Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
- 2 Cor 3:17-18
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. This is such a powerful message, in which it says that life by the Spirit will free you from everything that is keeping you from living as a victorious child of faith. All the hurts, all the struggles, all the hang-ups. All the stumbling blocks, the habitual sins. These things are not natural of citizens in the Kingdom of God. They are not part of the life that we are called to live. If we have life by the Spirit everything earthly fades away. When we come to embrace the Spirit who is the Father, the Spirit who has been sent to use from the Father, and has been gifted to us – we can overcome all things in Jesus’ name.
We can do anything!
Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
- John 14
The Father that is living in me, myself, is the Spirit. Jesus says that, in His name we can do whatever we ask in Jesus’ name. We can do even greater things than the Son. Can you even grasp the power of what He is telling us? That we can heal the sick, make the blind see, make the lame walk. We can walk on water, we can calm storms.
The question is if we have enough faith to believe in these things. Do we view this world the way God views it? Are we intimate enough with God to see the things of His heart? When we sing, “break my heart for what breaks yours” do we really know what God wants?
Do we really know what it means to have the Holy Spirit living in us? Because life without the Spirit is death. We can never really be intimate with God without first knowing the Holy Spirit. If there are things preventing you from living your life for God, then which master are you serving? Are you going to serve our king in heaven, or the material idols/desires of this earth?
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
- Gal 3
For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh. The Spirit displeases, hates, and loathes everything of this flesh. It doesn’t mean our bodies are bad. But that we should not succumb to the desires of this temporary world. Because when we do, we push the Spirit of the Lord out of our lives. If the list of things (sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, …) match you right now. Just surrender it all to God and let the Holy Spirit free you from everything. It is like how there is no darkness in light. Same thing applies here, there is no desires of the flesh when you are walking with the Spirit.
Take heed the warning at the end, those who do such things (desires of the flesh) will not inherit the kingdom of God, so let me say it again. There is no life without the Spirit. However, when we have the Spirit in us, we reflect the Lord’s glory, increasing from glory to glory to glory! So you take your pick. There’s no such thing as being luke-warm with God.
The last few weeks – I’ve been thinking about what Worship meant to me. I’ve experienced the power of worship, and how close I can get to God through it, but does listening to Hillsongs a 1000 times mean anything if I dont focus on the lyrics? Am I listening for the sake of hearing a tune, or am I really letting the music draw me into the presence of God?
Dont just let your music instincts let you ignore the true meaning of worship. Really dwell on each word, and surrender yourself to God.
Worship.
Worship is a huge thing
We look forward to worship every week
When the music includes one of our favorites, we say “Hey thats Great”
When the music stinks, we yawn and wonder why the worship wasn’t very good
We leave churches because of the “worship style”
Worship is a huge thing.
Have you ever wondered if we’re more concerned with what worship does FOR us.
or less concerned with the Object of our worship
It seems like it’s more about what we GET
not what we GIVE
It would be like taking a gift to a friend’s birthday party,
and keeping it to yourself.
Worship is all about GIVING our lives (again) to God
Worship is not about the feeling we receive when we sing
Worship is not about convincing God to bless us
Worship is not about whether or not the guitar is too loud
Worship is not about what’s happening on the stage
Worship is not about entertainment, lighting or sound
Worship is not about US
It’s about HIM
And we enter through the gateway of cross
At the cross we,
surrender, love, cry, dream, give up, shutup, kneel, confess
We look at God and place HIM above all else
Because He’s worth it
Life gets crazy and painful.
No one can deny that.
Job stress, divorce, death, addictions, parenting, loneliness
No one is asking you to pretend that those things arn’t affecting you
Don’t pretend
But you’re just being invited to bring that stuff ot the cross, and to simple gaze at Jesus
(So Jo introduced me to Marie Digby, and now I listen to her stuff way too much)
I was naive not to let you go when the time was right
I was a fool living in a dream that I thought could last
But I know that you will try to prove me wrong
But it’s what I’ve got to do
I think you’re mistaken, I’m sorry to say
I’m really just a loser who’s getting in your way
I think you’ve forgotten, all of your plans
See you never meant to be here
And I think you should know
You’re better off alone
And it’s clear to me that everything has changed
Cuz nothing that we do feels the same any more
And I’ll admit, I’ll take the blame
Maybe we just moved too fast
And how could expect something like this to last
And I know that you will try and prove me wrong
But it’s what I gotta do
I think you’re mistaken, I’m sorry to say
I’m really just a loser who’s getting in your way
I think you’ve forgotten all of your plans
See you never meant to be here and I think you should know
You’re better off alone
You and I, we were standing watching us fall apart
So let me go and move along
I think you’re mistaken, I’m sorry to say
I’m really just a loser who’s getting in your way
I think you’ve forgotten all of your plans
See I never meant to be here and I think you should know
You’re better off alone
A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.
Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups – porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite – telling them to help themselves to the coffee.
When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said:
“If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress.
Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink.
What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups… And then you began eyeing each other’s cups.
Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of Life we live.
Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us.”
God brews the coffee, not the cups………. Enjoy your coffee!
“The happiest people don’t have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.”
Live, Love and Laugh – then leave the rest to God.
Lord, please use me for your Holy purpose.
Take my hands, and take my feet.
Take my life and use it as you will
Cause nothing belongs to me,
It’s all for you.
Lord, I am in awe of the things you’ve given me,
In complete and utter amazement at the works of your hand.
Please Lord continue to speak truths into my life
Let the morning rise each day and shine its glorious light unto your creation.
For I am amazed at the breathe of life you’ve given me.
Lord, let me remember who I am serving.
Let me never stop worshiping you.
Re-ignite my passion, and revive my vision.
Fuel me and spur me forwards all in the sustenance of the Holy Spirit.
I am complete in you Lord,
There is no-one else I’d rather be with.
Lord, let me not be distracted by earthly things,
Nor distracted by the beauty that you’ve created.
Recently, I feel like I’ve lost sight of where I’m supposed to be going
I know, I’ve taken two giant steps back from where I was heading.
It feels like I’ve almost forfeited everything that I’ve been trying to do.
It feels like I’ve fallen prey to the very thing I said I was not.
Lord,
Teach me to be humble,
Teach me humility
Teach me to turn my eyes heavenwards!
Teach me the cost of following you.
I can’t deny what I’ve been feeling,
And I can’t ignore what’s been happening this term.
But Lord, after re-reading my old journal entries,
It reminded me, really, just how great you are.
It reminded me of the intimate times,
Reminded me of the great joy, and providence.
Lord, let me not worry, or stress after anything
For it is all temporary,
Plus, I know you provide. So what’s stopping me?
Teach me to cast my fears upon you.
Teach me to drop my burdens,
Teach me to fully rely on you, Lord Jesus.
Lord may your name be exalted.
When I look at my prayer journal,
And see all the names I’m praying for,
Names that have yet to be writ into your book of life
I am encouraged to go out there with more zeal
To claim the lives that belong to you.
Lord,
May I never doubt the power of prayer.
Recently, it seems like that my prayers have all been rejected
But I do know that in your Word
It says that all who persist in prayer,
Will receive what is good from the Lord,
Which has already been given to the Holy Spirit.
Let me not look towards the negatives,
But always put my trust in the hope and the optimistic things.
Let me believe in the power of prayer
Let me believe in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Let me believe with all my heart in the absurd, and absolutely crazy God that is Sovereign.
For,
What did I do, do deserve this kind of Love?
What did I do, to steal away the heart of a giant.
What did I do, to have such a King?
For it is amazing,
Absolutely wonderful.
And mind boggling.
That out of everyone in this world,
You chose me.
Help me keep my eyes fixed upon you.
Help me achieve the things I’ve set aside for you.
Help me to never forget,
The everlasting God.
Hallelujah!
Hosanna!
This is my prayer to you.
This is my form of worship.
This is my earnest request.
This is my love.