Sometimes I do to others as I would have them do to me, but I’m not really happy about it. I’m sitting at a traffic light with one car ahead of me and running late for a meeting. The light turns green. Five seconds go by, and the vehicle ahead […]
Yes, Christians have been grieving the Holy Spirit for centuries, causing him to suspend operation in their lives. If you have sin in your life, stop, drop and repent. The Spirit will resume operation. Let’s review Exodus. The people of Israel have left Egypt. About three months later, they are […]
Here are three things we can do to help the Holy Spirit thrive within us. First, fall in love with Jesus. Second, keep his commandments. Obedience to Jesus’ words enables us to be present with the Spirit. John 14:21-23, “21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves […]
Very simply, your behavior is going to change. You will begin to bear good fruit. Galatians 5:22-23, as illustrated above, tells us, “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” You will experience profound joy. For more detail, see the article […]
Before becoming a believer, the question above worried me. What would happen to me if I became a believer? Black wingtips? Pleated trousers? A tucked-in short sleeve shirt? Would I start saying “blessings” to everyone I encountered? As it turned out, none of these things happened to me. What did […]
This blog will review how Jesus’ work on the Cross provides believers with access to God. Additionally, I will summarize the progression of God’s Spirit as one moves through the Bible. We start back in the days of Moses. After the Sinai Covenant, the Lord gives instructions for building the […]
John 3:3–7 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, […]
Why wouldn’t I have the Holy Spirit already dwelling within me? In a word, sin. Isaiah 59:1-2. Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God,and your sins have hidden his face from […]
Look at Jesus. To know Jesus is to know the Holy Spirit. More theologically, the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, the Spirit of the Father and the Son (Jesus). The Holy Spirit exists as spirit. He is an immaterial being with intelligence, knowledge, feeling, and the […]
Honor, serve, and obey your parents, with liberty and justice for all. I’m trying to recite Martin Luther’s explanation of the Fourth Commandment. Unable to recall all the words I added in part of the Pledge of Allegiance. Raised in the home of a fine Lutheran pastor, we memorized and […]
