Spirit of God

Have you ever seen anyone that's just pumped up for God?  I mean the type that they are loud, crazy, and passionate about their God? The kind that is just an authentic outpouring of the Spirit of God?  I know a few guys that are like that.  It's an awesome and powerful thing to see and be a part of.  One I just read his testimony the other day, the other I heard his, and the final I miss since I don't get to be around him as much soaking up some of that spiritual pressure he emits.  It is great to see these young babes in Christ be growing at an immense rate. It is because the Holy Spirit is actively working in their lives. I read this verse today

Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.  1 Samuel 16:13

Its cool to study the life of King David.  He did some tremendous acts for the his Lord GOD.  He also did some pretty horrible things too.  But what he didn't do was turn away from God.  See when King David got touched by the Spirit he was changed.  From that point forward King David did not cease striving to let the world know about his God.

We get this same Spirit that lives within us when we accept Jesus as the leader of our lives.  Each person is given a measure of His Spirit.  This Spirit we receive gives us knowledge in all things (1 John 2:27), tells us the paths in which we should take (Isaiah 30:21), helps us to pray (Romans 8:26), and also is how we worship Him (John 4:24).  God gave us a tremendous asset to follow Him.  And when we get this spirit we should use it.  I remember when first coming back to Christ I made a vow that when I heard His voice I would not turn away as I use to but would listen and submit for the glory of His name.  *And that same Spirit still drives me today with passion and conviction.  That passion may not always be carried out emotionally because emotion is the least  part of our human existence.  But it will be carried out in our actions. Because actions are dictated by faith.

So today let us live by the Spirit.  But not only in word but let us LIVE (come alive) in the Spirit.  Let us put forth fruits of the passion and power that God has put in our lives.  I charge you to let each action be guided by the Spirit of God in us but grounded to the Word He's given us.  Because Jesus says those who are planted firmly will bear fruits 30 60 and 100 fold (Matthew 13:23), which is a tremendous harvest.

*Note:  I have given examples of many young Christians because of how the Spirit seems to emanate from them so powerfully because they are new to this feeling.  I am still new because I have only come to have a year and four months of following Christ yet I believe that this passion will continue to grow more and more each day.  It is as a relationship with a spouse (as ours with Christ is compared) where when we learn more about the characteristics, personalities and desires in their hearts we begin to love them more.  We will love Christ more everyday because (if we pursue him) we will see how much He loves us, all that He's done for us, all that he has in store, and all that He is each day.

Do you Love God?

I love my parents and respect them. This is evident in how I live.  When Mother's day or Father's day comes around I get them a gift.  When their birthday comes I treat them to something special.  And even on other days I get them something just for being my parents.  I believe that they enjoy those things.  But that is just part of showing my love for them.  The other part is obeying their instructions for me to live by.  As a child I had been growing up with rules, these rules now are understood and those I should follow.  And if I break a rule here or there they will correct me, however when there is a direct order given I am expected to follow this.  They are my parents.  The other day I was asked to make my little brothers bed up so that my neice could sleep in it.  What if when they got home from picking her up the bed wasn't made and I just said I didn't make it because I spent all my time baking a cake for you so that when you arrived we could have a party?  A party would sound good on any other occasion. To have a little fun in honor of my parents would be great. However, at this time my mother would not care for the party because her mind would be fixed on the bed not made for my neice.

In 1 Samuel 15 Saul was givin a direct order to take over Amalek and completely destroy everything.  I mean everything animals and people (3).  He doesn't though.  Saul keeps the best of the animals and spares the kings life (9). As soon as that happened God spoke to Samuel and told him how greived he was about appointing Saul as King (10).  Then Saul and Samuel had some conversation back and forth about why he didn't do what God had told him.  King Saul says he didn't do it but the people did it for God (20-21).  But Samuel drops the hammer on him in the verses following.

Samuel said, "Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD?  Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.

King Saul disobeyed a direct order from God.  I remember in boot camp that if you disobeyed a direct order from a D.I. then it was an automatic write up.  And this order is from God the Father.  How many times do we disobey direct orders from Him?  When the Spirit calls us to do a certain job, or to speak to a certain person about our faith, do we just ignore Him?  This is a direct order given from the King of our faith, God.  And who are we to disobey this?  But we do.  Even made more perfect than a felling inside us is the living Word of God, the Bible (2 Peter 1:16-21). When do we see something in this and decide it does not pertain to my life but only for those in that time.  I believe in Heb. the writer says Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

So today let us not discard the Spirit as he urges us to do things.  Let us not count it as a mere request but a command givin by the ultimate Authority.  And I charge you as brothers in sisters in Christ to read His word and not just read but to act upon what is written.  Because Jesus states those who love me follow my commandments (John 14:15).  Now the question becomes "do you love him?"

Leadership

At this present moment I am discipling a new Christian.  It is an amazing thing that God has me being a part of.  I  get to see him grow and mature in his faith.  I also get to help him deal with struggles that are a part of his life.  This bond between us grows stronger each day as Christian brothers and as friends.  What if I were to suddenly become engulfed in self.  What if I were to take money from the offering plate at church and he is sitting next to me.  Or what if when we were riding to Joplin I would have flipped off one of the drivers who had cut me off.  What would my friend's reaction had been to that?

In 1 Samuel chapter 8 it talks about this very thing.  The leaders appointed over Israel were doing evil.  They began taking bribes and perverting justice (3).  And in doing so it cause the people to sin.  They turned away from God.  See at this point in time there where judges in the land and the judges would look to God when trouble would rise.  In doing so there comfort would be in the Lord rather than their leader.  However in this day they began to want a king.  They trusted not in the LORD God. (20).  Though they were sinning they were honest in their efforts.  For their leaders they could not trust to guide them unto the LORD or show them the correct path to walk (5).

Today let us walk in a manner worthy in which we have been called.  This passage may seem as if it were for a great leader but in fact these were Samuels sons. We are all leaders.  And in that we must all live each step of life guided by the Father in heaven.  I charge you to take each step in faith depending on the Savior for all your needs, remembering there are those, kids, youth, adults, who are watching the decisions we make and the outcome of each.  Let us not be the ones that lead others astray but let us ground them stronger in our God we trust in.  For Paul wrote in the spirit if it where for us even to stop eating meat we must do it to grow another in Christ that they might glorify His name.  That means rather than doing what we want and sacrificing their faith we must sacrifice our lives to do what it takes to grow their faith.