Our greatest victories and blessings are not always waiting
for us after one single decision.
Often they are hundreds of decisions away.
I was encouraged to read about Peter’s series of decisions in Acts 10.
One detail after another finally led him to the house of Cornelius
who also at his end had followed the call of God in details.
I love to think about the plan of God working simultaneously
for zillions of people. We learn to obey him in the details of
our lives and He fits us into His picture.
On my way to Finland I met over one hundred Pilgrims from
Kazakstan who were about to board their plane to Medina.
As I looked at them I knew that God had given another opportunity
to connect with someone who feared God but didn’t know
God the Savior.
I started casually talking with one of the men, Borzhan.
When he heard that I’m a pastor he got extremely interested in
my message. I shared with him about my Savior who has taken
away all my fears and given me an assurance of salvation.
He was so hungry and thirsty for righteousness.
When it was time for them to go to their gate his friend had to
convince him several times that it’s time to leave.
God had answered my prayer.
Please, pray for this man as he is going to be emotionally
very encouraged by his fellow-pilgrims from all over the world.
The conviction of the Holy Spirit can bring him to a personal
relationship with Christ. That miracle is but one decision away.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
the Holy Spirit leads
Our relationship with the Holy Spirit is very interesting.
It determines the power of our testimony in this world.
We can influence him, but we cannot change him.
He is God.
He does not change.
He is omniscient.
There is no new information that we could surprise him with.
We either agree with him or we don’t.
The Holy Spirit is not an influence or a reflection.
He is not just a theological concept.
He is a person.
No believer has more of the Holy Spirit than others.
If they have a greater testimony of him, it’s because they have
less of themselves in the picture.
As Watchman Nee said, “We don’t need a greater power, we
need a deeper death.”
If we dishonor the Word of God in our lives, we grieve
the Holy Spirit. Eph.4:30
If we reject the call of God in our ministry, we quench
The Holy Spirit. I Thess.5:19
If we walk in the Spirit ( Gal.5:16) we will, sooner or later, be led
to a spiritual fellowship and be a part of a local church where
the word of God is honored.
All spiritual gifts that the Holy Spirit bestows to individual believers
are given for the building of the local church.
The universal Body of Christ doesn’t need to be built.
It just needs to be recognized.
Number one strategy of Satan against believers is to separate them
from the fellowship in a local church.
The Holy Spirit faithfully leads us to the church.
It determines the power of our testimony in this world.
We can influence him, but we cannot change him.
He is God.
He does not change.
He is omniscient.
There is no new information that we could surprise him with.
We either agree with him or we don’t.
The Holy Spirit is not an influence or a reflection.
He is not just a theological concept.
He is a person.
No believer has more of the Holy Spirit than others.
If they have a greater testimony of him, it’s because they have
less of themselves in the picture.
As Watchman Nee said, “We don’t need a greater power, we
need a deeper death.”
If we dishonor the Word of God in our lives, we grieve
the Holy Spirit. Eph.4:30
If we reject the call of God in our ministry, we quench
The Holy Spirit. I Thess.5:19
If we walk in the Spirit ( Gal.5:16) we will, sooner or later, be led
to a spiritual fellowship and be a part of a local church where
the word of God is honored.
All spiritual gifts that the Holy Spirit bestows to individual believers
are given for the building of the local church.
The universal Body of Christ doesn’t need to be built.
It just needs to be recognized.
Number one strategy of Satan against believers is to separate them
from the fellowship in a local church.
The Holy Spirit faithfully leads us to the church.
Monday, December 3, 2007
little lamb
In Psalm 31:12 David says that he feels like a broken vessel.
He had been deceived. He failed and repented.
Now he was right with God and he felt like a broken vessel,
unable to function, unable to impress.
According to the Word of God, God breaks man.
He kills and makes alive, wounds and heals. Deut.32:39
The passionate picture of a little, fair looking lamb resting on the
shoulders of the Shepherd might not be that romantic after all.
Most probably the reason why the little lamb ended up to this
special place was not his cuteness, but his rebellious behavior.
After running away repeatedly the Shepherd had no other choice,
but to break that lambs little leg. In his gentle chastisement he
cared for the lamb and lifted it up to this shoulders till the
broken bones were healed again.
David was familiar of this place.
In Psalm 51:8 he speaks directly of God breaking his bones.
Do we know what it means to sit on the Shepherd shoulders?
We hear every word that comes from his mouth. Where he goes,
we go. We even hear his heart beat when he cares for the flock.
Shepherds are not slim looking fashion models who exhibit themselves
in the showrooms of this world.
They are strong, hard working gentlemen, who lay their life for those
who have been trusted in their care.
The Lord is our Shepherd…He restores our soul. Ps.23:3
He had been deceived. He failed and repented.
Now he was right with God and he felt like a broken vessel,
unable to function, unable to impress.
According to the Word of God, God breaks man.
He kills and makes alive, wounds and heals. Deut.32:39
The passionate picture of a little, fair looking lamb resting on the
shoulders of the Shepherd might not be that romantic after all.
Most probably the reason why the little lamb ended up to this
special place was not his cuteness, but his rebellious behavior.
After running away repeatedly the Shepherd had no other choice,
but to break that lambs little leg. In his gentle chastisement he
cared for the lamb and lifted it up to this shoulders till the
broken bones were healed again.
David was familiar of this place.
In Psalm 51:8 he speaks directly of God breaking his bones.
Do we know what it means to sit on the Shepherd shoulders?
We hear every word that comes from his mouth. Where he goes,
we go. We even hear his heart beat when he cares for the flock.
Shepherds are not slim looking fashion models who exhibit themselves
in the showrooms of this world.
They are strong, hard working gentlemen, who lay their life for those
who have been trusted in their care.
The Lord is our Shepherd…He restores our soul. Ps.23:3
heavenly minded
If we learn to focus on the things above, nothing in this
world can discourage us.
The word “mind” in Col.3:2 means more than just thoughts.
It includes our whole being. We are encouraged to let heaven
direct our affections and will, too.
In order to be “earthly good” one needs to be heavenly minded.
Heaven is not just an alternative for us. It is the only reasonable
purpose and goal for man’s life.
John Lennon, in his rebellion, encouraged people to imagine that
there is no heaven. What a wasted philosophy.
It’s like a high tech engineer who would be acting like an ameba.
Earthly goodness is often just a heap of dirt covering man’s
self-given trophies.
Hyper-spirituality has nothing to do with true spirituality.
A hyper-spiritual man tries to reach God’s standard by his own efforts.
Any success in doing this will lead him to self-righteousness,
comparison and judgmental attitude.
A heavenly minded person cannot be overly occupied with his
environment and circumstances. He knows better.
He will not let the psychological demands of his own soul
dictate his priorities. He has seen something bigger.
His connection with heaven makes his life on this earth exciting.
Heaven is too big of a word to be included in the rhetoric of today’s
global politicians. Praise God, it is still spoken of in the churches.
The moment when man loses his sight of heaven he loses his hope
and with it - everything.
world can discourage us.
The word “mind” in Col.3:2 means more than just thoughts.
It includes our whole being. We are encouraged to let heaven
direct our affections and will, too.
In order to be “earthly good” one needs to be heavenly minded.
Heaven is not just an alternative for us. It is the only reasonable
purpose and goal for man’s life.
John Lennon, in his rebellion, encouraged people to imagine that
there is no heaven. What a wasted philosophy.
It’s like a high tech engineer who would be acting like an ameba.
Earthly goodness is often just a heap of dirt covering man’s
self-given trophies.
Hyper-spirituality has nothing to do with true spirituality.
A hyper-spiritual man tries to reach God’s standard by his own efforts.
Any success in doing this will lead him to self-righteousness,
comparison and judgmental attitude.
A heavenly minded person cannot be overly occupied with his
environment and circumstances. He knows better.
He will not let the psychological demands of his own soul
dictate his priorities. He has seen something bigger.
His connection with heaven makes his life on this earth exciting.
Heaven is too big of a word to be included in the rhetoric of today’s
global politicians. Praise God, it is still spoken of in the churches.
The moment when man loses his sight of heaven he loses his hope
and with it - everything.
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