jonathan Cahn describes the Hebrew word “ruach”.  The idea is that the Holy Spirit is a wind and we can walk against it or with it.  If we walk with it, it is a gentle breeze and a help to our efforts.  If we walk against it, it is a drag to us and an opposition that will wear us down.

Interesting concept and one that I’ll admit I’ve experienced before.  When you are walking with the Spirit, you see His work all around.  When you aren’t walking with the Spirit, everything seems out-of-place and even the simple things are difficult.  That said, I’d like to take this a step further.  There is too much thought in this with regards to my own efforts. 

If I follow the lesson from Day 1 in this book and focus on being an open vessel, then I should open the lid of my vessel so much that it is a sail.  God’s wind will then propel me to where He wants me to go and with His timing and speed.  My efforts will solely be a result of His and thus, anything that happens will be because of Him.  I sincerely believe this is what God wants in our lives.  Wherever we end up and when we get there is from the Holy Spirit.

The difficult part of this is finding a real world application to the concept.  What do I do today that will help me open myself up so that I’m a sail ready for the wind of the Holy Spirit to take me wherever He wills me to go?  The answer 95% of the time is prayer and reading God’s Word.  While I agree that these are important and can’t be dismissed, I also think we must take careful inventory inside our hearts to find those things we don’t believe and trust God with.  I have yet to meet someone who hasn’t disagreed with God’s Word about something.  It is important to know that in every instance we decide we know better than what God says, we are in unbelief and are not trusting Him – our sail is not open as full as it should be.  I further think we should inventory our fears.  Everywhere we have some fear or doubt, we should address it and find a way to be full of faith in its regard.  Addressing our areas of unbelief and fear will help us to open our sail to catch God’s Spirit.

Bad Intentions

Yesterday was a real bummer.  I discovered that my Mom has been in the same town I live in for several days staying with my brother and purposely not revealing it.  The real fact is, we knew she was in town because my brother’s ex-wife, whom we maintain very limited contact with, had unexpectedly asked if knew.  So, that’s how a son learns that his Mom has come to town, from his brother’s ex-wife.  Knowing this, I purposely sent emails and called to give her every opportunity to reveal this honestly to me.  She didn’t.  However, once it became to where she couldn’t hide it anymore, she decided to embrace it and spin it off like it was all a big misunderstanding.  … Can’t you just feel the love?

I would be surprised except she is staying with my brother, who has repeatedly done the exact same thing for years now.  It is my observation that he will do or say anything to save his ego.  He might not stare you in the face and lie, but he will purposely not tell the truth.  Which is the same as lying in case anyone reading this is in doubt.  This is the whole President Bill Clinton sex scandal right?  He said he didn’t have sex with that woman, but he did have sexual relations with her.  So, was he lying?  The intention to not reveal a truth is a lie, whether technically factual or not.  It is a moral standard that Christians should live by, like my brother and Mother. 

My observation is that everyone who intends to lie or hide a truth does the same basic things.  First they deny, deny, deny, then they accuse, accuse, accuse, and then they call you names.  Finally, they just pretend it didn’t happen.  It was all a figment of your imagination and you are just seeing it all wrong.  My brother has done these same steps over and over.  Now my Mother is doing it.  On a national stage, the Democrats do it and are very expert at it.  The intention is to get you, the one who is trying to hold them accountable for their unmoral behavior, to be defensive.  As soon as you are defensive, it is you who was wrong, not them and the focus is now on you when it should be on their actions.  It is an obvious strategy, but it is also effective if you don’t pay attention to it as it happens.

I wrote back in April a devotion named Staying Sober.  It describes how someone can get so caught up in sin and not be able to see their way out.  I think the habit of lying or intentionally hiding truth to protect your own ego and pride is such a sin. 

Today I can only say that even with much prayer I have no idea what to do with this.  However, the picture is very obvious to me.  I’m not a part of their family, at least right now.  I’ve also been told she hasn’t done anything wrong and it’s all my fault.  That’s the message my Mom sent me upon my asking her to explain why she would do this.  It was the same message my brother would answer.  I guess those drunk in sin “have each other’s backs”.

I pray God will reveal something. … Or maybe He just has.

New Covenant for a New Year

I am no longer my own, but Yours.
Put me to what You will,
Rank me with whom You will;
Put me to doing, put me to suffering;
Let me be employed for You, or laid aside for You,
Exalted for You, or brought low for You;
Let me be full, let me be empty,
Let me have all things, let me have nothing:
I freely and wholeheartedly yield
      ALL THINGS
To Your pleasure and disposal.
And now, glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
You are mine and I am Yours.
      SO BE IT.
And the covenant now made on Earth,
Let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.
 - John Wesley

Am I or I AM?

God said to Moses, “I AM who I AM”.  - Exodus 3:14

“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was, I AM!” – John 8:58

“This is the secret to life.  To not only live for Him, but to live your life from Him, to live from His living, to move from His moving, to act from His actions, to feel from His heart, to be from His being, and to become who you are from who He is … I am.” – Jonathan Cahn, The Book of Mysteries

This statement from Mr. Cahn seems to marry up with the thinking expressed in the Experiencing God series by Henry and now Richard Blackaby.  We don’t decide what we’re going to do for God, but rather we see where God is working and join Him in His work.

Both concentrate on the single truth of reality that God is and will ever be.  He was first and is the only.  “In the beginning, God …” the first four words of the Bible read.  Is He my first and my only?  Before I move, act, feel, be, or live today, am I doing it or is He? 

The question is, is it “am I” today or is it “I AM”.  Who is going to be first in my life?

Open Jar

Jonathan Cahn reflects the words of a “teacher” in his book The Book of Mysteries as he describes the importance of being an open vessel.  He asks the question, “Can that which is finite encompass that which is infinite?”  He answers saying that it can if it is open, it might take forever for an open jar to hold a river, but it could.  It can also hold the wind and the rain.  He then follows with this question, “Which is larger, that which you know or that which you don’t know?”  The obvious answer is that which we don’t know, so wisdom suggests that it is only wise to seek what you don’t know and you can’t contain it if you are a closed container.  You must be an open vessel.  This is summed up to say that we are unlimited and can contain the infinitely of God, but only if we are open in mind, heart, and spirit.

This is a very important lesson.  Often I have heard it said by a fellow Christian upon watching another go through a serious and otherwise overwhelming trial, “I don’t know how they did that, I’m not that strong (or forgiving, or loving, or patient, etc.).”  The truth is they are right.  They aren’t.  None of us are in this moment.  But if we are an open vessel, when those times come the strength of God can enter and be there when we need it and can’t do it.  Or the forgiveness of God can come in and overwhelm us when we can’t.  Or we can love at that moment when we are justified not too.  As long as we are open, the Spirit of God is free to come and go with what we need when we need it.  We are not enough to contain the infinity of God if we close ourselves.

This is why we must have faith and know He is with us.  We may not have the strength to take on an army right now, but when the time comes the Spirit of God will move and we will.  It requires faith.  We may not have the forgiveness to do it now, but when the time comes the Spirit of God will move and we will.  It requires faith.  We may not have the love in our heart for whomever now, but when the time comes the Spirit of God will move and we will.  It requires faith.  

And it requires being an open container.