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preachJesus77

A Yielded Believer

Jesus did a wonderful thing when he poured the Holy Spirit out upon his followers. Their direct, flesh and bone, right-before-their-eyes connection with God had finished his earthly work and had disappeared back into heaven. The problem for the disciples was that Jesus, their leader, their helper, their instructor, their problem solver, their comforter, and their source of wisdom and supernatural power was now gone! So, in obedience to Jesus’ instruction, they huddled together in prayer and waited indefinitely for the Helper that Jesus said he would give (John 16:7). Well, it happened on the day of the Jewish celebration of harvest called Pentecost. And boy, did it happen! Those folks got filled with the Spirit and fire of God and they came out of the chute bucking and snorting! They were no longer intimidated by religious protocol and political correctness, and, by threats on their very lives. No longer did they hide in a room somewhere. They boldly came out in all public places, in the Jewish synagogues, in the streets, in the market places, in surrounding cities, and in far-away places, preaching the good news of Jesus Christ with signs and wonders, reaping a mighty harvest of souls for Jesus. The turning point in their lives was when they gave themselves to be filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1 and 2).

The book of Acts is a short overview of the early church in which there are at least forty references to the Holy Spirit. Listening to and yielding to the leadership of the Holy Spirit was an integral part of the early church, and, the source of their supernatural power. Jesus had taught and demonstrated before his disciples that yielding to the Holy Spirit in and upon one’s life is allowing God himself to lead, help, instruct, solve problems, comfort, give wisdom, and demonstrate supernatural power for the good and benefit of all. It was through the agency of the Holy Spirit that the early church continued to be in direct contact with Jesus to carry out his ministry in the earth. Today, it is through the agency of the Holy Spirit that Jesus can continue to walk in our midst in a wonderful way. It just takes a yielded believer. 2-20-15

Young Forever

Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless his holy name!…Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.  Psalms 103:1-5

But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40: 31

We need never grow old in attitude. Even if our bodies get slow, then finally go, we ourselves need never grow old. Life and death are in the power of the tongue. Life is made to enjoy. We have good things to speak because of the finished work of Jesus Christ. When our confession lines up to the abundant life of the gospel, our inward youth is retained. We stay excited about life and the endless possibilities that flow from God. The spirit man flies heavenly in the face of the storm. The gale winds only push him higher. The spirit man, united with the Spirit of God in Christ, is not subject to the law of sin and death. He can run and not be weary. Blessed is the man who learns to walk according to the Greater One living on the inside. He is young forever!

And, on the physical side, God will cause us to enjoy the good things to eat and drink in order to take care of the temple. Simple obedience to the promptings of the Holy Spirit will get the job done here. That’s the bottom line in this area as it is in every area of our life. Such constant communion with God is a wonderful privilege that keeps our conscience clear and our love and faith flowing, which in turn works to keep us young. Stress in itself is a killer. Stress while in communion with God, according to the apostle Paul, can actually be a source of joy!

Paul, by learning to cooperate with and draw on God’s ability in the face of adversities, learned that God’s grace was sufficient for every challenge. Through his dependence on God, his weakness was exchanged for God’s strength.  So he said “Most gladly” would he glory in his weakness so that the power of Christ could rest upon him. He went on to say, “Therefore I take pleasure in” my own inabilities, in reproaches for the gospel’s sake, in necessities of daily life, in persecutions, and yes, in “distresses” for Christ’s sake! “For when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12: 9, 10).  Through his dependence on God, Paul kept a young, vibrant, victorious outlook on life. He was living the abundant life, mounted up on wings of eagles, the winds of stress only sending him higher and higher into God’s plans, purposes, and provisions. He lived this way until his mission was accomplished. Then, “swoosh”! The eagle flew straight up into heaven! What a way to go! 2-23-15

Sunset