The Spirit Of Truth

John 16:3

But when He, the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all Truth. . . . He will tell you what is to come.

God's Holy Spirit is His life inside us, in our spirits, giving us spiritual life, when we were spiritually dead. When we learn to hear His voice, that still, quiet knowing deep in our souls, then He teaches us to discern what is True and Righteous, and the wise path to take. We need never again be deceived by the world.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Unexpected Realms

John 6:27

Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. . . .

I am not to put all my focus and energies into this world's provisions. I am to be satisfied with my physical needs, of food and clothing, and focus my energies and time on that Spiritual Food, the body and blood of Jesus Christ, which is His Word. My priority is to rest on Bible study and application to my daily life, and sharing the Truth God teaches  me; sharing also the Goodness of God in answered prayer, and how His leading brings us into unexpected realms. 

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Love Abounding

Philippians 1:9-10  

And this is my prayer: That your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the Day of Christ.

Love abounding in knowledge and depth of insight would not be critical of all the imperfections that knowledge and insight would reveal, but would discern the best, righteous and holy path to take (words to say), in order to not sully what purity we've attained or be open to blame for the wrong or criticism we did not succumb to. That would be real love. Find the positive to agree with to encourage the other. 

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Christmas Meditation

It is so incredible that the God Almighty, the Lord of Creation, would come to this Earth to live among us as a Man! To enter our realm as a tiny, helpless baby, and grow up as every one of us does. To not come to a household of means, or prestige, but to a poor, working family. For the Creator of the Universe to learn the trade of a carpenter. All this amazes me. 

Jesus experienced family life the same as every other human; with a mother who didn't always understand, a father who died before Jesus reached adulthood, brothers and sisters who probably got very exasperated with a big brother who never did anything wrong! 

While He was dying, He didn't leave His mother in the care of any of His own brothers, He knew that John the Beloved would have the compassion and gentleness to give her appropriate care; and Mary moved into John's house the same day Jesus died (John 9:27). This John, who with his brother James, had been known as the "Sons of Thunder" (Mark 3:17). Astounding are the changes the Lord makes in lives when people just believe and trust in Him to be and do exactly what He says and claims. 

This Christmas, let us kneel before the Manger and worship this Child who is the Lord and our King and God's Sacrificial Lamb who purchased us all with His precious Blood. We are all born to live: He was born to die.

But He did not stay dead, He conquered that enemy, and will return soon to claim His kingdom.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

We Must Grow Up

John 1:12-13; 3:7

Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God--children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. 

You must be born again.

We must be born into God's family in order to perceive God's kingdom. We are not yet "adopted" as adult children with all the rights and responsibilities of running the family business, but we are to be born spiritually, comparable to having been born physically into our natural families. 

We are now brothers and sisters in God's own Family. And we squabble as children do. When we "grow up," we will rule with King Jesus.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Our Adoption As Sons

Romans 8:22-24

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. . . .

Our "adoption as sons," We have been "born again," born into God's own family. But we are still "children" as we live in this world. The ancient Roman idea of "adoption" was more than taking into your family one who wasn't born into it, but actually referred to the ceremony that declared a son (born into the family or not) to be an adult with all the rights and responsibilities to run the family business and inherit the fortune. So our "adoption" will be our  glorification, when this mortal body will take on the immortal, when this corruptible will become eternal. Then we will shine like the sun.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

 

Fervent Lips With An Evil Heart

Proverbs 26:23-26

Like a coating of glaze over earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart. A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but in his heart he harbors deceit. Though his speech is charming, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart. His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

This describes a smooth-talking politician. Don't believe anything they say while campaigning; look at their record, or their past life, see what they have done, how they've voted or lived their life. And pray for discernment.

Pray that God will bring His righteousness back to our National life, to shine His light into the other Nations again, and draw them back to God's Truth.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus.