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Archive for the ‘Holy Spirit’ Category

Joyful Monday! Facing Rejection with Joy

Posted in Faith, Holy Spirit, Joy, Podcast, Rejection, tagged on December 27, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Seemed like a tough couple of weeks for Paul and Barnabas. 

The story is in Acts 13:15-52

The two apostles preached a really good sermon about God’s promise to send a messiah, Jesus, who was raised from the dead, offered forgiveness of Sins and a hope for the future.

But some of the religious people didn’t like their message and tried to put a stop to it, using devout men and women of the area to raise a stink.

The passage is clear, it was the good people doing the persecution. Rejection from bad people is expected but from those trusted to live right?

But it didn’t bother Paul and Barnabas, they just moved on to the next town. Neither did it bother the new converts, Acts 13:52 said they were “filled with Joy and the Holy Ghost”.

This is the focus of today’s “Joyful Monday”.  

We all want to be appreciated, especially by those we value. But JOY must be found elsewhere than acceptance from people, even good people.

Joy comes from a personal relationship with Jesus and is empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Martin Luther, from back in the 1500’s, wrote these Lyrics,

“The Spirit and the gifts are ours; through him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
the body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still;
his kingdom is forever!” (“A Mighty Fortress is Our God”)

Full surrender to Christ and living in the Holy Spirit is where JOY invades.

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From Asking & Waiting to Thanking & Doing

Posted in Belief, Benefits, Christ, Experience, Feelings, Holy Spirit, tagged , , , , on January 3, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.” — Romans 8:8-9a

Being “in the Spirit” is not based on how close God feels but on the presence of God’s Holy Spirit. The two are not the same.

Believers don’t always agree on exactly when the Holy Spirit is received but they do agree he is found in Christ, a promised Gift for assurance and comfort.

“You were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit because you believed in Christ. The Holy Spirit is the down payment on our inheritance” — Ephesians 1:13 (CEB)

In Christ the Holy Spirit no longer comes and goes but remains even as our feelings change.

It’s time for us to stop asking, singing, pleading for him to come and time start thanking him for being here, moving on to what he wants us to do now that he is.

— fritz

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A Secret Place

Posted in Bible Places, Christ's Body, Holy Spirit, In Christ, tagged , , , , , , , on April 12, 2012| Leave a Comment »

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” — Psalm 91:1

The Bible says God has a secret place.

Is this just a euphemism for God’s general care or is there, really, a place (physical or spiritual) not even suspected by most?  Is it just a euphemism for heaven or can the living person enter?

Psalms 31:20 calls it a “Pavilion” or “tent” saying it is a place of God’s presence, a place of safety from pride and strife of tongues. Job calls it a place of wisdom and that it is “hid from the eyes of all living” (Job 28:21) so at this point it sounds a bit like heaven, but not so fast! The New Testament, using the term “mystery”, says it is now revealed!

Paul said he discovered it and we could, too!

“By revelation [God] made known unto me the mystery; as I wrote afore in few words,  whereby, when ye read ye may understand…)”– Ephesians 3:2-4

He wrote the secret mystery is that God always planned to join himself with mere human beings — and actually does so in Christ! This mystery, he said, is “Christ in you” (Colossians 1:27) and that we actually enter into Christ like we enter our clothing (Galatians 3:27).

More than a euphemism, the Bible says our bodies actually become a physical part of Christ and that what we do in our bodies, both good and bad, is being done with and to Christ’s body. (1st Corinthians 6:13-17) This is why we need to do right things with our bodies. That same passage says those joined to Christ are one spirit, the human spirit infused and one with God’s Holy Spirit.

God’s secret place, his pavilion? Safe in Christ!

“God raised us up and seated us in the heavens with Christ Jesus … to show future generations the greatness of his grace by the goodness that God has shown us in Christ Jesus.” — Ephesians 2:5-7 (CEB)

Start reading the Scriptures from this perspective and a whole new world opens!

– fritz
Related Post: “Thin Places” — March 20, 2012

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