Head-dibs

Struggling with what God has called you to do? Sometimes we find ourselves asking, “why did I start this in the first place?” That’s really not a bad question by the way, because our “why” is an excellent resource to help us keep going. If we can’t answer “why,” then perhaps we need a better “why.” Paul tells us why he continued in ministry, even in the face of opposition. “And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” [2Co 1:21-22 ESV]. Paul’s “why” is rooted in Jesus, the God-given foundation of ministry, “it is God who establishes us with you in Christ.” This is the second time Paul fell back on his “why.” The first time was recorded in his first letter when he reminded his opponents of their position in Christ as “confirmed, blameless in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful through whom you were called into one fellowship with His Son, Jesus...

We read in Exodus 31 that Bezalel's father was Uri, whose name literally means “my light.” A loose translation would be, “fiery light.” This is the same word used in Psalm 27:1 when the psalmist wrote, " The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? " Exodus 37:17-24 contains a partial record of all that Bazalel made for the tabernacle, and the list includes the lamp stand, described in meticulous detail. Exodus 25 tells this piece is to be made of what amount to over 90 pounds of beaten gold; that is, nothing is to be melted and poured into a mould, but formed by hand. While some translate this piece as “candlestick,” it was not a light-giver in the same sense as a candle (which melt away as they give light). This was a receptacle for oil, to be burned in the light-giving. The imagery here is rich, and deep, starting with the understanding that the oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit. The Scr...

When we come across passages such as Exodus 31:1-11 there is a tendency to survey the names, decide that we can’t pronounce them, and conclude there is no redeeming quality in passages such as these. We move on to something with more action, more adventure. We fail to remember this is God's Word, His special revelation to us. The New Testament reminds us that God's Word is inspired. This means there is value, even in passages such as this. Here in Exodus 31, God chose for himself workers whose sole responsibility was to take that which is in the heavens and deliver it to the people. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had already moved through Egypt killing the first born in that final plague while simultaneously preventing the Destroyer from coming in (literally dwelling with the people that night). This same God is going to dwell in their midst. Scary thought, huh? Now, God was going to make a way through these men for His people to enjoy Him now that He had delivered His ...

Who, or what, is the Holy Spirit and what does the Holy Spirit do? Here is sampling of various views I found on the web: The bridge to God within you: one part being your own mind, the other The Mind of God; One of nine spirits of God; One of three gods; An aspect of God (mode) perceived by the believer; An active force, God’s breath or energy; inspiration; The power/mind/character of God; or, one of three aspects of mind action; The bounty of God; the conduit through which flows the wisdom of God; the reflection of God’s attributes; The created spirit that acts as an agent of divine action or communication; The reality of God; Haile Selassie The New Testament book of Romans contains 31 references to the Holy Spirit, 21 of which are found in Romans chapter 8. Here we learn the active work of the third person of the trinity the first being His work in us, setting our mind on spiritual matters (8:5); makes of us the dwelling of God (8:9), the sons of God (8:14); gives life to ...

John Scotus Erigena (ca. 810-ca.870) in his work, “On the Division of Nature,” wrote concerning the kind of mind that is able to see the Creator in the things He has made (we call this “natural revelation” or “general revelation). He wrote that we can see evidence of the creator, but are unable to discern the details concerning Him. The details He does give concerning Himself however, are staggering as we are able to scientifically subdivide creation into smaller categories (“essence, genre, species, differences and individuals”, whether things are in motion or immobile). Erigena correctly states that when we look the existence of things, we understand The Creator exists; when we look at the order of things, we can see His wisdom; by the way things move, we can see The Creator is living. This simply means that a mind that can think is able to acknowledge The Creator--but that is all. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “ For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that...

This hymn of the early church is often attributed to Rabanus Maurus (776-856. This attribution at least helps us to place the hymn on the time-line). Currently, the hymn is used in the Catholic Church on at least five specific occasions (vespers, or early evening; at Pentecost; at the dedication of a new church building; during the sacrament of Confirmation; and at Holy Orders, or ordination) and whenever one is seeking encounter with the Holy Spirit. Since its introduction, Catholic tradition now attributes the granting of “a partial indulgence” to the one who recites it; or, a “complete (plenary) indulgence” if recited on January 1, or during Pentecost (like an incantation to keep one’s soul from hell, or purgatory). Let us set current tradition aside for a moment, that we may consider a few thoughts about this hymn (translated from the Latin) without distraction: COME, Holy Spirit, Creator blest, and in our souls take up Thy rest; come with Thy grace and heavenly aid to fill the ...

"We cannot attain to the understanding of scripture either by study or by the intellect. Your first duty is to begin by prayer. Entreat the Lord to grant you, of His great mercy, the true understanding of His Word. There is no other intepreter of the Word of God than the Author of His Word, as He Himself has said, 'They shall be taught of God' (John 6:45). Hope for nothing from your own labors, from your own understanding: trust solely in God, and in the influence of His Spirit. Believe this on the word of a man who has experience." Martin Luther (1483-1546)

A student asked, “God sent Jesus to fulfill all the promises of God to man. What is the need of the Holy Spirit? If we have Christ Jesus, why do we need the Holy Spirit?” Jesus actually answers these questions in John 14 (just one place among many we could consider). First, we learn that Jesus Himself asked the Father to send another Helper, the Spirit of Truth (14:15-17a). This Helper, the Spirit of Truth, is sent of the Father in Jesus’ name (14:26), and is not of the world (14:17b). Second, Jesus makes it clear that the Helper will abide with us, not leaving us as orphans (14:17c-18). Third, Jesus makes it perfectly clear, “I will come to you,” reinforcing the unique relationship of what we call “The Trinity.” Jesus helps us understand that the Holy Spirit will teach, bring to remembrance all He has taught (14:26). Jesus elaborates further on the special ministry of the Holy Spirit in John 16. First, if He does not go away, the Helper will not come (16:7). Second, when The Spirit do...

“Early one morning in the Chicago Avenue Church prayer room, where several hundred people had been assembled a number of hours in prayer, the Holy Spirit fell so manifestly, and the whole place was so filled with His presence, that no one could speak or pray, but sobs of joy filled the place. Men went out of that room to different parts of the country, taking trains that very morning, and reports soon came back of the out-pouring of God's Holy Spirit in answer to prayer. Others went out into the city with the blessing of God upon them. This is only one instance among many that might be cited from personal experience. If we would only spend more time in prayer, there would be more fullness of the Spirit's power in our work. Many and many a man who once worked unmistakably in the power of the Holy Spirit is now filling the air with empty shoutings, and beating it with his meaningless gesticulations, because he has let prayer be crowded out. we must spend much time on our kne...

Thinking about: Galatians 5:16, " Walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh ." Think for a moment of the vastness of space and all that exists in it. Consider for a moment that light travels 186,000 miles per second through the vastness. Our closest star is approximately 4 light-years away. If I've done my math right that means that light our sun is roughly 2,479,127,040,000,000 miles from our closest star. And there are objects far above and beyond that. God our great creator is outside of all that we call "Universe;" yet, when He indwells those in whom put their faith and trust in Him--where can He go? Can we contain God? He has no choice but to overflow. One is reminded us of the seed that has fallen between the slabs of paving and has grown and grown until the great concrete blocks are lifted, even broken by the power of the life contained within that seed. This is the triumph of God's Spirit over our flesh. When we overflow o...

Back in August,2004 I began to blog on a series called "The Spiritual Foundations of Ministry" beginning with "Effective, or just Successful?". During Christmas break I have been trying to get this study going again by looking at some biographies. One I read was that of the Apostle Paul (Acts 9-28). Once I heard a pastor ask, "Why is it when we think of "spiritual giants" or "heroes of the faith" we only think of those who are no longer living?" After getting through conviction-delux, I realized that I have spent many years looking into the apostle Paul's writing and have never really slowed down to look at the man Paul. Here is a non-exhaustive summation of the man I saw in Acts 9-28: Paul was, from the beginning to the end, a character immersed deep with intention. This is seen in his tenacity of 9:1-3. Immediately one gathers that though he was a man of position and authority, reminiscent of that Roman centurion who met Jesus con...

As I sit here at the keyboard and think about writing, I think about how my journal first appears or how this page appears before me now. Line by line, page by page, the spaces will be filled in, from empty to full. As I write, this "clean slate" becomes less and less empty, more and more full. As a reader, you cannot see what I see. You see the result, the line upon line, page upon page, words creatively manipulated in space. Words do not fill up every space as space itself is used to differentiate between words. The space assists the communication process that you, dear reader, my ascertain what is on my mind, in my heart. (Anticipating the philosophical repercussions . . .) In a sense, this is our life. There is a writer and there is a reader of life. Who is the writer? Particularly, I am the writer of this entry, but I am not the author of my life. I am merely the page, as a book does not write itself, nor does it read itself but bears witness of that which is written. Th...

Matthew 3 As I write this, the music of Spring is piping outside my window. The performer has perched herself in a tree by my window and the heavenly bird-song provides a divine sound-track for this chapter as I read. I imagine the day here described was filled with just as much music and sunshine! C.H. Spurgeon wrote: “It is pleasant to pass over a country after a storm has spent itself; to smell the freshness of the herbs after the rain has passed away, and to not the drops while they glisten like purest diamonds in the sunlight. That is the position of the Christian . . .” As he continues, the imagery brings the rain into a downpour, then a storm, then an outright hurricane! He closes, “O sinner, when wilt thou hide thy head, or whither will thou flee? O, that the hand of mercy may now lead you to Christ!” John the baptizer came along not as the rainstorm that ruins everyone’s parade, preaching repentance and the coming King, but he came as liquid sunshine that nourished dry and dyi...