Well, here I am at my denominational convention. I am, of course, an odd duck at these sorts of events for several reasons: my convictions about simple church, my advocacy of a seriously supernatural lifestyle, my urging intimacy with Jesus as the goal and means of everything...the list could go on, I guess. So I was going to write about why I am and am not a simple/house church "purist." But Papa had other plans. I am too tired to think clearly to do that topic justice. Instead I need to write something from my heart, so here goes.
My post last week elicited a lot of comments about living this life in Jesus, living the Spirit led life. So from my heart I wanted to share a few things first about my life and then what I see as the true evidences that someone is indeed led by the Spirit.
I don't think I have ever recorded this on my blog (but if I have forgive the repetition), but those who know me know that I frequently ask God to make me one of the kindest (or most loving), most joyful, most peaceful, most dangerous-to-the-devil people on the planet. I first started praying this kind of prayer when I heard Graham Cooke mention that he asks God to make him one of the most peaceful persons on the planet. I was captured by that thought and quickly added it to my heart's cry to God. As I did so, I gradually expanded it to include all three of the first triad in the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace) and the rather bold fourth request to emulate Jesus (who went around destroying the works of the devil).
Now I don't pray this in some sort of competitive way--I am not trying to exceed anyone else's level of love, joy or peace, etc. Rather I am saying to God: "This is how serious I am about this!" And I would that all of God's people would pray such a prayer and then allow Father to do whatever it takes to make it a reality in their lives.
But what does this have to be with being led by the Spirit? Simply this: that those who are led by the Spirit will reflect the attributes of genuine love and respect for others. Those led by the Spirit will be noticeably humble, gentle and kind. There will be a sense when you are around them that you are deeply important to them and to God and that they consider you better than they are (Philippians 2:3). They will exude a sort of other-centeredness that is exceedingly rare in our culture and will be continually maturing in the area of relational and emotional health. If you are wondering where one might find this sort of description of a Spirit-led person, I recommend a look at the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and at the characteristics of love as found in 1 Corinthians 13 as good starting places. Then you will want to add the characteristics of Jesus as He is revealed in the four Gospels. It is, of course, the Holy Spirit's role to create in us the nature of Jesus.
Now I have no idea how I am doing in the above traits. Like the Apostle Paul, I choose not to judge myself, but rather I will continue my little four-part prayer, and seek to live ever more aware of God's love and ever more inundated by His Spirit. And like Paul, I also know that I have not attained all of this but instead press on and press in, joyfully surrendering even self-evaluation, along with all control, into the hands of the One who loves me most.
Finally, I remind all who read this that we are never meant to journey alone in this walk with Jesus. If you are wondering why I would need someone like Peter Scazzero to speak into my life, my answer is that I need brothers and sisters like Peter and Dr. John White and Dallas Willard and a host of others to walk with me because I, like the apostles before me, know that the Spirit-filled, Spirit led life is only lived out in community, and can be fruitful only by my humbly receiving into my life the instruction and example of others.
Nuff said for this time. I am quite brain dead, but I trust this makes some sense!
Stay lost in Papa's love, drowned in His power.
Tom, one of Abba's little boys
4 comments:
God Bless
Hi, Tom,
I agree with everything you said. My point was and is we need to learn to hear from the Lord, allowing Him to teach, lead, and guide us into all truth, first and foremost. The Spirit will tell one person to do one thing and tell another person to do something different. We must learn to hear for ourselves what the Spirit is saying to us and to the body of Christ. Have you ever been in a hard place and needed a word from God? A book will not due in those times when you need a word from God.
I am not opposed to books as a secondary help to give us a better understanding of God word if the Holy Spirit leads us to read a book. However, I do believe we need to allow the Holy Spirit to teach us through the word of God. We as believers are to let the word of God or Christ dwell in us, and establish us in the faith (2 Cor. 2:17; 4:2; 1 Thess. 1:8; 2:13; 4:15; 2 Thess.3:1; Col. 3:16).
We are called to renew our minds and be renewed in the knowledge and called to grow in our knowledge of the Lord through the word of God or Christ and be established in the faith (Eph. 4:20-24; Eph. 5:8-21; Col. 2:7; 3:10; 3:16; 1Peter 2:1-3; 2 Peter 3:17-18). As the word of God dwells in us and we understand, apply and mature in the word, we are able to discern between good and evil, right and wrong. We will able to preach and teach the word to others and avoid being told by now you ought to have been teachers, but your still a babe because you are unskilled in the word (Heb 5:12-14). If you want to learn to hear from the Lord you must learn to depend on Him and listen to Him.
A Spirit filled believer without the fruit of the Spirit evident in their life is contradictory and impossible because the love of God is shed upon our hearts (Rom. 5:5). The Holy Spirit enables and empowers us to love God and obey Him and love others according to God’s standard by having their best interests at heart and desiring their best without out our own desires getting in the way. (Matt. 22: 37-40). This means there will be times we must stand for the truth and not back down. There will be times when we have to correct not only gently, but rebuke with sharpness out of love (2 Cor. 13:10; 2 Tim. 4:2; Tit. 1:13; 2:15; Rev. 3:19).
In order for this to take place in our lives we must first die to self (Rom. 6:6, 11). George Mueller once said, “There was a day when I died, utterly died to George Mueller; to his opinions, preferences, tastes and will; died to the world, its approval or censure; died to the approval or blame of even my brethren and friends. Since then I have studied to show myself approved only unto God.”
It is to die to our own interests and desires and learn to be led by the Holy Spirit as Romans 8: 14 says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.” Each of us must learn to be submissive and surrender to the Holy Spirit and not grieve Him (Eph. 4:30). In order not to grieve Him we must learn to walk softly, gently before the Lord, as if we were walking on glass, ice, or eggshells, not out of fear, but out of our love for the Lord not wanting to sin against Him and grieve the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit begins to conform and transforms us into the image of Christ with all the fruits and character traits of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18; Rom. 8: 29). He teaches, leads, and guides us personally into all truth (John 14: 26; 16: 13-15; 1Cor 2:13; 1John 2:27). Notice how the Spirit spoke Philip, Peter Paul and others to in Act 8:29; 10:19; 13:2; 15:28. In Acts the Holy Spirit speaks to Paul 16:6-7. Then Paul the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision in verse 9, and after having the vision they decided the Lord was calling them to Macedonia to preach the gospel. This is learning to hear from the Lord being taught and being directed by the Lord through the Holy Spirit into the ministry the Lord has given to each of us.
May God bless you,
His nothing,
Jeff
Thank you, Rod (Makarios--I like that!) and thank you, Jeff.
Written communication is not always the best way to hear someone's heart, Jeff, but I hear it clearly in your comments this time and I thank you.
Tom
One of your best...thank mucho!
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