We don't need "balance", we just need "truth."
Whenever I hear the word balance I am reminded of the Muslim man who said that in order to get into heaven they must weigh their good deeds on a scale with their bad deeds and if the scale tips in the right direction, then they are admitted into heaven.
When we are believers we do not balance things, a little of this and a little of that so that everything is equal.
We are unbalanced, our scale tips only in one direction and that is the direction of truth which is in Christ alone.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Compelled by the Holy Spirit
I am convinced that we attempt to understand the Word of God in terms of our cultural mindset., rather than seeking the Lord for His meaning through instruction of the Holy Spirit.
There were no marketing gimmicks used in the time of the apostles, to lure the people to Christ. They spoke the straight truth with no parties or thrills to make Christ attractive.
What they did do, was to open their homes and through hospitality and straight talk, to convince and reason with those who entered there, they presented the gospel.
Acts 28:23-27
King James Version (KJV)
23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.
24 And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.
25 And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,
26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:
27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them."
It is no wonder we have little opportunity to share with others, we have full schedules, doing pleasurable and worthless things that entertain us, to be available at home for others.
We have call waiting, if we choose to ignore a phone call because our favorite show is on, we can do that. If we do not want to be disturbed during a ball game, we can require our friends and family to call before they come, so we will not miss all our pleasures.
The devil has cleverly filled up our time with every sort of entertainment and pleasure we choose, leaving no time to develop relationship or spend long hours reading His Word and praying.
These distractions have left us seeking a "fast food" doctrine, based on our own desires, heavily colored and peppered with our cultural leanings.
How can we hear the Holy Spirit through all that noise? We muddle along attempting to use our own human minds to figure things out, when God speaks we either don't hear Him or we interpret His Words in terms of our desires, our culture and our pleasure.
There is only one cure for this, to turn off all the distractions and spend time with the Lord. Say no, more often, to those who would take up our time on useless things or even things that are good, but that God never asked us to do.
Not everything we are asked to do by people, are what God has called us to do, no matter how good the cause may be.
If God calls us to do something, we will be so compelled that doing it will not be anything we have to pray about, our soul will flood with desire for it, we will not be able to turn it down. No effort to try to obey will be necessary.
Do we have to ask to breathe? Do we have to ask to feed our bodies? When we are called to a matter, it will be as natural as these things.
Acts 20:22 "And now, behold, I go compelled in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:"
Mark 1:12-13 "12 And immediately the spirit driveth (compelled) Him into the wilderness. 13 And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him."
Compelled: Driven, get by force!
If we are not sure and agonize over whether or not to do something, then it is not the Holy Spirit. It may be our own desire or others placing pressure on us. Wait on the Lord for your instructions, He will compel us when He is giving us a command, there will be no question that it is He Who commands us.
There were no marketing gimmicks used in the time of the apostles, to lure the people to Christ. They spoke the straight truth with no parties or thrills to make Christ attractive.
What they did do, was to open their homes and through hospitality and straight talk, to convince and reason with those who entered there, they presented the gospel.
Acts 28:23-27
King James Version (KJV)
23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.
24 And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.
25 And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,
26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:
27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them."
It is no wonder we have little opportunity to share with others, we have full schedules, doing pleasurable and worthless things that entertain us, to be available at home for others.
We have call waiting, if we choose to ignore a phone call because our favorite show is on, we can do that. If we do not want to be disturbed during a ball game, we can require our friends and family to call before they come, so we will not miss all our pleasures.
The devil has cleverly filled up our time with every sort of entertainment and pleasure we choose, leaving no time to develop relationship or spend long hours reading His Word and praying.
These distractions have left us seeking a "fast food" doctrine, based on our own desires, heavily colored and peppered with our cultural leanings.
How can we hear the Holy Spirit through all that noise? We muddle along attempting to use our own human minds to figure things out, when God speaks we either don't hear Him or we interpret His Words in terms of our desires, our culture and our pleasure.
There is only one cure for this, to turn off all the distractions and spend time with the Lord. Say no, more often, to those who would take up our time on useless things or even things that are good, but that God never asked us to do.
Not everything we are asked to do by people, are what God has called us to do, no matter how good the cause may be.
If God calls us to do something, we will be so compelled that doing it will not be anything we have to pray about, our soul will flood with desire for it, we will not be able to turn it down. No effort to try to obey will be necessary.
Do we have to ask to breathe? Do we have to ask to feed our bodies? When we are called to a matter, it will be as natural as these things.
Acts 20:22 "And now, behold, I go compelled in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:"
Mark 1:12-13 "12 And immediately the spirit driveth (compelled) Him into the wilderness. 13 And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him."
Compelled: Driven, get by force!
If we are not sure and agonize over whether or not to do something, then it is not the Holy Spirit. It may be our own desire or others placing pressure on us. Wait on the Lord for your instructions, He will compel us when He is giving us a command, there will be no question that it is He Who commands us.
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