Holy Spirit

As long as I've been posting to this blog, I'm quite surprised that I hadn't gotten around to this topic much earlier.
Years ago, Francis Chan wrote a book about The Holy Spirit titled, Forgotten God. It was a short read but a powerful look at how little people understand and interact with this very real and present “Person” of The Trinity.
I’m not about to rewrite Francis’ book but I am addressing the same mindset. How much do we know? More to the point, how much are we seeking to deal rightly with God, The Spirit?
We think about God the Father and things come easy – Creator, Old Testament Deliverer of Jews from Egypt and all of that. We think about Jesus, The Son and even though His presence in the Old Testament is clearly referred to in the New Testament, we usually equate Him with His human embodiment, righteous life and sacrificial death and The One who’ll be visibly active at the time of His second coming.
Now what comes to mind when we think of God, The Spirit?

Here’s The Word:

John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

Here’s another one of those times where knowing Greek actually has benefit. “Another” in this case, means “one just like me”. When you think of what Jesus was saying, it’s mind-blowingly awesome. As He had taken on flesh, and the physical restrictions of it – another Comforter like Himself without physical restriction is what was most needed for our benefit. The Holy Spirit can be in everyone’s heart and minds at the same time, working individually on that person’s growth. Not that I don’t believe that Jesus CAN do what The Spirit does, but just as Jesus committed to spending day by day life as a person for 33 years, He’s still into finishing these things the way they need to be finished.

So take that idea of purpose. Reconciling fallen man into redemption with God, and you see The Spirit’s role: That’s exactly what the Holy Spirit is – He’s the Agent of transformation to Christ-likeness, changing us from the inside out. He reveals and affirms truth. He bears witness to the truth of our conversion from our association with sin; from being enemies of GOD to becoming children of God and light.

Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Look again at John 14:16 . The last words are “for ever”.
Here's something you might find interesting.
When we first read Genesis, and you see God creating everything, you don’t come away with a strong presence of Jesus in that. However, when you first read John's Gospel, the very first verse introduces you to the reality that Jesus, then called The Word was there. He was that Agent by which God the Father created all things that were created. I think we can take that idea and apply it to what we see in John 17.

John 17:22-23 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one

Now you really don’t see mention of The Holy Spirit, but in the same way that we saw with Jesus' involvement in creation, I believe that God, The Spirit is that agent that binds us together as one into unity with Himself, The Word(Jesus) and The Father.

Hopefully, this post will whet your appetite and give you a desire to investigate The Spirit of God. I often mention that although these posts can be entertaining and somewhat provocative to some higher “natural” standard, their true intent is to encourage and “spur” those who have The Spirit to continue to yield to Him and let Him perfect you into Christ-likeness. It’s SO common to tend toward “the rules”, trying to muster the fortitude to “DO RIGHT”, but Biblically, this thinking falls short and can never justify us.

Many people don’t have a firm grasp on The Spirit. Although we understand that He's "present", that only makes us try to live to impress Him as an onlooker rather than be indwelled by Him. We need to let Him fulfill His purpose for us - He's the power by which we empty ourselves, resist temptation, assimilate wisdom from above and endure with Godly patience and perseverance.
Scripture talks about how we're to be IN - In God, Colossians 3:3, In Christ, 1 John 2:24 and In The Spirit, Gal 5:25. We need to realize that no matter how noble the desire, our natural abilities won’t get us any closer to God. It takes God to get close to God and the most beautiful thing about our predicament is that this is exactly what's provided the work of God, The Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

In Him,
Cros

WalMart

I confess, this was a trap. Did you recognize it?
Hopefully, those of you who know me felt a tinge of something strange and thought “Okay, what’s Cros up to now?”
But maybe you didn’t. Maybe you just saw it as a common thing people do for a laugh. For the record, this picture I chose is supposedly a gag and not a “true person of Wal-Mart” that people post pictures of and hurl humorous commentary and laughter at.

I figure that most of the time, my posts are read by two types of people: Those who enjoy a good read, some poetry, a different take on things and the occasional feeling of a little conviction that their moral character could use a little polishing. Then there are those who connect with the Spiritual aspects of growing from faith to faith. I’m really okay with either, although I’d prefer that this be encouragement for those who confess Christ, to let His Spirit become more and the old carnal man becomes less… but that’s not a work that can be advanced by a blog post. That’s the work of The Spirit. All I can do is encourage and strive to know and get closer to Him.

Here’s The Word:

Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

You know how easy it is to start with a thought, and no sooner than that thought enters your mind, your tongue has slipped into gear and began flowing with “unwholesomeness”? Most people, people-watch. And when we watch, of course we feel certain ways about what we see and without a second thought, the tongue starts lashing – “Oh my, look at …"
As a people trying to be different from the world, this should not be our way. You see them, but God hears you.

Matthew 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

We are to be the Light life spreaders. Encouragement, edification and empathy to a world that’s blind to the beauty of Jesus.
How trivial and petty we must seem when we shy away from that charge but our attention and commentary is invoked when we see somebody bump into a pole because they were paying more attention to their cell phone rather than where they’re going; gasping at a woman dealing with an unruly child, the fashion sense of others or their driving habits.
Oh! We have SO much better things that we should be doing.
Instead of being comically condescending, be passionately prayerful. Be grateful that The Lord’s generosity has you in better place. Not to look down your nose but to give someone else a clearer view of Christ.
Also, have the courage to not laugh/like or share when "friends" try and get your consent. Your steadfast dedication to "righteousness" may be subtly helping them break away from chains that they themselves don't see.

The enemy sets many traps everyday. Do you see them? Are you looking? A more pertinent question is; are you praying that you be not lead to temptation, but delivered from evil.
Remember, Job found himself in a situation - From Satan's point of view it was a trap. He KNEW Job would curse God if He put so many painful distractions in his path. God however knew differently. To God it was a test that He knew Job could pass, and Scripture confirms "In all this Job didn't sin with his lips." Job 2:10. Our situations can't be compared to Job's, but our world is desperate for different.
The People of Wal-Mart (or those elsewhere in situations so easily talked about) need Jesus too…and not just as a joke or commentary on their choices.


In Him,
Cros

Paid TO

The picture above is food artist Michelle Wibowo recreating Michaelangelo's "Creation of Adam" with about half a billion cake sprinkles. That's dedication!

A common saying among the Christian religiosity is the term: Christ paid for our sins.
Allow me to challenge your thinking. I think sometimes the words that these principles imply get compromised over time. But I really can't say that. I may be giving undue allowance to first century believers in thinking that they understood things better than we do... it's possible but not certain. I imagine things have largely stayed consistent. People who believed, believed and people who didn't, didn't.
Oh yeah....challenging your thinking. What if I told you that not only were your sins paid for but there's more: When your sins were paid FOR, your righteousness was paid TO.

Here's an illustration - There's a customer at an art studio, looking through an artists' portfolio. The collection has pieces that can either be replicated or that can serve as inspiration to produce something new. Of course, in the matter of price there's the standard idea that the cost depends on the size and scope(complexity) of the work that needs to be done. Frequently, larger orders require an upfront deposit for the materials that need to be purchased: special colors that need to be mixed or tools that need to be acquired to aid in the completed work. The balance of the payment becomes due after the customer accepts the finished product.

Now, what if the person tells the artist that he wants something of a scope and scale that this artist has never done or even seen before...trust me, as scary as this situation is, any artist would jump at this chance. Furthermore, he tells the artist that money is no object and a generous estimate would be roughly a million dollars but the customer hands over a check for 10 million dollars saying "This will cover it."
Can you imagine the effort that the artist would put into doing his best to "WOW" that customer? Precision, composition, presentation and style would be at the forefront of this artist's every waking moment to produce something worthy of the customer's generosity.

Here's The Word:

2 Corinthians 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Romans 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

1 Corinthians 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

God had an idea for an amazing work of art and many people have a problem with God's "GOD" complex, but suffice it to say, He's the only one that can rightfully have one. God's work of art is making us part of Himself...His Righteousness. And He didn't just put down a deposit depending on our ability to perform. He showed amazing generosity in that no amount of effort on our part could compare to the price, but His concern for us wasn't getting a good return on His investment, it was to show the level of His love and desire. This surely should provoke a level of commitment in us in trying to appreciate His generosity.

Seems that so many people still understand Christianity as a prayer from back in the day plus a loving God equals "Home free".
Where's the appreciation? Where's the presentation and putting every effort into letting The Spirit bring forth the fruits of righteousness in us? Where's the real evidence (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Ephesians 5:9.
We don't put forth effort to earn this grace or to BE saved. We put for effort to appreciate His grace and to prove by the presence of The Spirit's power that we ARE saved. If Christ is your master, let Him make you His masterpiece! He paid FOR your sins and He paid TO your righteousness!


In Him,
Cros

Bible

I've probably said this before but I admit it, I'm the guy who beats dead horses. I write these blog posts for two reasons; The main reason, hope.
I write with hopes that somehow a post would raise someone's interest enough to ask a question or start a dialogue that would draw them closer to the true, transforming power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The other reason is - simply because I enjoy writing. I find that it helps me improve my ability to express myself. I tend to try and encourage others to journal or write...it's therapeutic.

Even if you dismissed the idea of a trip to the library, I realize that there's literally tons more information available about the topics I write. That's why I try and keep my posts at under 5 minutes for the time it takes to read it. I think if someone has truly become interested, there's much more info available.
Then there are times where I feel like there's something important on my heart but for me to write it would feel like reinventing the wheel. At those times, I think it's best that I simply direct your attention to the better "wheel".

The authenticity and trustworthiness of the Bible is fundamental. Many people have disregarded the Christian religion altogether because they don't feel that there's a way to be absolutely sure about The Bible's contents. I understand. However, I need to admit: I don't believe in Christ because I believe The Bible, I believe The Bible because I believe in Christ.

Link to John MacArthur info on the Canonized Bible

Considering the volume of data available on the study of 'why are the books of The Bible in it?', this link above is a brief bit of info on the subject. It's worth reading if you're interested.

John MacArthur, Wayne Grudem, John Piper, EM Bounds and Francis Chan are my heroes. From solid doctrinal study and proper exegeses of The Scriptures, to prayer, to life issues of true Christianity, I consider them to be extremely well informed and enjoyable to learn from on their respective topics. If you ever find yourself wanting more...allow me to direct your attention.

Here's The Word:

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.

1 John 5:39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,

2 Peter 1:20 Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation.

John 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.


In Him,
Cros

Think

Ever think that people thought “Noah, what makes you so special?”
Think they thought, while Noah sought to be purified as God’s vessel?
Think they wondered, hearing the thunder, “What ever could this be?”
Did they think the same, when the rains came, with nowhere for them to flee?

Think they thought, they’d never get caught, or that there’s a price to pay.
Some probably thought, just as they were taught, be nice and things’ll be okay.
Did Noah surmise, “It’s no surprise, because of course, I deserve this”.
Or did he learn, God’s anger does burn against the sin of mankind like a furnace.

I don’t know today, if people think either way on the pure HOLINESS of ‘I AM’
We seem to worry more about what others think, to justify where we stand.
We cater to men, so as not to offend, and we still think somehow we’re right.
As if His greatest concern, is that together we learn and neither disagree nor fight

God’s very first order: The first thing he thought of for us is to see Him set apart.
His name, His likeness, His countenance, its brightness is not to be sculpted as art.
Even those well-intentioned, can concoct inventions and we keep an open mind.
We must hold to truth and look closely at proof, lest we forfeit and be left behind.

Do the people today, all going their way really consider how all of this ends?
Did they keep it in check, hang a cross from their neck, saying “see, I’m one of God’s friends”.
I’m not here to judge, tho I surely will nudge “Receive Christ and be made new”
As far as I’ve seen, He’s HOLY, not mean and has no problem just saving a few.

Rather than bow, I see that now there are a lot of good reasons to disagree.
And not one single person, with their railing and cursing can push me to uncertainty.
Make sure that you’re ready, not overly petty about little things of naught.
Don’t let yourself sink, read His Word and think, He’ll teach what needs to be taught.


Here's The Word;

Psalm 119:97 Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

1 Peter 3:8 because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.

1 Corinthians 6:9 - 10 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19- 21 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.

Posts like these are often hard to write for me.
I know, and I know OF many people involved in real life and yes, "the struggle is real" - but in Christ, we can never be 100% invested with the world's anecdotes - the struggle is real, but the power to win is MORE real! However, many are only looking for a way out, not necessarily Christ and they parrot much of the world's oldest rationale.
I can only pray that God would grant them repentance, have mercy on stubbornness and help us to see just a glimpse of the Truth and Him in His glory. I pray that we realize the truth of God's word and that His ways are not our ways.
That we would think!
In Him,
Cros

Eyes

As I look at and ponder the wonder of the skies
I think about Your word and how it speaks of Your eyes.
I understand that only You are the reason I live,
But I can’t comprehend all the attention you give.

I can’t fathom eternity, neither future nor past.
You’ve ordained from day one, all the things that would last.
As we all make our choices, you’re watching each step,
With a desire to give good, and not have us bereft.

Our circumstances are real and our choices are too.
You desire our growth in those things that are true.
Yet it’s also true that disobedience provokes anger,
When we go our own way, we’re headed for danger.

But it’s that we would learn, turn back and repent.
Who among us can make sense of the grace that You’ve lent?
Who among us can fathom the price that you paid,
When Your eyes saw Your Son, with our sin on Him laid?

When your eyes turned away, were they holding back tears?
When He sensed the “forsaken” and you couldn’t come near?
That heart wrenching separation that simply had to be
That my sin could be erased when Your eyes look down at me.

The burden of our sin turned noon day into night
He paid it all. Now His righteousness is that much more bright
You poured out Your wrath that was filled to the brim
That now when your eyes see us, You really see Him.

In Christ, we ARE made new and you give us tender care
Hard to imagine the inheritance that Christ with us, will share
But now, with Your eyes upon us, equipping us to run this race
Until the eyes of our faith perfected, we see you face to face.

Let us remember, just how you see us - as a Father over His own
That your eyes are never far from us, Your ways to be made known.
Help us look upon the weak and needy, and dear Lord, not despise.
But give the grace that we’ve received – seen through Our Father’s eyes.


Here’s The Word:

2 Chronicles 16:9(a) For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.

Psalm 34:15 The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.

Proverbs 5:21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings.

Proverbs 22:12 The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.

Zechariah 4:10 For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

1 Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.


In Him,
Cros