Aligned with God

“Let the Spirit direct your lives, and you will not satisfy the desires of the human nature. For what our human nature wants is opposed to what the Spirit wants, and what the Spirit wants is opposed to what our human nature wants.” (Galatians 5:16-17 GWT)

When a pipe is attached to an artesian well, pure spring water flows through it. However, a pipe that is connected to a sewage line will never be clean. What flows through us is determined by what source we are attached to--when we are connected and aligned with God, we become a channel for godliness. On the other hand, when we are detached from God, we do not stay empty or neutral. Something will always pass through us--and if it isn’t good, it’s evil.

"The Gulf Stream can flow through a straw, provided that the straw is aligned with the current and not at cross purposes toward it." --Anne Lamott

When we follow our natural human urges, we are filled with ambition, worry, immorality, fear, anger, jealousy, divisiveness, possessiveness, pride, envy, egotism, selfishness, and unforgiveness. When we give ourselves to God, the fruits of the Holy Spirit flow through us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control.

Lord, help us to align our minds with your purposes, so that only goodness flows through us.

_

Praying Hebrews 3

Jesus, you are the centerpiece of everything we believe.

You are the Builder of our lives.

Help us to keep a firm grip

on this bold confidence in Your power.

Soften our hearts so that we may hear Your voice.

Help us to trust you in the wilderness.

Fix our minds on You.

Direct us away from evil unbelief.

Turn our hearts so that we may follow You.

Protect us from anything that may trip us up

or throw us off course.

Show us how to keep each other encouraged,

So that sin doesn’t slow down our reflexes.

May we remain faithful to the end,

Trusting God as firmly as when we first believed.

Fearless Confidence

“Give your servants fearless confidence in preaching your Message, as you stretch out your hand to us in healings and miracles and wonders done in the name of your holy servant Jesus." (Acts 4:29 MSG)

The Apostle Peter was not known for his courage. The Gospels describe him as wavering back and forth between cowardice and cockiness. His natural character is far from heroic--one minute he pledges allegiance to Jesus; the next minute he is denying that he ever knew him.

The Book of Acts describes a different Peter. His prayers are not for his own comfort and safety, but to be an agent for healing, miracles, and wonders. These activities are sure to lead to persecution.  He is no longer displaying his natural traits; instead, he is operating from his supernatural essence. He has been transformed by the Holy Spirit. He is fearlessly confident, consistently bold, and intensely focused.

Lord, give us fearless confidence as we represent You.  Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through Your name,  Jesus.

Credentials

“The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13 NLT)

Are you qualified to speak about Jesus? What are your credentials?

These days, most clergy have degrees in theology, attend seminary, and are licensed to perform ministerial functions. Because of their education and credentials, we recognize them as representatives of Christ.

The apostles had no special training. But they had other qualifications:

--They had been with Jesus.

--They were filled with the Holy Spirit.

--They were fearlessly confident in Christ.

Those of us who know Christ are called to represent Him, speak up for Him, and follow His teachings. We must live sanctified lives--constantly listening and making necessary adjustments according to God’s directions. This requires us to spend time daily with Jesus, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and to be fearlessly confident in Christ.

Messiah

“The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ.” (John 4:25 NLT)

The word Messiah comes from the Hebrew Mashiach, meaning anointed/consecrated/chosen one. The word Christ comes from the Greek word Christos, also meaning anointed one.

There are several accounts of Jesus being anointed by women in the New Testament:

“You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.” (Luke 7:46 ESV)

“Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. (John 12:1 ESV)

“When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him.” (Mark 16:1 ESV)

Judaic Scriptures predicted  a Messiah, but many Jews who encountered Jesus did not recognize him as the anointed one. Instead, they saw him as a rebel who questioned their preconceived beliefs and threatened their way of life.  They were waiting for someone who would support their worldview, not challenge it.

Are we able to recognize Jesus as the Messiah? As imitators of Christ, do our lives reflect His anointing? Are we fully consecrated--set apart, dedicated to serving Him? Or, like the religious elite who encountered Jesus, are we blinded by the conventions of our time?

Team Challenge

“Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life.”(James 1:12 MSG)

When facing difficult challenges, many of us take stock of our resources. Do we have the skills, time, and energy to handle this situation? Do we have the support of others? If not, despair and panic set in.  

When we rely on ourselves or others, we still feel some semblance of control. Our hope is based on manageable factors.  Faith is only required when we have nothing tangible to cling to. Many of us refuse to submit to God until we have exhausted all other options. Trusting in God should be our default setting, not a last resort.

For those who loyally love God, adversity is not an individual test, but a team challenge. We have to acknowledge that God is in charge and we are subordinate to His power. In every doubles team, even the weaker member has a role to play. We have to be tuned in to our Partner so that we know when to do our part and when to get out of the way. Enduring trust and love leads us to victory.  Every difficulty becomes an opportunity to witness God’s strength and providence.

Soaking in the Presence

“Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.” (Psalm 51:5 NIV)

My running socks get really dirty. I have to soak them in hot water and soap to get all the dirt out. This is cumbersome. If I skip this step and wash them in the washing machine with the rest of my clothes, the white socks look dingy. Dark socks, on the other hand, don’t show the dirt. Thus, I pay less attention to laundering them.

Sin is like ground-in dirt that is enmeshed in every fiber of our being. It can remain concealed in darkness, but it becomes obvious in the light. Normal methods of purification leave us dingy. Soaking in God’s presence loosens up resentment, insecurities, anger, unforgiveness, apathy, fear, shame, and mistrust. Immersion in God allows us to be permeated by His holiness. This requires extra attention and time. We have to set ourselves apart from the rest. We have to quit being agitated and stop trying to control everything. We have to be still so that we can be saturated by His Spirit.

“God, create a pure heart in me, and renew a right attitude within me. Do not cast me from your presence; do not take your Holy Spirit from me.” (Psalm 51:10-11 ISV)