Spirit #17 – A Clean Heart and a Right Spirit

Workings of the Holy Spirit

courtesy: Dean Williams 2012

If we listen to the word but don’t do it, we are like people who look at ourselves in a mirror, leave, and then forget what we looked like (James 1:23, 24 NIV). Is the mirror our heart?

1. King Saul received a word from the Lord, but did not do it (1 Sam. 15:3, 9). Then he lied about it (1 Sam. 15:13); got caught (1 Sam. 15:14); and blamed the people for his disobedience (1 Sam. 15:15). His actions mirrored the contents of his heart—so God was not pleased. Saul lost his crown, his kingdom, and the Lord’s Spirit; and an evil spirit from the Lord was sent to trouble him (1 Sam. 15:26, 28; 16:14-16).

2. God chose Eli to be his priest, to offer sacrifices, burn incense, and wear an ephod before the Lord (1 Sam. 2:28). However, Eli honored his sons above the Lord (1 Sam. 2:29)—even while his sons sinned against God, and caused Israel to sin also (1 Sam. 2:17, 22-25, 29). Eli had a faithless heart; so God declared that not one of his family members or his descendants would ever reach old age; and in one day, Eli’s two sons died (1 Sam. 2:30-34).

How does this apply to Christians? Every Sunday we love to listen to God’s word, yet on Monday we don’t apply it. We have dirty mirrors. And if we think the above examples of a king and a priest don’t apply to us, remember that kings wield power (1 Cor. 4:20; 2 Cor. 4:7; Eph. 3:20; 2 Tim. 1:7) and priests offer sacrifices (Rom. 12:1; Heb. 13:15).

"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me" (Ps. 51:10).

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Scriptures are taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version, Cambridge 1769. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Spirit #16 – When God Speaks

Workings of the Holy Spirit

Courtesy: Dean Williams 2012

God is always speaking. Do we know when to listen? For spiritual Christians, he speaks to us by:

 

1. Spirit (Acts 11:12-Peter; 6:10-Stephen);
2. Angels (Luke 1:26-38-Mary);
3. The mouths of his holy prophets (Luke 1:70-Zacharias);
4. Day or night visions (Acts 11:5-Peter; 16:9, 10-Paul); or,
5. A quickened bible verse (—was this you?).

Sometimes, he troubles our spirit to warn us of unpleasant circumstances (John 13:21-Jesus’ betrayal). If it’s to serve a greater purpose, then we are to prepare because God will not change the situation.

He sends dreams to non-Christian cultures, too. When they don’t listen, he sends the dream to others, and they tell the non-listener (Matt. 27:19-Pilate’s wife to Pilate). God troubles or disturbs their spirit to get them to pay attention to the dream (Gen. 41:8-Pharaoh; Dan. 2:3 -Nebuchadnezzar). Otherwise, it’s a dream easily forgotten upon waking up.

God speaks to the non-spiritual person through natural or physical occurrences, i.e. a gathering storm-cloud at sea (so don’t go out in a boat!)

To everybody, God speaks wisdom in the form of advice, concern, or counsel through the mouths of those who care for us, like our family, friends, relatives, co-workers, and those in authority.

The list is unlimited because God is unlimited! Thus, if we hold strict expectations that God speaks only to Christians, then through our arrogance we’ve shortened God’s reach and limited his mercy to all.

Truthfully? Only our little faith and lack of love blinds us to the mysterious ways of God.

We welcome your comments.

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Scriptures are taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version, Cambridge 1769. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Spirit #15 – A More Excellent Way

Workings of the Holy Spirit  

courtesy: Dean Williams 2012

Sometimes I wonder if spiritual churches have lost their way. Once a church is charismatic or Pentecostal (defined as displaying the gifts of the Spirit), then the focus is on receiving the Spirit and the accompanying gifts (1 Cor. 12:8-10). All good.

However, the apostle Paul clearly argued for an emphasis on the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22, 23)—more particularly love. The reason for love is to prevent schisms (splits, breaks, rifts) among the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:25) as each member—i.e. the academic or the street person—manifests the gifts. While that is happening, it is important to hold together like glue. Love’s definitions will help guide you (1 Cor. 13:4-7 NIV).

Spiritual gifts accelerate the growth process of faith, whether you’re one who manifests the gifts, or one who is a recipient of the manifestation.

Since God will one day stop spiritual gifts from flowing through you (1 Cor. 13:8-10 NIV) consider the gifts as a means to come to the “unity of the faith”; and the growing of spiritual fruit as the ends—that the church may come to the “measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13).

To fight the good fight of faith (Gal. 5:22, 23; 1 Tim. 6:11, 12) may be admirable; but to be patient, kind, envy-free, not boastful, humble, considerate, selfless, slow to anger, thinks only good, rejoices with the truth, always protects, trusts, hopes, perseveres—is the more excellent way—because love never fails.

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Scriptures are taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version, Cambridge 1769. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scriptures marked “NIV” are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Spirit #14 – Your Confession is Your Reality

Workings of the Holy Spirit

courtesy: Dean Williams 2012

Churches that manifest spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:8-10), appear to manifest fear as well:

• A Christian woman attends a large church that manifests the gifts of the Spirit. However, she visited our smaller church for help. When we listened to her, we noticed that her confession was always about “satan this” or the “devil that”. She had a lot of fear.

• On a different day, I passed by a group of boys from a nearby Christian middle school. They were talking about pvp (player vs. player) games. The subject of choosing computer names came up. One boy—probably not more than 13 years old—told the group: “Yeah, if you wanna scare Christians, just make 666 or demon part of your name!” They laughed.

Our churches are infected with fear. Yet, isn’t it odd that mature church members are clueless to what adolescent school boys are alert to?

So get a clue. If you’re hitting bumps in the road, do you often confess that the devil is hindering you? Why give him so much power over your life? All a humble Christian has to do is “resist” him and he’ll run (James 4:7)!

Or, if you’ve been too busy chasing after spiritual gifts that you haven’t made time to bring forth spiritual fruit (Gal. 5:22-23), then fear will be your new best friend.

So get another clue. Spiritual fruit—especially love—assure us of our continued connection to Christ Jesus (John 15:2-17). That connection helps us confess that Jesus within us is greater “than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

All relationships take work. So, if you’ve managed to lose your connection to the Vine, what else can your confession contain but “he that is in the world”?

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Scriptures are taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version, Cambridge 1769. Used by permission. All rights reserved.