Archive for May, 2017

Our Specific Promise

Monday, May 1st, 2017

Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT in Romans chapter 8:

11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

As true believers we have the life-giving Holy Spirit dwelling in us as we should encourage the sensitivity to this reality.  Listening to loud music or other distractions does not encourage the ability to hear The Holy Spirit within us.  Jesus often separated Himself to spend time with FATHER and the Holy Spirit in full communion.  We should do the same for He is our example.  HIS Spirit dwells in us so we don’t have to travel to some distant location to hear HIS Spirit.  Our prayer closet is always close at hand no matter where we find ourselves.

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.

13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Our promise is simple- the more time we spend being led by THE SPIRIT of FATHER, the more mature Sons we will be.  Some may get off track by pursuing tradition and doctrines of men.  Others may be taken in by deceitful lusts or crafty schemes of the wicked one.  How do you protect your self from these rabbit trails?  By doing nothing until THE SPIRIT directs you.  The story of Lazarus provides us an excellent example in John chapter 11:

1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

2 It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.

3 Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”

4 When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.

Everyone knew Jesus had the power and authority to heal Lazarus but yet He did not immediately go to him.  FATHER told Jesus of the plan to raise Lazarus from the dead thus He waited two days as instructed by FATHER.  This made no sense to the disciples, Martha, or Mary but it did not matter, Jesus was being led by THE SPIRIT.

17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days.

18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away.

19 And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

20 Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house.

21 Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.

22 But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”

23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead at the appropriate time.  There is now no question Jesus has power over death and is able to give life to our mortal bodies through His Spirit Who dwells in us.   It is our responsibility to become more sensitive to THE SPIRIT in us so we walk and are led by THE SPIRIT and not by our own logic and reasoning.  If Jesus was required to wait two extra days, don’t be surprised if FATHER has us wait beyond our expectation in any given circumstance.  We must trust The Holy Spirit and know that our best interest is first and foremost in the eyes of Our Heavenly Father Who Loves us.