The Holy Spirit Teaches and Reminds Us

 

John 14:26

But The Advocate, The Holy Spirit, Whom The Father will send in My Name, will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

    This is being empowered by God. It is not of our own strength that we accomplish the tasks set before us by our heavenly Father, but through the power of His Holy Spirit. We are weak, and the burden of carrying such a heavy load would break us to such an extent that we would fall and not get back up. 

    But God says that His Holy Spirit would bring everything that His Son Jesus Christ said to us back into our minds and on our tongues what we need to know and when we need to speak it. However, if none of The Word of God is in us, there will be nothing to remember. 

    So, we attach ourselves to our Bibles, studying God's Word for ourselves. We fill ourselves daily, preferable in the morning, because that is the first part of our day (for those who begin their days in the morning). David writes in Psalm 63:1, "O God, You are my God; early will I seek You, my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is."

    I don't know about you, but I am always thirsty for a cold glass of water when I wake up after a night's sleep. David was in the wilderness of Judah. I have only been in the landscape of dreams and nightmares. But we both wake up and seek God early in the morning. In the peacefulness of the moment, before the household is awake; before the birds begin to sing; as the sun kisses the sky. It is wonderful to be alone with God. 

    Without a study life I wouldn't know how to start my day. Without a prayer life, where would I be? I would be filled with anxiety and unsureness, like I used to be before I began to fill up on The Word of God. No longer am I empty and dry like a barren well: there is Living Water in me and The Second Wind blows over the surface of the water, empowering It to move in me and through me. 

    John 7:38, 39

"Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of Living Water will flow from within him.’ " He was speaking about The Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. For The Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

    The first Wind that blew through us was the breath of God, giving us life. The second Wind blowing through us is God Himself, His Holy Spirit, renewing us, strengthening and restoring us moment by glorious moment. He brings The Word of God to our minds and our hearts, convicting us where necessary in order that we may be aware of what else within us needs to submit to God (called to repentance), that we might be fully surrendered as we have promised we would be. 

    We must have an earnest desire to learn what God wants to teach us. Many have opened their Bibles to disavow The Word of God, only to find themselves submitting to The Word of God. Many an atheist has laid hold of The Word only to find The Word laying hold of them. The godless have encountered God and become some of His staunchest supporters. Nothing is too difficult for God. 

    I have a few study themes within me just waiting to be poured out, but they cannot all come rushing out at once. One thing at a time. No pushing, no shoving. As the seasons shift throughout the year, so, too, does The Wind and The Water within me. This is a time of submission and surrender. Submit to God's Will for my life and my family's life. Surrender to God's Will with all my heart and my mind. 

    We are empowered by this Second Wind, this Second Breath, to persevere; to go forward under great trials regardless of the cost. [Hebrews 12:1, 2]. We are empowered by this Second Wind to pursue the mission we have been given, namely to share the gospel message of salvation and repentance through Jesus Christ. [John 20:19-22]. 

    We are empowered to witness, be willing martyrs, if necessary, for the sake of the gospel. [Acts 1:8]. We are empowered to speak other languages to reach people who want to hear the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. [Acts 2:1-10]. We are empowered to be bold as lions [Proverbs 28:1]; wise as serpents, and blameless as doves [Matthew 10:16]. We are empowered to resist (stand against, oppose) the devil [James 4:7]. 

    But only after we have submitted to God. Submission. Surrender. Empowerment. It is enough to be here in this place, at this time. 

Father, may Your Wind empower me that I might accomplish the tasks You have set before me. Amen.

MORNING WORSHIP - Ember and Altar

    

    

    

    

Heart & Soul - - Anointed By God

 

1 John 2:20

But you have an unction from the Holy One, and you know all things.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 5545

Unction: anointing

From the Greek word 'chrisma' (pronounced khris'-mah) (from 5548 /xríō, "anoint with oil") . Referring to the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit, guiding the receptive believer into the fullness of God's preferred-will. [This anointing functions through faith (4102 /pístis), i.e. God inwardly persuading the believer of His preferences.]  

    The Holy Spirit is that unction, that unguent, poured out on the Christians. He is represented in Scripture as Wind (1 Chronicles 14:15; Acts 2:2), Breath of God (John 20:22), Dove (John 1:32), Rain (Hosea 6:3; James 5:7), Fire (Acts 2:3) and Oil (1 John 2:20).

    The Spirit is the Oil of Joy: exuberant joy, wild joy, delight (Hebrews 1:9). God anoints us (2 Corinthians 1:21-22) with His Holy Spirit to accomplish the work He has set forth for His people to do (Luke 4:18-21, referring to Christ's anointing) and Acts 2:8, power to witness). The Holy Spirit is only given to God's people, none other are qualified to receive Him. 

   Having been born anew, experienced a new birth through the power of God's Holy Spirit and through the water, we are privileged to live our lives through Him, in Him and with Him. To serve God is one of the greatest honors we will ever know. The first greatest honor He bestowed on us was the gift of salvation through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. We are covered with His righteousness by placing our faith in Him. 

    The Holy Spirit is not the anointer: He is the anointing, our anointing. We are anointed with the Oil of Healing (Matthew 11:5). We are anointed with the Oil of Power to Preach the Gospel  (Isaiah 61:1. We are anointed with the Spirit of Wisdom (). 

    This anointing is for us, our children and our grandchildren; it is also conditional (Isaiah 59:20-21; Isaiah 44:3). This anointing of the Holy Spirit is the baptism of the Spirit given by Christ to His disciples, His followers (John 1:33; Acts 2:1-4). 

    God anoints His servants with His precious Holy Spirit to work in power and complete the works in Him. What are these works which only the anointing empowers? 1 Corinthians 12 outlines the different diversities of gifts in the Spirit. Whatever we do in the Spirit is not done just for ourselves but for all of us ( 1 Corinthians 12:7). 

    We are the body of Christ and the body has different functions, but all work together for the good of the body. Whether we speak of our physical bodies or our spiritual body. For in the Spirit there is one body and that is the body of Christ. As He served and suffered for us during He ministry here, we, too, now serve and suffer as His body for the benefit of each of us. 

    When one part of the body ceases to function in the way in which it was created to function, other parts of the body must step up and fill the void, if possible. We lose a limb, that limb can be replaced to some degree. But if a major organ fails, then the whole body fails. This is true in the body of Christ, as well. 

    When our hearts are not working in the way in which they should be, then we need a new heart. And God provides one. He removes the heart of stone and replaces it with a fleshy heart, a heart that can be molded and written on (Ezekiel 11:19-20; Jeremiah 32:39; 2 Corinthians 3:3). And in this new heart, God, His Christ and His Holy Spirit take up residence (John 14:23). 

    But because our hearts are unclean, this new heart, this new birth, must wash away our uncleanness, our sins, our unrighteousness. Every little nook and cranny must be dusted, cleaned and repaired that there are no breaches where the enemy of our souls can enter in.  

    Lord, let this anointing be made full in me that I might finish my race, my course with grace and humility. Guide me through the obstacles in my path on this journey You have set me on. Be my Guide, my Light, my Oil as I walk Your Word out in my life. While I long to wear the crowns of victory You have set up for me, even more so, let me see Your smiling face when You call my name to the supper table. May I be Your good and faithful servant until then. Amen. 

COME HOLY SPIRIT

Revealed

Fractal Art Light Symphonia

Revealed

I am Fire

I am Wind

I am Water

I am Friend

I am the God of the ages

the Wisdom of sages

I am Power

to live again.

Take hold of Me

Hang on tight

Never let Me go

Hold on with all of your might

For in your weakness

I am Strong

In your shadows

I am Light

In your moment of truth I am revealed

And in your heart,

My Promise is sealed.

You are Fire

You are Wind

You are Water

You are Friend

You are the God of the ages

the Wisdom of sages

You are Power

to live again.

I take hold of You

I hang on tight

Never let You go

Hold on with all of my might.

In my weakness You are Strong

In my shadows You are Light

In my darkest hour, I can walk in Power

You won't leave me, You are here.