Posts Tagged: the Holy Spirit
“The Some/Son-One Who is With Us”
A friend of mine, for whom I am an accountability partner, reported that, despite some temptations, he had done well. My reply was as follows:
“Well done! Thanks for the update!
I have heard it said, as you have also no doubt, that ‘God had one Son without sin, but no sons without temptation.’ It is good to always remember that Someone (who is also the Sonone/won) is with us at all times.”
I love playing with words, as you can tell from the above.
But this business of not being alone is not play. Aloneness (or rather, loneliness) is no laughing matter. Most of us feel lonely at times—even when we’re surrounded by people.
Addicts in particular tend to feel alone. We frequently struggle with both self-hatred and loneliness. To be imprisoned in solitary confinement with someone you hate is double punishment.
When an addict attends his/her first meeting, he/she frequently hears the words “You are not alone.” Addicts hear the stories of others, and realize that perhaps, just maybe, they are not the only ones who struggle. They are not, as “terminally unique” as they had thought. And of course in the expression “terminally unique,” the emphasis is on “terminally”—as in terminally sick.
For those of us who are Christians, it is more than knowing that there are other people who share our struggles. Christians believe that, in Jesus Christ, God took on a human identity, and experienced temptation and struggle just as we do.
Christians also believe that this same Jesus was raised from the dead, has ascended to Heaven, and has sent us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is Jesus’ personal re-presentative. That is to say, the Holy Spirit is Jesus’ presence within and among those of us who are believers.
Now, I must confess that most of the time I don’t feel real holy-spirit-y, or Jesus-y. Most of the time, I feel entirely too me-ish. However, I refuse to dumb down my beliefs to match what I feel like.
I believe that, even when my wife is out shopping (as she is right now), I am still not alone. I believe that Someone is with me at all times—Someone who has been tempted, who has struggled, and who always stands ready to help.
Jesus said, just before his ascension to Heaven, “I am with you, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Either Jesus was telling me the truth, or my feelings are. I think I’ll go with Jesus on this one!
“NO IMMEDIATE CONSEQUENCES?”
Some of my friends got together for a breakfast the other day. One of the guys asked a very provocative question: “If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?”
Some said one thing. Some said another. I said, “I don’t know.”
The most interesting response was from Brian, who said, “I would make the consequences of all actions immediate.”
I thought this was interesting at the time. The more I’ve thought about it, the more interesting it has become.
But who says that it isn’t already so? Don’t our actions have immediate consequences?
No, in fact the Bible itself seems to acknowledge this reality of deferred consequences, and its problematic nature. For example, Ecclesiastes 8:11 says, “Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil” (English Standard Version). However, Ecclesiastes is a pretty cynical book, and needs to be read and quoted with great care. (In fact, I encourage people not to read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance or the book of Ecclesiastes when they are already mildly depressed.)
On the other hand, I wonder if, in the most profound sense, the most serious consequences of all actions are not immediate. Or, at least, the consequences follow very quickly on the heels of our actions. I overeat, and it doesn’t take very long at all before I feel too full, guilty, and sluggish. I speak unkindly to my wife, and regret that I have hurt her.
However, there is a problem: If I do not swiftly heed my immediate consequences, it doesn’t take long before I am not able to take heed to those immediate consequences. Before long, I persuade myself that there aren’t any immediate consequences.
Why? I suspect that the answer is this: One of the first consequences of every wrong action is that our conscience is numbed. The Bible also acknowledges this. For example, Hebrews 3:13 says, “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” (English Standard Version)
Hardened by the deceitfulness of sin! Yes, I’m afraid that I have way too much experience with that. You?
Sin is a lot like certain deadly viruses and cancers. Like those viruses and cancers, the first thing that happens is that sin turns off our immune system.
Or, to change the analogy, like a burglar, sin first turns off the alarm system. Then, sin steals our joy, good relationships, peace, and self-respect. Soon, we are an empty and haunted house.
Well, this is a cheery thought on an overcast day, isn’t it?! Is there any hope? How about a little sunshine? I am glad that you asked!
According to the New Testament and classic Christian theology, Jesus Christ died for all our sins and their consequences. He took the whole tangled mess that is us upon himself. And that mess that is us killed him.
However, rumor has it that he didn’t stay dead. And when he came out of the tomb, according to the New Testament, we came out with him.
And so did our innocence.
And after his resurrection, Jesus, along with God the Father, sent the Holy Spirit to live in us. We now have the Holy Spirit living in us. And the Holy Spirit doesn’t put up with any crap from us. The power of immediate consequences is one of the gifts that God gives us through his Holy Spirit.
And we should thank God every day for the gift of immediate consequences.
DOWN TO EARTH BELIEVER
- “Even a Sliver of Light” April 9, 2024“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 5:6, English Standard Version) I missed the total eclipse yesterday. There were a number of good reasons for this, but […]
- “The Process in Miracles and the Miracle of Process” March 11, 2024“2 Kings 5:1 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. 2 Now the Syrians on one of their raids […]
- “The Power of Encouragement—Even for Old People” March 10, 2024“But encourage each other every day while it is ‘today.’ Help each other so none of you will become hardened because sin has tricked you.” (Hebrews 3:13, New Century Version) Yesterday, I was walking at a nearby park. There was a large group of young people some of whom were running while other young people […]
- “Endurance” March 10, 2024“For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.” (Hebrews 10:36, English Standard Version) “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us […]
- “The Limits of Non-Judgmentalism” February 24, 2024“Matt. 7:1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. Matt. 7:2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:1-2, English Standard Version) This morning, in my virtual 12-step meeting, we discussed the topic of judgmentalism. There were many wise […]
- “Delighting in Being Told What to Do?!?” February 23, 2024“Psa. 112:1 Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! 2 His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures […]
- “Character is the Real Lesson” January 19, 2024I am often confused about what lesson I’m really supposed to be learning. For example, this morning I was trying to knock out several Spanish lessons. My intentions were a lot better than my internet connection. I’ve done three lessons. Or rather, I’ve done two lessons. One of them I did twice because the internet […]
- “The Year of Becoming Un-Planked” January 1, 2024Each year, I try to come up with one word or a short phrase for what I intend to work on in the upcoming year. 2024 is “The Year of Becoming Un-Planked”. What?!! What does that even mean? So glad that you asked! Jesus said to his disciples, “Why do you look at the speck […]
- “Searching for the Noble One” December 26, 2023My wife and I were reading Luke, chapter 2 on Christmas Day. Luke 2 talks about the shepherds being told to look for this very special child—in fact, this King—in a stable. I prefer the word “barn”. I grew up on a farm. I know what a barn is. A stable is entirely too biblical […]
- “That Don’t Impress God Much” December 14, 2023DTEB, “That Don’t Impress God Much” “That Don’t Impress Me Much” (Song by Robert John Lange and Shania Twain) Micah 6:8 (MSG) “But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be […]
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