June 16, 2008
This was something that I read about two weeks ago in my church bulletin and I felt it had a deep meaning to it. It was written by my pastor and I would just like to share it with you all =)
It's such a wonderful thing to realize that all Christians have the Holy Spirit. Why then is it such a struggle to live a holy life?
Some people think that new Christians proceed to holy living automatically. However, conversion to Christ does not perfect us. We are still sinners.
The main reason we have the New Testament is for our spiritual growth. Most of the Apostle Paul's epistles were written for Christians to motivate them to holy living.
The Holy Spirit works through the motivation and encouragement of fellow Christians. Nothing is more encouraging than a fellow Christian who knows what it is to struggle but perseveres nontheless. "Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds" (Hebrews 10:24)
The Holy Spirit works through accountability friends, people who are both caring and impartial. In nearly all cases where Christians have fallen into some sort of scandal, they are not accountable to anyone. "Submit to one another out of reverance to Christ" (Ephesians 5:21). This honours the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit works through the church - a church where Christ is honoured and the Bible is preached. No one is so mature and spiritual that they do not need to fellowship with the Body of Christ. Otherwise we may come to think we are above the Word, that our fellowship with God bypasses the church. "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrews 10:25)
The Holy Spirit works through our regular, disciplined time alone with the Lord. We get to know the Lord and His will largely through how much time we give Him. Children judge how much we love them by the amount of time we spend with them. If God were to assess our love in this way, how much would He say that we love Him? The Bible is the Holy Spirit's greatest product. He wrote it. If you want to experience the power of the Holy Spirit to live a holy life, get to know and love the Bible more than you do anything else in the world.
The Holy Spirit works through sound doctrine of sanctification. Christians who think they have reached perfection will certainly fall, soon - and hard! God knows our frame. He remembers we are "dust". Jesus is touched with the feeling of our weaknesses and is always there to uphold us. Sanctification is progressive.
John Newton, author of the hymn "Amazing Grace" said, " I am not what I ought to be. I am not what I want to be. I am not what I will be. But thank God I am not what I used to be." The progress may be slow, but if we keep our eyes on Jesus we will become more and more like Him and can encourage others to do the same. =)
Yups, may Abba Father bless all of you reading this!
~Ivan~
reflected @ 9:25 PM
**********************************