The Lord Promising His Spirit to Teach Us~Bob Hoekstra

The Lord Promising His Spirit to Teach Us

"The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things…When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all the truth." (John 14:26 and 16:13)

We have been meditating upon the Lord's promise to build His church. "I will build My church" (Matthew 16:18). One aspect of this promise is the qualitative development of the spiritual life of God's people. To properly develop spiritually, the Lord's people need to learn the truths of His word. The Holy Spirit is promised to us to fulfill that need.

The coming of the Spirit (in His ministry as Helper to the church) was a matter of promise: "The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name." When the Father would fulfill this promise (on the day of Pentecost), one of the primary purposes would be the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit. "He will teach you all things." This teaching work of the Spirit leads us into all the truths of the word of God. "He will guide you into all the truth." This role harmonizes with one of the titles of the Spirit: "When He, the Spirit of truth, has come."

We must have the teaching ministry of the Spirit in our lives. We cannot learn the truths of God on our own intellectual capabilities. "'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' says the LORD. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts'" (Isaiah 55:8). The thoughts and ways of God are as far above our thoughts and ways as the heavens are above the earth. Jesus gave similar insight concerning the heavenly kingdom that He invited people to enter. "My kingdom is not of this world…My kingdom is not from here" (John 18:36). Consequently, we need the Holy Spirit to be our teacher concerning this kingdom.

God loves us beyond measure. The death of His Son demonstrates that without question. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). For all who will come by faith and, thereby, love Him in return, He offers blessings far beyond what human minds can grasp. "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him" (1 Corinthians 2:9). Yet, these wonders can be known. "But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit" (1 Corinthians 2:10). These spiritual treasures in the word of God are to be unfolded to us by the Spirit of God.

Lord God of great promises, thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit. I need Your Spirit to teach me the wondrous realities of Your kingdom. As I humbly approach Your word, guide me into all the truths You want me to know and to live, in Jesus' name, Amen.

let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh ...~Jon Courson

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh ...
	2 Corinthians 7:1
For the Old Testament picture of this New Testament principle, turn to 2 Kings 5 ... In the Old Testament, leprosy is a very appropriate picture of sin, for it begins seemingly insignificantly, but spreads insidiously. When Naaman, a prominent Syrian ruler who had contracted this terrible disease was told by his servant girl that there was a prophet in Israel who could cure him, he sent a message to the king of Israel, who, in turn, sent for Elisha. Expecting Elisha to pronounce some sort of magical incantation over him, Naaman was ‘wroth’ when Elisha told him to wash in the Jordan River seven times. After all, Naaman thought the Jordan nothing more than a muddy creek compared to the rivers of his own country. Thus, Scripture says he ‘turned and went away in a rage’. But his servants didn’t give up so easily. ‘If Elisha had asked you to do something difficult, you would have done it,’ they said to Naaman. ‘Therefore, why not see what happens if you comply with this seemingly simple command?’ So Naaman did indeed dip himself into the Jordan seven times — the number of completion — and he came out healed and whole. Likewise, we who are eaten by the leprosy of sin must dip in the water over and over and over again. What water? Didn’t David say in Psalm 119 that a young man shall cleanse his way by taking heed according to the Word? Didn’t Jesus say in John 15 that we are clean through the Word which He has spoken unto us? Didn’t Paul declare in Ephesians 5 that we are washed by the water which is the Word of God? Let the Word of God cleanse you and an amazing thing will happen. You may never become a scholar of theology, but as you submerge yourself in Scripture, the leprosy which once gnawed on you will begin to be cleansed from you. To those who are struggling with their flesh and looking for a quick answer, we need to say, ‘Plunge into Scripture. Plug into Bible study. And keep at it over and over and over again — for it’s God’s Word which will cleanse you and wash away the sin which hounds you.’

Let's Open with Prayer~Baron Eickhoff

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Let's Open with Prayer

What would you think if every business meeting opened in prayer? More important, what would God think? What would if every school class opened in prayer? What if everything we did as individuals, as families, as businesses, as churches, as schools was bathed in prayer? Is it enough to just sprinkle our lives with prayer, or should we bathe ourselves in prayer?

Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice. He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, For there were many against me. God will hear, and afflict them, Even He who abides from of old. Selah. Because they do not change, Therefore they do not fear God. . . . Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved. . . . I will trust in You. (Psa 55:17-23)

Are you struggling? Are you lacking peace? Are you feeling like people or circumstances are against you? Pause, and consider the integrity, trustworthiness, might, wisdom, compassion, and grace of our Heavenly Father and Lord. Can there be any doubt they He will sustain you? Can there any be any doubt that He will protect you? Put your trust in Him, and PRAY.

Yours in Him,

Pastor B.

When God Forgets~Fidel Gomez & (Mark Balmer)

When God Forgets

Posted:

Based on “Our God Is Still Able” by Pastor Fidel Gomez; 7/11-12/09,

Message #GS71; Daily Devotional #1 - “When God Forgets”

Preparing the Soil (Introduction): Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” (Hebrews 10:17) Henry Molaison lived for five decades with profound amnesia. At the age of 27 in an attempt to correct seizures, an experimental brain operation left him with the inability to form new memories and the loss of all but a few scant recollections of his early childhood. Every time the psychologist who worked with him for years walked into the room, she reported that it was like they had never met. Every experience seemed new to him, and tasks performed the day before were never remembered from one time to the next.

Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): We all forget things from time to time. Memories stored in the file folders located between our ears sometimes seem to slide between the drawers. A face will look so familiar, but there seems to be no ability to pull up a name to go with it. School assignments get forgotten. We walk into a room and stand there trying to figure out what in the world we were just going to do. We may not be as handicapped as poor Henry Molaison, but let’s face it, our brains leak. The children of Israel needed constant reminders of God’s goodness and power. The experience of walking through the Red Sea on dry ground was quickly forgotten the first time they came up short on water. The walls of Jericho looked impossible to breach even after watching manna appear from nowhere every day that they walked in the wilderness. A heathen prostitute living in the city had to remind the Israelite spies of the power of their own God. The disciples were no better. They watched Jesus heal the sick and calm the storm, and then fretted over the lack of a Publix when faced with a large and hungry crowd. We are much the same. When we face impossible walls in the circumstances of our lives, we tend to forget and often need a reminder that God is bigger. God has a plan, and He is at work. When we see an impossible need, or a seemingly unanswered prayer, patience evaporates and panic looms large. We need a reminder that God’s methods do not fit our earthbound expectations.

Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): Unless you suffer from the severe amnesia of Henry Molaison, there are some memory files that don’t seem to diminish with time. Those things you wish you had never done, those choices you wish you had not made, and those words you should have never used. Remorse and guilt don’t seem to fade into the forgotten places. They keep coming back to remind you of just how undeserving you are, how foolish, how selfish or fearful. They convince you that you are not usable material in God’s plans. In such instances, it would be easy to envy Henry’s disability. When a Christ follower comes to God with one of those already forgiven shameful, paralyzing memories, God develops amnesia. He scratches His head. He replies, “What sin? What blunder? I don’t have a recollection of that at all. Your sins are all under the deepest sea, but I do have something in mind that you can do for me today. Now why don’t you step out in this area and see what I will do?” What seemingly impossible walls are looming before you? Have you exhausted your resources to no avail? Are you stressed and ready to panic? In the midst of trials is the time to remember: These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Peter 1:7) What memories do you feel disqualify you from serving God today? If He has forgiven and forgotten them, why not leave them in His Recycle bin and move ahead by faith today?

Cultivating (Additional Reading): Philippians 3:13-14; Psalms 103:12; Hebrews 12:1-3

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Calvary Chapel of Melbourne; 2955 Minton Road; W. Melbourne, FL 32904; 321-952-9673

All Bible references are from the New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise noted.

Arguing with a Donkey~Greg Laurie

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Arguing with a Donkey

Then the Lord opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way. . . .
--Numbers 22:31

Balaam, essentially a prophet for hire, was on his way to do something that was against the will of God.

As he was riding his donkey to do what God had told him not to do, an angel of the Lord, holding a sword, intervened. Balaam didn't see the angel, but his donkey did, and she refused to go past the angel.

Here is an amazing thing: the Lord opened the donkey's mouth so she could speak. But what is more amazing to me is that Balaam responded and began arguing with the animal! I think the donkey was winning the argument, by the way.

Meanwhile, the angel was still standing there, blocking Balaam's path. Then the Lord opened Balaam's eyes, and what did he see but an angel of the Lord, standing in the road with sword drawn. Balaam fell flat on his face. Now he was ready to listen. Now he was willing to pay attention to the leading of the Lord.

We don't often realize it, and we don't have our eyes opened to see them, but angels of the Lord are around us to guide us, protect us, and to block our path when we are trying to go against the will of God.

We shouldn't argue when we should be paying attention to our Lord.

Sin's Harvest~Bob Caldwell

Sin's Harvest 4:6 The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people Is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, Which was overthrown in a moment, With no hand to help her! Jeremiah gives us several examples that graphically contrast the lives of those in Jerusalem before and after the Babylonian invasion. This list of contrasts shows how blind we can be to the true state of our lives. Everything that appeared to be good in Jerusalem had been the result of God's past gracious blessings upon them. And while still living off God's former blessings, they were, in fact, building up wrath for themselves that would soon fall. Their sins were ready to catch up with them. This has been an experience for many of us. Past obedience to the Lord and His resulting blessing can extend beyond what is really due us. This has caused many of us to live in false comfort. We interpret this delay of judgment as meaning God really does not care. We think we will not reap what we have sown. It is this delusion that had caused the people in Jerusalem to completely disregard Jeremiah's warnings. Nothing too drastic had fallen upon them yet in the midst of their sinful disregard for God's will. Their corruption, oppression, idolatry, and immorality seemed to draw no real consequences down on them. The truth is just the opposite. God is much more longsuffering than any of us realize. It is not His desire that any perish (2 Peter 3:9). God's patient longsuffering is not given to sanction our sin. His longsuffering is to give us every possible opportunity to repent. But if we will not, the day of reckoning will come. Those who felt they were worth their weight in gold will become as gravel thrown on the street or broken, discarded clay pots (v. 1-2). Those who ate from tables covered in every delicacy will not be able to find even bread (v. 3-5). Those who were expressions of beautiful, physical perfection will become unrecognizable skeletons (v. 7-8). Those whose compassion had moved them to help the weak and vulnerable will be so hungry that they will cook and eat their own children (v. 10). The honored false prophets and priests who taught the people what validated their sins will become as defiled dogs in the streets (v. 13-15). Those who despise the warnings of God during His gracious longsuffering will experience all that is warned beyond measure. Let us beware.
Lamentations 4:1-22 The Degradation of Zion 1 How the gold has become dim! How changed the fine gold! The stones of the sanctuary are scattered At the head of every street. 2 The precious sons of Zion, Valuable as fine gold, How they are regarded as clay pots, The work of the hands of the potter! 3 Even the jackals present their breasts To nurse their young; But the daughter of my people is cruel, Like ostriches in the wilderness. 4 The tongue of the infant clings To the roof of its mouth for thirst; The young children ask for bread, But no one breaks it for them. 5 Those who ate delicacies Are desolate in the streets; Those who were brought up in scarlet Embrace ash heaps. 6 The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people Is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, Which was overthrown in a moment, With no hand to help her! 7 Her Nazirites were brighter than snow And whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than rubies, Like sapphire in their appearance. 8 Now their appearance is blacker than soot; They go unrecognized in the streets; Their skin clings to their bones, It has become as dry as wood. 9 Those slain by the sword are better off Than those who die of hunger; For these pine away, Stricken for lack of the fruits of the field. 10 The hands of the compassionate women Have cooked their own children; They became food for them In the destruction of the daughter of my people. 11 The LORD has fulfilled His fury, He has poured out His fierce anger. He kindled a fire in Zion, And it has devoured its foundations. 12 The kings of the earth, And all inhabitants of the world, Would not have believed That the adversary and the enemy Could enter the gates of Jerusalem— 13 Because of the sins of her prophets And the iniquities of her priests, Who shed in her midst The blood of the just. 14 They wandered blind in the streets; They have defiled themselves with blood, So that no one would touch their garments. 15 They cried out to them, "Go away, unclean! Go away, go away, Do not touch us!" When they fled and wandered, Those among the nations said, "They shall no longer dwell here." 16 The face of the LORD scattered them; He no longer regards them. The peopledo not respect the priests Nor show favor to the elders. 17 Still our eyes failed us, Watching vainly for our help; In our watching we watched For a nation that could not save us. 18 They tracked our steps So that we could not walk in our streets. Our end was near; Our days were over, For our end had come. 19 Our pursuers were swifter Than the eagles of the heavens. They pursued us on the mountains And lay in wait for us in the wilderness. 20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, Was caught in their pits, Of whom we said, "Under his shadow We shall live among the nations." 21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, You who dwell in the land of Uz! The cup shall also pass over to you And you shall become drunk and make yourself naked. 22 The punishment of your iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; He will no longer send you into captivity. He will punish your iniquity, O daughter of Edom; He will uncover your sins!
Lamentations 4:1-22 v. 1 gold has become dim…The stones of the sanctuary are scattered – Gold is often a metaphor for God's chosen people and precious stones are often a metaphor for God's Word. (See Song of Songs 5:11-12, 14-15, and Zechariah 9:16 for similar imagery.) v. 5 those who ate delicacies – A delicacy is very fine, rare, or expensive food and was enjoyed by the royal leaders of Israel. The common person could not afford to eat delicacies in their diet. those who were brought up in scarlet – This is also an allusion to royalty. The dye used for these garments were expensive and they were reserved for ceremonial garments of only the highest ranking leaders in the land. v. 6 is greater then the punishment of the sin of Sodom – Sodom was destroyed in a second sparing the people from lengthy suffering. Israel, however, was subjected to a lengthy siege by the Babylonians where sickness, starvation and dehydration also became their enemies. v. 17 For a nation that could not save us – Prior to Jerusalem's destruction by the Babylonians, Israel made alliances with several nations, including Egypt and Edom. However, none of these nations defended Jerusalem when it fell to Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC. v. 21 daughter of Edom – A personification of Edom. The Edomites were allies of Israel, but gave their support to Babylon when it was clear that Jerusalem was going to fall (Ps. 137:7).
The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people Is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, Which was overthrown in a moment, With no hand to help her! –Lamentations 4:6 We know, Lord, when we are living under Your blessings of the past without fully giving ourselves over to You. We ask forgiveness today for living that way. We seek to know Your Word and Your ways so that we can be assured that we are not taking advantage of Your patience and longsuffering. The payment will be due eventually, Lord. We thank You for allowing Jesus to pay for those of us who accept and love Him. We pray for those who believe that You do not exist or You do not care because You have not yet judged those who do evil in this world.
Wednesday Morning Bible Study For me personally, this group of kindred Spirit women were God's hands and feet to me and my family, after the tragic and sudden loss of my brother, last fall. We are so blessed to have the fellowship of the body of Christ, to gird one another up, to encourage one another, to pray corporately together, lay hands upon a sister who is hurting or struggling, and just truly be blessed with healthy female friendships. Prayer Points That the Lord would continue to reign in our hearts and our study time richly. That the Lord brings new women to the Wednesday morning Bible Study.