Freedom of the Spirit

Do you prefer to follow rules or principles? Do you want thinks laid out in black and white or like a lot of gray? Do you like to adhere to tradition or be free to follow your heart? Have you realized one of these binds you and the other sets you free?

Some people prefer hard bound rules, laws, traditions, and everything written out in black and white. They find it easy to be able to check the boxes. They will also insist that everyone else follow these rules, laws, and traditions in the same manner they do.

However, there are some who prefer the freedom to ride the wind. They don’t want to be bound to the hard-set rules. Hand them a few principles or guidelines to follow and they are good to go. They experience freedom in a way the rule followers can never imagine.

We can get so wrapped up in rules and traditions that we no longer have the freedom to follow where the Holy Spirit leads us. There are a variety of traditions surrounding baptism, including infant baptism, baptism only when a child is old enough to make their own decision, and requiring classes for an adult prior to baptism. In some ways, our rules or traditions are set up to be a gatekeeper for God. Do we really think God needs a gatekeeper?

Notice the example of baptism in today’s passage. Philip had followed the Holy Spirit’s guidance, gone to the road he was told to, heard the Ethiopian eunuch reading Isaiah, sat down to explain the gospel of Jesus for a short period of time. We don’t know if it was thirty minutes or three hours. We do know the eunuch believed and asked to be baptized when they were approaching some water and Philip agreed to baptize him. God works through his Holy Spirit. We should not think we are gatekeepers. Instead, we should seek to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit just as Philip did.

I pray we all seek to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. I pray we stop trying to be the gatekeeper for God. I pray each one of us will break free of the hold we have allowed rules to bind us. Follow the Holy Spirit’s lead. Be free of man-made rules. Live in the freedom of Jesus Christ.

Acts 8:36 As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?”

You Know Enough

What would you think if you had and encounter with an angel? How do you think you would react? Do you think you would feel overwhelmed? Would it scare you to death if the angel just appeared out of the blue? Would you do exactly what it told you to do?

We don’t normally encounter angels. In fact, the people of the Bible did not normally encounter angels. You can read the entire Bible and only account for approximately a dozen times in which angels appeared. So, encountering an angel is truly a rare event.

We don’t know what Philip was doing, but he certainly wasn’t expecting an angel to appear. But an angel sent by God suddenly appears to Philip and gives him a mission. Notice the angel doesn’t tell Philip what he is supposed to do. He simply tells Philip to walk down a road. Philip obeyed without question.

As Philip was walking down the road, he encounters an Ethiopian eunuch who serves Candace, who is the queen of the Ethiopians. At that time the Spirit tells Philip to go to the chariot. Philip goes over and discovers the eunuch reading from Isaiah. Philip asks if the eunuch understands. The eunuch says he cannot unless someone explains it to him. Philip begins in Isaiah and explains about Jesus Christ.

We may not encounter an angel, but we can encounter people who do not know or understand the story of Jesus. We can take time to explain the gospel to them. Some will say they do not know enough to teach someone else. However, to teach someone else, all you need to know is more than they do. So, even if you feel unprepared, you know more than many others. And just like Philip, rely on the Spirit to guide you in your explanation.

I pray we all look for opportunities to tell others about Jesus. I pray we listen for the voice of the Spirit. I pray each one of us know that we know enough about Jesus to teach someone else. Seek opportunities. Tell others about Jesus. Trust the Spirit to guide you. You know enough.

Acts 8:26 Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is wilderness road.)

Love Drives Out Fear

What are you afraid of? Do you live with fear? Has it taken hold of you? How do you know if fear has taken hold of you? Have you assessed your behavior and attitude? Would you like to rid yourself of fear? Do you know it is possible? Will you take the steps needed to do it?

Fear can rule our lives without us even knowing it. The obvious expression or experience of fear is when we are scared when something unexpected happens or being afraid and worrying that something bad will happen. In these situations, there is outward manifestation of fear.

We don’t always recognize the fear that is not outwardly expressed by shock or tears. Yet, a very large portion of the world lives with fear. It manifests itself in prejudices, hatred toward others, isolating yourself from the world, and even in broken relationships. Fear can rule our lives in several different ways.

Prejudices are nearly always a result of fear—the fear of the unknown. We will state we do not like the group of people, but fear is the under lying factor. We do not really know them and have made no effort to know them and the fear of not knowing creates the prejudice. This prejudice can then manifest hatred toward that group.

Fear can also cause relationships to fall apart. It may be due to having our hearts broken at some earlier time in our lives resulting in a fear of that happening again. Fear keeps us from fully committing ourselves to someone again. Therefore, our future relationships only get so far until we put an end to them before we feel that heartbreak again.

John tells us the only way to overcome fear is through love. As we grow in our love for others, learning to love as God loves us, fear is driven out of us. The closer we get to the perfect love God has for us, the less fear we live with. We can experience God’s love as we open ourselves up to him.

I pray we open ourselves up to God’s love. I pray we ask God to help us grow in our love for him. I pray each one of us will ask God to help us love others as he loves us and drive out our fear. Experience God’s love. Grow in love. Ask God to help. Drive out your fear through love.

1 John 4:18-19 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us.

God Loves You

Do you know what love is? Have you ever pondered it? Can you explain it to someone else? Do you think of love as only a feeling? Is it something more to you? Have you thought about the extraordinary love God has for you? Are you returning his love?

When we talk about love, we often talk about the emotional love we have for another person. Sometimes we talk about a brotherly or sisterly love we have for someone. We may even talk about the affectionate love we have for animals or foods or possessions.

God’s love far exceeds any love we know in this world. We may be head over heels in love with someone, but that is emotional love that will pass with time. We may love a close friend and are willing to do anything for them, but we cannot do for them what God has done for us. There is no way for us to ever match the love God has for us…and that may be depressing.

But here is the good news. God knows our limitations and does expect us to reach the heights of love he has for us. However, he does desire us to love him the best we can. He wants us to grow in our love, understanding, and respect for him. As we gain a better understanding of the sacrifice he made for us by sending his Son to sacrifice Himself for us, we can grow in our love for God.

I pray we all seek to know God better. I pray we grow in understanding the sacrifice Jesus made for us. I pray each one of us grow in our love of God by appreciating what he has done for us. Know God better. Increase your understanding. Grow in your love for God. Appreciate what he did for you.

1 John 4:9-10 God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Discipleship

Have ever wondered what it takes to become a disciple of Jesus? Do think it is as simple as reciting a few words and getting wet? How did you come to that conclusion? Were you taught that by way of tradition? Have you done your own research to discover the truth?

Despite what is often taught by popular opinion, we do not become disciples by simply reciting a few words and getting wet. True, we are saved in that manner, but that doesn’t mean we are disciples. Discipleship requires more. Jesus tells us what it takes to be a disciple in His own words.

Read today’s Scripture carefully…then read it again and again. The description of becoming a disciple is simple, yet not. As we read the passage in reverse, we see that bearing much is what makes us become disciples. But we cannot bear the fruit on our own. So, working extra hard for Jesus in our own strength does not make us disciples, it just makes us worn out.

Bearing fruit is a natural outcome of us abiding in Jesus. When we abide in Him, He abides in us. What does abide mean? We don’t use that word much in our everyday speech. To abide in Jesus is to endure, sustain, withstand, wait, accept, act in accordance with, submit, and remain steadfast. To be a disciple boils down to commitment. We must commit to Jesus fully and always continue in our commitment.

We cannot turn on and off being a disciple. We either are or are not a disciple. By using the word abide, Jesus makes it plain that we must endure and sustain ourselves in Him and His teaching will be in us. This means that we will be in tune with His will and results in us receiving what we for in His name. By being in His will, we will not ask for selfish things but ask in accordance with His will because we know His will.

I pray we all seek to be disciples of Jesus. I pray abide in Jesus. I pray each one of us will endure, wait, and act in accordance with Jesus’ will by submitting to Him. Submit to Jesus. Remain in Him. Endure through Him. Wait for Him. Act in accordance with His will. Be a disciple.

John 15: 7-8 “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”

Pruning

Have you ever felt like you have you have been cut short of success? Have you had someone tell you that you did not do as well as you thought you did? Have you had to live through some hard knocks? Did make a certain amount of progress only to have to take two steps back?

Doing your best and being told it isn’t good enough is hard. Pouring everything you have into something only to fall short of the goal can be heartbreaking. When that happens, we can fall hard and remain in the bottomless pit, or we can choose to find the positive in the experience.

I know, finding the positive in a failure can be difficult. But take a look at what Jesus tells us in today’s passage. When we produce fruit for God, he prunes us. That pruning can feel hurtful at times. It can feel like we are being forced to take a step back. Yet, there are times when we must take a step back in order to go forward again. Perhaps going forward again means taking a slightly different direction.

We may produce fruit in one area of our life and God decides it has been enough of that specific fruit. Now, he wants us to produce a different kind of fruit. Our responsibility is to recognize first that God is in control. Second, trust that God knows what he is doing. Third, follow his lead. God trims us along the away so we can produce the fruit he desires us to produce.

I pray we all seek to produce fruit for God. I pray we view his pruning as a positive. I pray each one of us will trust God knows what he is doing and follow his guidance for our lives. Seek to produce fruit. Trust God. Follow God’s guidance. Choose to follow the path God wants you to follow.

John 15:1-2 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit.”

Breakfast with Jesus

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sit down to a meal with Jesus? How would He bless the food? What would the conversation be like? Would you sit in awe? Or, would you be inquisitive and ask lots of questions?

Sitting down to a meal with Jesus would be an amazing experience. Imagine what the conversation might be among your friends and yourself with Him. Imagine the wisdom you could learn during that single meal. Absolutely amazing!

I wonder if we would be as excited to see Jesus as Peter was. He was so excited that he jumped out of the boat and swam to shore. I can almost hear him laughing as he was swimming. I can envision him swimming as fast as he could possibly go. Would we be that eager? Would we run into the dining room to be with Him?

Having a meal and sitting around the table with Jesus afterward to talk would be greater than anyone else we can think of. His divine presence might feel overwhelming to us. We might be giddy with excitement. We might be completely tongue tied.

Perhaps the best thing would be Jesus revealing answers to questions we have long wrestled with. We wouldn’t even have to ask them. He would simply know what our questions are and provide us with answers. But not just the answers. He would also open our minds so that we understood from God’s perspective. Again, absolutely amazing! Yet, this can also happen during quiet prayer time.

I pray we all think about what it would be like to have a meal with Jesus. I pray we think of questions we would ask. I pray each one of us ask those questions during our quiet prayer time. Be excited to see Jesus. Invite Him to your table. Ask Jesus to reveal answers. Keep your mind open to Jesus.

John 21:12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord.

Unexpected Jesus

Have you ever wondered where Jesus is? Have you been in a situation where you desperately needed Him and thought He was nowhere nearby? Have you considered He might have been there, and you didn’t recognize Him? Do you know you wouldn’t be there first one?

We find ourselves in a variety of situations in which having Jesus with us to answer questions or take care of the issues would be nice. We wonder where He is and think perhaps, He has abandoned us. Yet, He may be there, and we simply do not recognize Him.

Jesus often shows up when we least expect and when we need Him most. He shows up in ways we don’t expect. Sometimes, it is the person we least expect through whom Jesus works. It might even be someone we don’t particularly like. It might be someone we haven’t seen in a very long time. He might show by providing something from an unexpected source.

He often shows up at the time we need Him most. I can remember a time in which I thought there was no way I could complete what I needed to get done. I stood in my backyard and literally lifted my hands toward the heavens, looked to the heavens, and said, “God, I don’t know how I’ll get all this done.” The answer I received was, “Just do the next thing.” It all got done. That is Jesus showing up in a time of need.

He showed up to the apostles when they least expected and they didn’t recognize Him at first. Later they would. After He had revealed Himself through what He said and did. If the apostles, men who spent three years with Him, didn’t recognize Him, it is no wonder we don’t always recognize Him. Yet, we should not beat ourselves up for it. We should simply continue to trust that He will always be with us, just as He promised He would be.

I pray we all continue to believe Jesus is always with us. I pray we look for Him in our time of need. I pray each one of us will continue to seek Him and ask Him to reveal Himself to us. Know that Jesus is always with you. Look for Him when you least expect it. Trust that He will be with you in your time of need.

John 21:4 Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

In Sync with Jesus

Love is a word with a wide breadth of definitions, or at least a wide range of uses. If you look up the word love on dictionary.com, you will find there are 14 noun definitions and 10 verb definitions. They range for liking something strongly to passionate desire to warm affection.

What do we mean when we say we love someone? Which definition are we using? Do you think about our meaning? Do you ever wonder if the person hearing you understands what definition you are using? How can we be sure we are understood when we use the word love?

John talks a lot about love. He most often uses the term agape, which is a deep level of affection. We often say unconditional love because we are told to have this type of love for everyone, including our enemies. John uses the same word in today’s passage right after he tells us we are to believe in the of Jesus.

He follows up by stating as we obey Jesus’ commands, He abides in us, and we know that by the Holy Spirit. Isn’t that amazing and helpful? We know we are loving correctly, and Jesus abides with us because Holy Spirit tells us. Which begs the question; are we hearing (or feeling) the Holy Spirit tell us that we are in sync with Jesus?

We can only be in sync with Him by obeying His commandments and love one another. Anything outside of those two things puts us in opposition to Him. It isn’t hard to understand, even if it may be challenging to follow through with. Being in sync with Jesus and having the Holy Spirit confirm that should be our top priority.

I pray we all strive to obey Jesus’ commands. I pray we love one another. I pray one of us seeks to be in sync with Jesus and have the Holy Spirit confirm it. Obey Jesus’ commands. Love one another. Abide with Jesus so Jesus will abide with you. Listen for the Holy Spirit.

1 John 3:23-24 And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. All who obey his commandments abide in him, and he abides in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit that he has given us.

Love in Action

How willing are you to share what you have? Do you believe it is yours? Do you hold onto it with a tight grip? Are you willing to share what you have with others? Are you willing to give what you have to those who have little or nothing? Will you obey God?

Our culture encourages us to gather more and more. We see advertisements that continuously tells us we need this or that. In all the hustle and bustle we have lost our sense of what is needed versus what we want. In the process, we have lost our ability to follow God’s will.

God blesses us so that we can bless others. God is not about giving us riches so we can set back on our haunches and take it easy. I’m reminded of the encounter Jesus had with the rich young man who asked what he needed to do to have eternal life. Jesus told him to go sell all he had and give it to the poor. The young man went away saddened. (Matthew 19:16-22).

We are often like that rich young man. We do not want to sell off our possessions and give the proceeds to the poor to follow Jesus. Unfortunately, we do not even want to give what we consider our little extra to help those in need. Instead, we put it away in savings or use it to buy gifts for family and friends. When we do give to help those in need, we like to pat ourselves on the back, as though we did some great work rather than simply doing what God wants.

If we will just take a little time to look around, we will discover more people in need than we can count. They are in our churches, on our streets, working minimum wage jobs, collecting disability, or a small pension. There are children in our schools who would not have breakfast or lunch, if the schools did not provide them. There are children who have no bed to sleep in.

The apostle John tells us that we are not showing God’s love if we have more than we need and do not share with those who do not. Showing God’s love is not merely putting a smile on and providing a few words of encouragement. It is much more than that. It is helping those who need help, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ.

I pray we all ask God to show us how we can share his blessings. I pray we ask God to move within us. I pray each one of us will determine to show God’s love to those in need. Share your blessings. Help those in need. Show God’s love to others. Ask God to show you how.

1 John 3:17 How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?