Day 34: 50 Days of Change

“I am writing these things to warn you about those who want to lead you astray. But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.”‭‭1 John‬ ‭2:26-27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This world right now has so many preachers that are on tv, radio ne lol over the Internet, how are we to know who is teaching the word of God or lies? They all can say the right words, they motivate us to be better Christians, most of it sounds pretty legit. We are blessed that in 1 John 2 and other passages of the New Testament we were told about these very situations. They are called false teachers or antichrists, wolves in sheeps clothing as the layman may call them.

We are reminded again here in verse 26-27 that we don’t have to be dupped by these false preachers, that we have been given the most powerful lie detector. We received this in the gift of the Holy Spirit who works in every Christians who allows him to. It is made clear in this scripture that we are to communicate learn from the Holy Spirit. 

If your like me this concept of communications with the Holy Spirit seems weird. It is something I can’t explain away, as I can only go by my experiences and how he is working in my life. But for someone watching or reading outside of the faith this can seem crazy.  Other religions have spirit guides, why then does chirstianity make a big deal about them if they have their own? The difference is that spirit guides are demons whose sole purpose is to keep you away from a relationship with God, causing you to hurt yourself and others. The Holy Spirit is a gift from God and is God, he is a person of the trinity, our relationship to God is connected through our relationship with the Holy Spirit. It can’t be separated. Father, Son and Spirit, three in one, like the the song says ‘you can’t have one without the other.’ 

So how then can the Holy Spirit show you the truth beyond the lies in the teachings that are happening all over the place? Through prayer no discernment through reading the word of God and comparing what is being said to scripture. He will reveal the truth to you in amazing ways. I challenge you to do that with even this message I share. If I am speaking out of place let me know in love. Let us not be fooled by the decievers in this world.

Father, thank you for residing in us in the person of the Holy Spirit. It is so awesome and mind blowing to know that you are constantly with u. Protecting us from evil, watching our back. Help us to listen to your advice no trust your ways. Help us to discern truth from lies, show us how to share the truth with those who don’t know you. They matter to you so they matter to me. Amen

Day 9: 50 Days of Change

“If you reject discipline, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding.”‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭15:32‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We have become a socitety where the word discipline had become confused. Those who have grown up in a home where discipline was lacking are in most cases missing something,  their respect for others and their property doesn’t mean the same. If they grew up in a home where they always got what they wanted and did what ever they wanted, then why now should that be any different in their work, their own families and social circles? A child who grew up in a home where they were harshly displined to the point of abuse will feel they never satisfy those around them, they are always wrong and seek to satisfy never reaching the mark. Discipline displayed in love and respect, providing guidelines and boundaries will most times produce well mannered  respectful members of society. Of course this isn’t always the case especially true if the child is friends with someone who gets away with everything.

I say all this so we can hopefully identify who we are. How we accept discipline as a child will greatly effect how we receive discipline from our Heavenly Father. If we grew up with everything handed to us and freedom to do whatever we want, how hard will it be to accept discipline? We will most likely ignore it and go our own way. If discipline was abused and forced on us we will either expect God to be rough and abusive or we will hide away in our shell trying to avoid it either way we will reject it. Maybe you rejected the disciple of you parents due to what you seen other families doing, how easy then is it to reject Gods discipline when it comes as it shouldn’t apply to me. 

As the Proverb states the rejection of discipline causes harm. Discipline is meant to redirect you from something that is harmful. If a child defiantly backtalks a parent, and they discipline them for it, the parent knows that later as an older teen or adult backtalking the wrong people could lead to backlash. Boss will fire you, police will arrest you, bullies will beat you up. You never see the full picture when your being disciplined. In the moment you feel so small and underappreciated. But as the Proverb continues, as we listen we understand. After we will see why it was necessary, though it may be days,  weeks, months or years before we see it. 

So today as we look to change our lives in Christ, are you willing to accept his discipline in you life? Will you listen to the words on the Holy Spirit in your life? Will you take his advice and move away from harmful things that seek to hold you back from what God has for you? 

Jesus, thank you for loving us.  Don’t stop guiding us in how to walk with you. I am willing to accept your disciple so that I can be an example of your love to those around me, I want to be effective in reaching the lost. They matter to you so they matter to me. Amen

Day 8: 50 Days of Change

“But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.”‭‭John‬ ‭14:26‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We sometimes read in the bible about the Holy Spirit and write him off as a ‘lesser’ god. This ranking of God, is not scriptural and needs to be changed in the hearts of many. God is a trinune God. Three in one, complex beyond our earthy understanding, God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit, all the same God yet all different. We make a list and the Spirit always is third, but that doesn’t make him less important than the other two. Jesus used the word advocate to describe the Holy Spirit, an advocate is a person how represents as if the person was there. In place of, with the same power and authority. To think of the Holy Spirit as less then the Son or Father is to think less of the Son and the Father.

How would you descibe your experience with the Holy Spirit? I am not talking about the time you had a Holy Spirit experience at the alter where you for all goosebumpy and emotional. But your daily walk with him, how are you working with him to experience life? Are to trusting his guidance in what you do? Or is he in the back seat, trying to tell you where you need to go but you keep ignoring him, because you know better? 

If we want to use the car metaphor, I am envisioning the front set as the old school front three seater, Jesus driving, the Holy Spirit in the passenger seat and us uncomfortably in the middle seat, we want to be in control but we have given the keys and driving to Jesus. We want to guide our own ways yet we have given the guiding over to the Holy Spirit. This can put us in uncomfortable positions, yet it is always right where we need to be to grow and reach others. 

I believe what we call our conscious is the Holy Spirit speaking to us. Showing us the right ways to go. I am saying that even unbelievers are being spoken to by the Holy Spirit. God loves them too and to send the Holy Spirit to work in them so the can experience life through Jesus makes perfect sense. We know right and wrong because he is showing us right and wrong. I am hoping in eternity there is a PVR with my life on it where I can look back to see the influence the Holy Spirit had on me. 

Are you working with the Holy Spirit? Do you think he is a lesser of the trinity? It’s time to change our thought pattern and involve the advocate that Jesus told us about. He will guide you, give you strength and wisdom to reach the lost.

Jesus, thank you for sharing the Holy Spirit with us we ask Holy Spirit that you work in our lives, guiding and preparing us to reach the lost. Give us wisdom and strength for the days ahead. Let us see opportunities and moments that can only be attributed to your work. We want to take advantage of these and tell people about the salvation and freedom avait le t them so they may have a relationship with the Father, Son and Spirit. The people around me matter to you, so they matter to me. Amen