When It's Dark

Recently our group has been in deep prayer for some very sick people that are close to our hearts. Some have been deemed terminal, some are in agony, and most are very young.

In all this sickness we search for God and try to find answers through our prayers, in our fellowship with one another and in the scriptures.

While I was reading "Angels - God's Secret Agents" by Billy Graham, I came across an incident he wrote about on page 106 of the book. I connected what Mr. Graham said right away with those praying for their sick and maybe wondering where God was. It comforted me as a Christian and I wanted to share it with you. Here is what Mr. Graham wrote:

Once when I was going through a dark period I prayed and prayed, but the heavens seemed to be brass. I felt as though God had disappeared and that I was all alone with my trial and burden. It was a dark night for my soul. I wrote my mother about the experience, and will never forget her reply: "Son, there are many times when God withdraws to test your faith. He wants you to trust Him in the darkness. Now, Son, reach up by faith in the fog and you will find that His hand will be there." In tears I knelt by my bed and experienced an overwhelming sense of God's presence. Whether or not we sense and feel the presence of the Holy Spirit or one of the holy angels, by faith we are certain God will never leave us nor forsake us.

Chapter 9 - The Spirit Transforms

Read Galations 5:13-26

(I chose the picture to the right because it represented to me a transformation from the death of unforgiven sin to the fruits of the Holy Spirit as seen in live branches through Christ.)

According to the verses in Galations mentioned above, what are some of the limitations on the freedom we have been set free with?

I guess we can't use this freedom to gratify the desires of our sinful nature. We can't indulge. Have you ever experienced someone thinking "Oh, they think they are saved so they can go do whatever they want."? Do you believe that Catholics just go to their priest and it's as simple as that for them too? We know these statements are not true for Christians.

Doesn't the sinful nature desire what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is contrary to the sinful nature? Do you sense this struggle inside of you?

Indulging our sinful nature plays out in today's society in the form of what is described in verse 19. Obvious is sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. We see hatred, drugs, thieves, rapist, murderer's, greed, sexual acts...and on and on. And this was described over 2000 years ago. Seems like someone knew what they were talking about.

So what is Paul saying when he says in verse 21 that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God? What about those of us who are truly Christians who slip and fall into this behavior? What about those who indulge in this sinful nature without Christ as their savior? What is the difference between the two groups? Hard question.

We resolved that as Christians we will sometimes fall into the desires of this world but will generally not gravitate to that behavior without a sense of dread or guilt and be acutely aware of the sinful indulgence. Most often we turn in regret and ask forgiveness. Or in some cases it may take a very long time once we cross a threshold of no longer controlling ourselves. But with others that have never accepted Christ their sin has not been washed with the blood of Christ yet. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit hasn't happened to them. They are not indulging their desires with regret or even care they are doing wrong. It's all about them and their pleasure without consideration of Christ.

The distinction of the acts of the sinful nature is to help us recognize each other by the fruits of the Spirit. These fruits are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.

We should test our own actions, carry each other's burdens, restore one another gently. We reap what we sow. If we sow to please our sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction, but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Look over the list of qualities that demonstrate the Spirit's presence in your life.

Find the qualities that are least in you and make them a priority for development. Mine is self-control in many forms. It has to stay in front of me at all times and it's hard putting it there. I struggle with love when it comes to strangers or nasty people. I have to remind myself that God loves that person as much as He loves me. Christ completes us. We are better people because of the indwelling of His spirit - I can't imagine what I was like before.

Chapter 8 - The Spirit Equips (Continued)

I left off with a discussion on tongues and my early morning revelations as I pondered our study the Thursday before. Since then we have completed Chapter 8 and continued discussing the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

When it came to the gifts of healing we recognized that this gift wasn’t about producing “Divine Healers”, but rather “Divine Healing”. We discussed many of the public figures of today and included the gift of miraculous powers in the discussion. We accept that God gives these gifts but are also wary of how they are sometimes used - and choose to place our deliberations in the hands of the Holy Spirit to validate and lead.

We then decided that after we completed our next study on the Fruits of the Spirit, we would then study the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and spend more time on each of these. So I won’t write about the Gifts until then. We’ll reserve our thoughts for later, after a more in depth look at the gifts.

But why does Paul talk about the unity of Christ’s body at the same time he talks about Spiritual gifts? The proper use of Spiritual gifts should contribute to the harmonious functioning of the body, in that there are no jealousies, or disputes and that all gifts are important and needed to complete the body. We aren’t to use our gifts in comparison of each other’s worth or to establish our value to the church, as all Spiritual gifts are used as God desires and therefore we can not boast. This “Gift” we did not have until the Holy Spirit gave it to us.

What about the natural gifts some of us are born with? We aren’t born with Gifts of the Holy Spirit but some of us do possess talents that can be used by God. But not everyone is called to use their natural gifts. How many talented people do you see that don’t believe?

When we do discover the gifts of the Holy Spirit that have been given us, we are to use them to benefit the body of Christ - our church which has many limbs in it’s members.

In The Middle of Chapter 8 - The Spirit Equips

Our study of Chapter 8 is being done in two parts. Last Thursday we discussed the Gifts of the Spirit. The conversation was lively and engaging. When we complete Chapter 8 next week I'll update this blog with that study. In the meantime, Friday morning I awoke early.

There I was awake again before the alarm clock went off. This time it wasn’t 3:00 in the morning so I didn’t try to go back to sleep. As I laid there with the covers over my head my thoughts went back to our bible study Thursday night. Again I felt like I interrupted people too many times when they tried to give their opinions. Richard – I think I did this to you a couple of times – I’m so sorry.

When I hear one of you speak it charges me with so many new thoughts and confirmations that sometimes I can’t contain the words that tumble out of my mouth. I’m so eager to engage and discuss that I find myself doing what I don’t want to do - interrupt. To me, hearing truths is like hearing God speak for the first time. It’s as awesome the 900^th time as it was the first time I realized He loved me.

When I prepare for our group, the study doesn’t always open fully to me until I’m with all of you. And when that happens I’m uncontainable and could jump on top of that round table and do a jig for Jesus. Maybe part of this comes from being single and starved for conversations other than those from work.

But you should see me at home when it does open fully for me. I can't type fast enough. I'm laughing and saying out loud, "Yes Jesus - I got that - I hear you - Yes, Yes, Yes." I believe the filling of the Holy Spirit is one of the most joyous experiences a human being can have. I truly have the desire to express this joy with each of you, but I promise to not overtake your time to express yours. So, I will bring a strip of duct tape to our next study. And anyone may apply it when I runneth at the mouth.

So as I lay in bed Friday morning I thought about the gift of tongues. I actually thought about a lot of the gifts of the Spirit and how they relate in our current times. Our world has changed so much in the 2000 years since Christ. But our Father hasn’t. I realize that I need to accept what I can’t explain or understand and just let the Spirit lead me. If people can speak in tongues today as intended by the Spirit, then I guess I need to pray for the ability to discern if what I’m hearing is from man or from God.

Then came my next conclusion. If I can’t understand what the person is saying, or that person doesn’t understand what he is saying either, how can this magnify the church? How can this gift be used to honor our Father? And of course comes the Gift of Interpretation. TA DA! But of course I say. Tongues is only good if followed by interpretation. And again I would apply the same rule. If people can interpret tongues today as intended by the Spirit, then I guess I need to pray for the ability to discern if what I’m hearing is from man or from God.

I guess I wanted you to know that I don't have all the answers and I may not always be right. I think sometimes for days after our study about what was said. These early morning hours are usually filled with thoughts like I've expressed here and can be so revealing at times. My mind can't contain Him. Therefore I need to learn that my limited understanding should not be applied in limiting what my Father is capable of doing, or when, where, and through whomever He chooses.

To the single adults in this group: I want you to know that you inspire me, challenge me, you are my Wednesday night church - you are the lift in my clothesline as it sags from the weight of my laundry. I guess I need to tell you what that means. Some of you already know.

When I was a child I asked my grandfather why we have to go to church so much. We go Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and then again on Wednesday night. Why Wednesday night I asked.

He explained, "You see your grandmother's clothesline out in the back yard? You see the big T Posts on each end that the clotheslines are tied too?"

I said, "Yes grandpa I see what you are talking about."

"Well, each of those poles represents Sunday, the day we go to church." I was somewhat lost but I stayed up with him. He then reminded me, "You know how sometimes the middle of the line sags and the sheets drag in the dirt?"

"Sure", I said. I'd seen my grandpa fix it so the sheets wouldn't drag anymore.

He said, "Now you see that wooden pole I made to help prop up the middle of the line so it wouldn't sag?" Eagerly I said, " Yes." I knew what the pole was for!

"Well, that's Wednesday night church. Our spirits sag between Sunday to Sunday so we need a lift in the middle of the week.

You are the lift in my clothesline - my Wednesday night church.

Chapter 7 - The Spirit Liberates

What is the source of your freedom? Where does it come from?

For Christians the source of real liberation is the Spirit of God. He liberates the human spirit from bondage to the old masters of sin and death.

Try to imagine life for Paul when he lived under the old taskmasters of the law, sin and death. Paul (Saul at the time) was a very respected Pharisee. He was a scholar of the Torah, the five books from Moses, Bereshit, Shemot, Vayikra, Bemidbar and Devarim (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) and of the oral laws of restriction and commands from his era, now found in the Talmud.

You've heard how doctors make the worst patients? Why is that do you think? Possibly because they know too much and may fear the treatment? I think of Paul in this way when I contemplate what it was like to live under the law as he did. He knew so much of the only text available to anyone of his times; taught from it, killed from it, admonished from it. But when it came time for his own treatment do you think he struggled with and feared failure? In those dark corners where there is just him and God, do you think he succumbed to the realization that they were forever locked into a perpetual life of sacrifice? Do you think he struggled with how fallible he was? Can you see the chains now?

So, how did God set us free from the condemnation of the law? First of all the law was holy and good. It was not evil - it came from God. The problem was in our own sinful nature. Whoever tried to keep the law failed. So God sent his own Son to remove the burden of the law from us by offering himself as an eternal sacrifice for our sin. (Pop! There goes a link in that sin chain of bondage!)

Then, how does God set us free from being dominated by our sinful nature? It's by being controlled by the Spirit instead of being controlled by the sinful mind. We either live in accordance with our sinful nature or we live in accordance with the Spirit. BUT HOW? I HAVE SO MUCH TO GET RID OF! The indwelling of the Holy Spirit, that supernatural spirit of the Father living inside us, counters our sinful nature. Do you now utter to yourself things like - "Oh!! That shouldn't have come from me!" when before it was common behaviour and you never considered it? This is the Holy Spirit countering your sinful nature. He intercedes and teaches, convicts and converts. (Pop! There goes the link that says "You don't have the ability to change.")

But what about death. How does God set us free from this? First, we were dead in our spirit toward God but now our spirit has been made alive. Second, the death of our body will be overcome by our future resurrection. The Spirit is active in both. Our body dies to our sin but our spirit is alive because of righteousness. If His Spirit is in us, He that rose Christ will also raise us. And no power on earth can separate us from the love of God. (POP POP - The chain of death broken at the cross)

Why do we still try to submit to the authority of legalism? We are still flesh and it still has sinful ways. We will battle these sinful urgings. As we cultivate our lives in the realm of the Spirit we become more accustomed to a life of godliness - Less Flesh - More Spirit. (Pop - The link of thinking "It's going to be a breeze" is broken - Satan can't use this to bring us down)

Where can I find the strength to battle this sinful nature? We can come to God now as one of his children. There is no more condemnation of our sins. Take confidence in this. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is from God to you - take confidence that you belong to Him. We are not alone anymore with the law and our perpetual sacrifice. (Pop - the chain of weakness is destroyed)

And when I am weak how does this Spirit minister to me? What should I pray for? We do not know what we ought to pray for but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. (Broken - The chains of self-reliance are crushed.)

Can you see the broken chains at the foot of the cross? Death couldn't keep Him, the grave couldn't contain Him and through Him I am saved. My sin is no longer seen by the Father. I am free.