Special Grace

There are times that we need special grace in our Christian walk. And God has provided this special grace through his Holy Spirit that he is sent to us. It is three times the Holy Spirit comes upon us in a supernatural way that we are able to overcome in situations.

 

It is so awesome to know that God puts his presence on this in such a way to carry out tasks that we could not otherwise carry out on our own. As I look through the word of God at some of these special instances it has been refreshing to know that it happens very often. Peter in the first part of the book of acts when he stood up to preach. Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God. The disciples came together after being attacked for their preaching and once again in their prayer time it says the Holy Spirit filled them and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

 

Stephen was chosen as one of seven in acts chapter 6. And it's interesting to note that the apostles asked the people to choose seven men among them who were known to be full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. How do you know someone is full of the Holy Spirit? I think it is more than one thing that distinguishes a person who is full of the Holy Spirit. I think it is a life that shows the fullness of God and it.

 

But still it does say they were known to be full of the Holy Spirit. This means that people recognize the Holy Spirit's fullness in the seven men as opposed to others not having the fullness of the Holy Spirit. So there was a marked difference between people follow the Holy Spirit and people that were not. I think God's Word gives us a simple answer about the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

 

Being filled with the Holy Spirit is something that is available to everyone of us just for the asking. He, the Holy Spirit, is available in a greater measure to help us in life. Not that he is not with us from the moment Jesus comes into our hearts. But the idea that we can be full of Holy Spirit even after being saved indicates that there is more that God wants to give to us at special moments of me. That is why we need to ask on a daily basis that he fill us with his Holy Spirit so that we would have the grace to walk through our circumstances. The grace to speak the words that we need to speak, to affect the situations that we live in, to touch the lives that need something from the Lord, etc.

 

After seeing numerous instances of the Holy Spirit coming on different ones with a special fullness it is clear that this is something available for us today. I think all of us know there are moments that we need a supernatural or divine aid in order to overcome what we are facing. That is why we have an opportunity to come to the throne of grace and freely ask for help when we need it. Then we will see the Lord fill us with his Holy Spirit and act through us with his power to accomplish his will and our lives.

How do I get help?

So let’s talk for a minute about getting help from God in our daily lives. Great subject. We all need help. So there is where we start. Recognizing that we need help. Hopefully we are already there. If not just keep living day after day and there will be a time that you are not able to take care of everything that is going on in your life. Or you don’t have an answer for what is happening. Maybe things are happening in your life that are totally out of your control.

In other words you didn’t cause it and have no control over its outcome. Especially at those moments all of us are in need of help. And we cannot do anything to change the situation without outside help. It is out of your hands.

So it is in life that all of us will live moments that we recognize a need for help. Now as Christians this is easy because we know we need God and more so every day. Life is not easy. We need divine intervention throughout our existence.

We ask Him for help. There are many promises in the Word of God that address this basic human need. Lord have mercy on us is a common cry. Daily we look to get closer to Him and be more Christ like in every way. This is a goal in life. It is not only a goal but it is the will of the Father that we be like His Son.

Once again the way we get help is to ask. Now let me focus for just a moment on what I just said. We ask! Nothing more is required. This seems to be something that is so simple yet very profound. Just ask. But I have to do something to get what God has for me. Or there needs to be proof that what I am asking for is mine. Why? Is it biblical to ask something of the Lord that He has already promised and then expect some sign or have to perform for it to be ours? Really? Isn’t it as simple as ‘ask and you shall receive’?

The correct answer of course is that if we ask He is faithful to answer. He will give us what we need. Now specifically if we ask for help God will supply help. Ask for the things He has clearly stated in His Word that He wants to give to us. Don’t hesitate and don’t wait for something spectacular to indicate that He has answered.Trust that He is true to His Word and is answering just as He said He would.

Darlene and I have completed 21 days of fasting! What a great experience. We know that we will see the spiritual results for quite some time to come. But we also are more aware of God's purpose and will than before. It is so liberating to stop eating! Not fun! But liberating.

I believe the art of fasting as a spiritual exercise has been all but forgotten. It is still a very viable spiritual weapon to wage warfare against the enemy of our souls. One of the things I will mention that has happened during the fasting time is the fact that we have become more aware of things that we need to pray about specifically and have been able to pinpoint how to pray. It has been great.

Here is a scripture someone shared with me that has great impact. It's meaning was more pronounced while fasting as we realized that God had already prepared the answers to our fasting long before we planned to fast! This is an amazing truth. God knew and prepared exactly what He was going to do in response to our fasting and prayer long before we purposed to seek Him earnestly! Here is the scripture:

Isaiah 65:24 - "Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear."

Isn't it great to know that He has prepared to do for you and I things that we haven't even asked for yet!!! That just causes my faith and love in God grow immensely. He is so awesome!!
Have confidence, ask and seek Him for whatever is going on in your life! Let Him wow you with the answers!

Since last writing Darlene and I along with our church family began a fast. We are now in the fifteeth day consuming only juices. What a great experience. We are convinced by God's Word and experience that fasting has great benefits. The most important are spiritual but there are physical rewards as well. And remember Jesus says in Matthew 6 that when we fast our Father will reward us openly or publically. In other words we are going to see the results.

We are not making God do anything. But we are walking in obedience to His Word and Will. Jesus fasted 40 days before beginning His ministry and also before any miracles took place through Him. That is a strong enough case for me to consider fasting an important part of our walk in the Lord.

So back to where I started. We are planning to complete 21 days total. Feeling great! Has it been hard? Of course it is. But well worth it. And I will try to report more on the results later. What are we expecting? Breakthroughs for us and others that we love. Salvation and deliverance in peoples lives. Divine provision for our people. And much more.

We are also praying and believing for God to move on behalf of our children in many ways as well as in our own lives. Did you know that fasting helps to uproot and remove personal bondages? It can help us break strongholds in our lives to grow and mature in the Lord.

Oh and let's not forget least of all but equally as important is the fact that it promotes health and healing in our bodies. Personally my blood pressure was up a bit. Not high or bad but still at some upper thresholds. Already after seven days of fasting I had my blood pressure checked and it had dropped to a very good level!

Fasting has a lot of benefits for life! Try it!

We just returned from a week long trip to the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico. It was very rewarding as I taught in a new bible institute during the week and then in 5 different churches both in the city of Merida and Cancun. Yes Cancun needs God too! Of course we were not in the tourist area but with the people that live there year round. The Economic crisis the United States has experienced has effected our neighbors below the border. Tourism has been way down. But they seem to be doing a lot better than America economically.
While there we take in some culture when we have a bit of down time. This trip we saw several cenotes among other things. What is a cenote? Basically I think it is a sink hole since most of the peninsula is limestone. These are generally where you can find fresh, cold water. There is always one or more near ancient ruins. Great source of water.
Two of the cenotes we saw were very close to the ocean. It was amazing to see that fresh water was flowing in these sink holes within yards of salt water. It made a scripture come alive for me more than before. That is James 3:10-12 which says that very thing. A spring cannot produce both fresh and salt at the same time. Only one or the other. And then he says our mouths should only be used to bless and not to curse. You can't mix the two.
Well that is quite a lesson. Because we do try to do both constantly. We curse and bless. We really don't like it when someone does something to us so we speak badly or down at them. Or we speak against people to others. We are supposed to function just like a spring and only allow one kind of water come out.
Hmmm we are to be like a spring. Didn't Jesus tell us that we would have springs of water flowing from within us? John 7:38 So those springs that flow out of us should produce only one kind of water! Water that blesses. It should also praise our God. Wow that is something to think about for this year. Let's work on producing what we were called to produce. Sweet water full of blessing for others.

In reading the book of Acts of late I have been spending time looking at the not so obvious information that is written. In particular I read where as Paul began traveling back to Jerusalem on what is known as his third missionary journey, there were several extra travelers. This is found in Acts 19 and 20 if you want to look it up.
Anyway with Paul seems to have picked up people that wanted to see the world and have an adventure. Well maybe that wasn't the reason the went along. But for certain they traveled with Paul because they had a desire to serve the Lord in some capacity like Paul. And it is very much as likely that Paul recognized their passion and call to ministry and as a result asked them to join him.

We know they traveled all the way from Asia to Jerusalem because we find them being mentioned in Jerusalem. And we also know that these men were not all Jews. At least one was a Greek. So all of this is very interesting.

The reason it is interesting is because I can see how Paul trained people utilizing everything available. Hands on ministry rather than seminary or bible institute. They were able to ask questions since they had a lot of time while traveling. Not like a 2 hour plane ride today. We don't have the story of what these men went on to do after this time. We only have the mention of them joining Paul on this journey.

So here is where we add conclusions based on other biblical passages that Paul wrote. In particular we can look at both epistles of Timothy. Surely Paul treated these men like a Timothy. he spoke into their lives, nurtured the call of God on their lives, and more. So even though Acts is silent about what they did we can assume a lot of things from these other scriptures to give us a better picture.

What speaks to me on this point even more than all of that is the fact that these guys chose to travel with him. They must have sensed the hand of God on their lives and needed to do something about it. They wanted to learn more and be better prepared. Their love for God must have been the number one motivator in the decision to travel all the way to Jerusalem. And there is no telling what each of them went on to do. One thing is for sure. They made a decision to leave whatever they were doing to follow Jesus. Not Paul, but Jesus.

Here is one more thing that I gleaned as I read this. Paul wasn't the only one called to do it all as the great apostle. There were other people that were preparing to carry on. Another generation was being prepared.

Anyway a lot more could be said about this but I will stop for now. It has caused me to do some thinking and I hope it feeds your curiosity as well.

I was meditating on one of the most vital things we do as Christians That is the Lord's supper or communion by some. Do this in remembrance of me Jesus stated. Bread and wine(or grape juice by most). Simple elements that hold tremendous spiritual meaning. As a matter of fact these two items represent the blood and body of our Lord Jesus. It speaks of His redemptive nature and salvation. The very core values we believe in.

It is a very important time and one that we should not participate in lightly. We do need to remember His death and resurrection. We need to remember His life as well. Also the body and all Jesus suffered for us and His body whose members are all that believe in Him. There are so many aspects and facets of truth held in what can be described as the 'gospel'. Every time we do it we are remembering what Jesus did for us. But as we remember we are also peeling away layer after layer of truth that is contained in that one act. We are forever learning about the eternal value and completeness of what He has provided for us.

Here is one thought I had in examining the Lord's supper. Actually it has to do with the 'time' in which Jesus instituted this christian tradition. Specifically His first time of teaching was at His last supper but equally important is the fact that He did it before His death. Not after the resurrection when He still walked on the earth for 40 days appearing to the apostles and others. But before He went to the cross. Hmm... This do in remembrance of me.....

Listen to this thought. We always remember His death and yes we are proclaiming His crucifixion or death every time we do it. But He hadn't died yet! Is it possible that we are also to remember His LIFE? Remember how He lived, how He loved?

Didn't He come to show us the Father? He is the manifest glory of God on the earth. He showed us how to live didn't He? And because of the resurrection His LIFE is available for us. I have a renewed desire to SEE how Jesus lived. I believe that I will discover more of how I am to live with His power working in and through me. You see the apostles couldn't remember His death at that moment since He had not yet died. But they could remember His LIFE!