Aug.13: Quench not the Spirit/ Aug. 14: Chastening
We ended up having to spend the night in Nashville to finish helping Jennifer move, so I couldn't get to a computer yesterday. Since both of these lessons are connected, I decided to comment on them together.
I Thessalonians 5 teaches us how to become a model Christian. Hebrews 12 instructs us to expect discipline whenever we don't live up to that model. Both chapters explain that the Holy Spirit is both our teacher and disciplinarian. The important thing to remember is that the Holy Spirit is a gentleman. He nevers yells; He whispers our instructions in a still, small voice. As totally free creations in Christ, we always have a choice of obedience, but if we disobey, the crisis that we need to become stronger Christians will come again. What we must get through our willful minds is that He knows that we must go through hard times to prepare us for the next crisis that He knows lies ahead, so that the next hard spot will not be more than we can bear. (What does this say to you about the multitudes of people that are on anti-depressant and anti-anxiety drugs today?)
My favorite part of today's lesson was when Chambers says "...do not despise the Spirit when He says to you -- 'Don't be blind on this point any more: you are not where you thought you were. Up to the present I have not been able to reveal it to you, but I reveal it now.'" What a merciful thing that our sweet Lord does not reveal all our shortcomings to us when we first get saved!! Yes, it is frustrating to be so proud of how far we have come as a Christian, only to run smack dab into a another wall of obstacles we must overcome. But imagine how totally overwhelming it would be to face a mountain of obstacles when we first come to know Christ!
Jesus, please help us to become more sensitive to the gentle voice of the Holy Spirit, so that "whenever the Spirit checks, we will call a halt and get the thing right." Let us not "despise the chastening of the Lord," but let us "be prepared to let God grip us by Your power and do a work in us that is worthy of Yourself." I fervently pray that You will do whatever it takes "to get us into the attitude of mind and spirit where at any cost we will let You sanctify us wholly!!"
I Thessalonians 5 teaches us how to become a model Christian. Hebrews 12 instructs us to expect discipline whenever we don't live up to that model. Both chapters explain that the Holy Spirit is both our teacher and disciplinarian. The important thing to remember is that the Holy Spirit is a gentleman. He nevers yells; He whispers our instructions in a still, small voice. As totally free creations in Christ, we always have a choice of obedience, but if we disobey, the crisis that we need to become stronger Christians will come again. What we must get through our willful minds is that He knows that we must go through hard times to prepare us for the next crisis that He knows lies ahead, so that the next hard spot will not be more than we can bear. (What does this say to you about the multitudes of people that are on anti-depressant and anti-anxiety drugs today?)
My favorite part of today's lesson was when Chambers says "...do not despise the Spirit when He says to you -- 'Don't be blind on this point any more: you are not where you thought you were. Up to the present I have not been able to reveal it to you, but I reveal it now.'" What a merciful thing that our sweet Lord does not reveal all our shortcomings to us when we first get saved!! Yes, it is frustrating to be so proud of how far we have come as a Christian, only to run smack dab into a another wall of obstacles we must overcome. But imagine how totally overwhelming it would be to face a mountain of obstacles when we first come to know Christ!
Jesus, please help us to become more sensitive to the gentle voice of the Holy Spirit, so that "whenever the Spirit checks, we will call a halt and get the thing right." Let us not "despise the chastening of the Lord," but let us "be prepared to let God grip us by Your power and do a work in us that is worthy of Yourself." I fervently pray that You will do whatever it takes "to get us into the attitude of mind and spirit where at any cost we will let You sanctify us wholly!!"
posted by Jane at 5:33 AM
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