When I think of Isaiah 55, I think firstly of the verse which says "for my thoughts are not your thoughts says the Lord, and my ways are not your ways says the Lord. For my thoughts are higher than your thoughts and my ways higher than your ways..." What the Lord recently spoke to me about this passage of scripture is that thoughts precede ways. That is what we do is ultimately a result of what we think upon. Proverbs tells us that "as a man thinks in his heart so is he", so what we think about and if we know about the truth than what we do will come out of what we know or think about.
When Jesus on the way to Jerusalem cursed the fig tree for having not fruit, even though it was not the season for fruit, he did so because fruit is what is meant to come out of the tree. In the same way in the parable of the talents, the King cursed the wicked servant not because he did wrong, but because he did nothing. When we know the truth, the truth will set us free, but it is our response to the knowing the truth that brings our freedom.
The Laodicean church was wicked because they were lukewarm, that is, not being hot nor cold. Scripture in this case even says it would be better to be either hot or cold rather than lukewarm. Being lukewarm meant that they had no reaction or change in their lives and in the same way the church is meant to react to God's resident power in us. Once again Christ refers to salt being useless once it loses it's saltiness, only good to be thrown out and trodden on by strangers, light also is only good when it is exposed or seen by others. Hiding our light or what we believe does no good to those around us.
What does all of this mean for me as a believer and a member of the body of Christ? It means there should be a reaction to God's presence and power at work in my life, such as Paul says "the love of God compels us", and it should compel us to bring the change in the spiritual atmosphere wherever we go or wherever we find ourselves!
Sunday, 29 May 2016
Monday, 9 May 2016
Groanings of the Spirit - Romans 8
As I was singing and praising God, predominantly in the Spirit this last Sunday night whilst attending a prayer and worship night, the Holy Spirit began to speak to me about the groaning's of the Spirit that Paul talks about in Romans chapter 8. This is a subject that Paul repeats over and over again in this book and most obviously in this chapter of Romans.
It occurred to me whilst praying that the singing I was doing in the Spirit was in fact groaning, for one I did not know the words I was speaking and two I sensed in my Spirit that I was praying for the region in which I lived. Whilst we understand from 1Corinthians 14 that we can sing in Spirit and still not understand what we are singing, I believe the Holy Spirit was testifying that what was taking place was very specific.
Also, after the conclusion of the meeting, a brother came up to me and confirmed what I felt by saying the Lord Jesus had spoken to him and said that what I was doing was good, referring to the time I was praying and singing in the Spirit.
This groaning of the Spirit that I sensed whilst in prayer and worship according to Romans 8 has a number of benefits to our prayers. According to Romans 8:27 the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, that is he prays or stands in the gap for us when we don't know how to pray. He does this with groanings which are inexpressible! See also Rom 8:23
Secondly, again in Romans 8:26 the Holy Spirit teaches us to pray and helps us in our weaknesses. So He is able to teach us what, how and when to pray and although our weaknesses will cause us to fail, it is in our weaknesses that the Holy Spirit can become our strength just as Paul acknowledged in his own weaknesses. Romans 8:6-9 tells us that the Spirit carries our thoughts to the Father as we set our minds on the Spirit.
Thirdly, again in Romans 8:26 He says He aids us and tells us how to pray and what to pray when we ourselves don't know how. In this we truly understand that He is the "Helper" and one who walks along side of us through life's journey.
Fourthly, He brings our prayers to God and interprets them, speaking not so much that has come from our lips as from our hearts. Indeed He is a God that searches the heart of man. Though what comes out of man is what determines who he is, it is what God sees on our hearts that shows our true intent. It is therefore the things of the Spirit that we must meditate on and pray those things come from our lips.
God Bless
It occurred to me whilst praying that the singing I was doing in the Spirit was in fact groaning, for one I did not know the words I was speaking and two I sensed in my Spirit that I was praying for the region in which I lived. Whilst we understand from 1Corinthians 14 that we can sing in Spirit and still not understand what we are singing, I believe the Holy Spirit was testifying that what was taking place was very specific.
Also, after the conclusion of the meeting, a brother came up to me and confirmed what I felt by saying the Lord Jesus had spoken to him and said that what I was doing was good, referring to the time I was praying and singing in the Spirit.
This groaning of the Spirit that I sensed whilst in prayer and worship according to Romans 8 has a number of benefits to our prayers. According to Romans 8:27 the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, that is he prays or stands in the gap for us when we don't know how to pray. He does this with groanings which are inexpressible! See also Rom 8:23
Secondly, again in Romans 8:26 the Holy Spirit teaches us to pray and helps us in our weaknesses. So He is able to teach us what, how and when to pray and although our weaknesses will cause us to fail, it is in our weaknesses that the Holy Spirit can become our strength just as Paul acknowledged in his own weaknesses. Romans 8:6-9 tells us that the Spirit carries our thoughts to the Father as we set our minds on the Spirit.
Thirdly, again in Romans 8:26 He says He aids us and tells us how to pray and what to pray when we ourselves don't know how. In this we truly understand that He is the "Helper" and one who walks along side of us through life's journey.
Fourthly, He brings our prayers to God and interprets them, speaking not so much that has come from our lips as from our hearts. Indeed He is a God that searches the heart of man. Though what comes out of man is what determines who he is, it is what God sees on our hearts that shows our true intent. It is therefore the things of the Spirit that we must meditate on and pray those things come from our lips.
God Bless
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)