JULY 27, 2003
HOLY SPIRIT BLESS US
1 Cor 2: 10, 11,12 (Spirit Who Is From God)
But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?
Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.”
In his book, Whatever Happened to Worship, A. W. Tozer said, The average person in the world today, without faith and without God and without hope, is engaged in a desperate personal search throughout his lifetime. He does not really know where he has been.
He does not really know what he is doing here and now. He does not know where he is going. The sad commentary is that he is doing it all on borrowed time and borrowed money and borrowed strength—and he already knows that in the end will surely die.”
A.W. Tozer was right about his observation and even the so called Christians.
There are times in our life that it seems nothing happen and everything is boring and without sense and meaning. Life is empty.
Sometimes even in our spiritual walk there are instances that we murmured and says that everything is the same, no growth and no meaning.
My friends if there are times in our life we felt the above mentioned doubts we need to ask ourselves why? But, our whys must be coupled with much deeper analysis that indeed something is wrong.
Something is wrong when we don’t enjoy talking to other people especially those in our own family.
Something is wrong when we are killing ourselves for work but the result is the same.
No inward satisfaction but wanting more and more.
Something is wrong when we don’t recognize the beauty of God’s creation and we forgot to thank Him for what He is doing in our life.
Something is wrong when we go to bed and receive the food without saying grace and thanking God for what He has been providing for us.
You might say, Pastor, We have this delicious food in the table and have a beautiful bed and a house to live because I worked for it. I have the talent and abilities that’s why I making much money to live a comfortable life.
O c’mon, I know you have talents and abilities but let us not forget the truth that we are enjoying all the things that we have because of the grace and love of God for all of us.
I tell you my friends, without the power of the Holy Spirit in the whole affairs of our life,
we are nothing.
You cannot boast in the presence of God because He knew exactly what our past and even our future.
Can you tell to everybody that in the future I would be like this…in the future this will be our life… and so forth and so on.
What we are doing now is to prepare for the future but still the past, the present and the future belongs entirely to Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit not from your head, not in the stripes of your palm, not to the amount deposited in your bank but in the hands of God.
Try to visit the episode recorded in the Gospel of Luke and Jesus Christ Himself said the story.
Luke 12: 16-21
v. 20 “But God said to him, “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?”
This is just a classic event that we need to consider that our life, our treasures our everything must be in God’s control because we never know and we can never tell if we indeed will enjoy the fruits of your labor.
We need the power of the Holy Spirit in our life, in our homes in our family as well as in our workplace.
Because we will never feel the joy and contentment without the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
The secret of joyful living is found here in the Holy Scriptures, in our Fellowship together as Christian Believers, in our personal devotions, in our Bible Study and Prayer meetings.
The moment we separate ourselves and follow the opposite direction we will get lost and hard to come back again.
According to the study in evangelism, those who belong before are hard to convince to come back because they knew what is going on and they are aware about the weaknesses of its members.
I am not pessimistic about it only God knows, but we need to reflect and ask ourselves why and why.
Anyway, it’s not healthy if we just presume that all faults are ours without weighing the situation.
We need the power of the Holy Spirit so that our life will become a blessing to others and they will see and experience the love of Jesus Christ through us.
(ill) there is an American guy living in Palm Bay married to a Filipina. He told me that there is Filipina who was baptized and saved in their church. And now this Filipina is witnessing to her friend to join the church and be baptized too, then she contacted another friend to join the church and now she’s about to be baptized also.
Because of this Filipina who shared about the love of Jesus Christ, more souls accepted the Lord and are now living as witnesses for Christ.
They made themselves available for God to be used in the process of multiplying souls for the glory of God.
Sis. Violeta knew this lady (Patricia) because she is her friend too.
How about us, are we contagious enough that other people see Jesus Christ in our life.
Do we consider our life a living witness for Christ or we are still hesitant and afraid to share Jesus because we ourselves don’t know exactly or we are not sure of our relationship with the Lord.
Are we afraid to tell others about Christ or are we just skeptical because we don’t have a good testimony to others?
My friends, people are looking at us. Don’t allow our God and Savior Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit grieved and be degraded because of your bad attitudes and negative influences to others.
We don’t have plenty of time- time is running out… so start now! Open your life to the Holy Spirit and be a blessing to people you deal with.
Remember my friends, Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.”
For Christians we received the Spirit who is from God and not of the world, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
(ill) According to a legend, when Jesus returned to heaven following his death on the cross and resurrection from the tomb, the angels gathered in amazement. They gazed at the wounds in his hands and feet, and shuddered to recall his suffering.
Finally Gabriel spoke: “Master, you suffered terribly down there. Do they know and appreciate the extent of your sacrifice.”
“No,” said Jesus. “Not yet. Right now only a handful of people in Palestine know.”
“Then what have you done to let everyone else know?” asked Gabriel.
“I’ve asked Peter, James and John, and a few others to spread the news. They will tell others who will tell others until the message spreads to the ends of the earth.”
But Gabriel, knowing the nature of human beings, asked, “What is Plan B?”
“I have no Plan B,” replied Christ. “There is no alternative strategy. I’m counting on them.”
Twenty centuries later, he still has no other plan. He’s counting on you and me.
- Robert J. Morgan (Book of Stories & Illustations)
My friends, Jesus Christ is counting on us. It’s a serious business, big responsibilities vested upon us but let us remember, the Spirit of God is with us and we will prevail.
Go and tell the Good News of God’s Saving grace. God is counting on you and me.
Amen
