Category: Holy Spirit

  • Sealed – Holy Spirit Guaranteed

    artists conception of Noah's ark

    One of the things that always amazes me is how often we miss  critical details when we read familiar Bible stories. It may be because we have heard or read them so often that we don’t actually read them.

    Let me cite a couple of examples from the account of Noah and the flood.

    How many animals did Noah allow into the ark? Most people will say that’s easy. It’s two; he brought the animals onboard two by two.

    The Bible has a different answer.

    Then the Lord said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation. Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and his mate, and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and his mate, and seven pairs of the birds of the heavens also, male and female, to keep their offspring alive on the face of all the earth. Genesis 7:1-3 ESV

    There are pairs, seven pairs for clean animals and birds and a single pair for the unclean.

    How did the Ark stay afloat when everything else, including boats, was destroyed?

    Was it the construction? God gave very explicit instructions about how to build it.

    And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of gopher wood.Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits,its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks.  Genesis 6:13-16 ESV

    That may be part of the reason, but the larger portion of the answer is recorded elsewhere.

    And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. And the Lord shut him in. Genesis 7:16 ESV

    The ark remained afloat, keeping its inhabitants safe because the Lord sealed them in and the flood out.

    The Lord who sealed the ark for Noah, thus protecting Him, is the same Lord who seals us when we are Christians. It’s why Paul could say with confidence,

    Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. Romans 8:35-37 ESV

    Jesus put it this way:

    I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. John 10:28-29 ESV

    Believers are sealed in by God. What a blessing.

    Be blessed

    Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

    Kevin

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  • Bearing spiritual fruit

    bowl of green grapes next to watermelon slice

    Christianity is incredibly simple: we trust in Christ for His grace  and mercy, and the Spirit conforms us into His image now and forevermore. He works to bring us fruit of the Spirit.

    Yet, at the same time, it’s anything but easy. We know His grace will produce transformation and good works in us. That means we look to ourselves and others seeking to see those works and changes.

    In seeking to be like Him, we can quickly produce fruitless works and become judgmental. 

    The works/grace balance is a challenge. We can become so works-focused that we become legalistic or so “grace” focused that we become libertine.

    Last week, I wrote extensively about what Christians ought to do or be or how they should think. From that, you might think I was advocating some form of works-based righteousness or a scale of merit.

    Not at all; only the work of the Spirit can produce meaningful changes. We can never make God love us more than He does right now. He loves his children without measure. 

    We are made new, sealed by the Spirit, and being made into the image of Christ. We are adopted into the family of God and made coheirs with Christ. We are blood-bought, Spirit-filled people, chosen of God. Our future and salvation are secure in Him.

    We can relax and take comfort in living in the shadow of the resurrection. Yet, we must never become complacent. We must constantly review our lives and behaviors.

    His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellenceby which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:3-11 ESV

    Examine the type of fruit you are producing. Is it small, sour grapes or large, juicy watermelons? Are you more like Christ than you were before?

    May you walk in His grace and discover a greater capacity for love, forgiveness, and abundant fruitfulness. May the fruit of the Spirit flourish abundantly within you.

    Kevin

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