Tag Archive: Holy Spirit

I must handle anger better than the most religious people!

I must live more righteously than the most religious people, the people who make a show of keeping all of the rules in their own strength. Jesus’ first example of this is that I must handle my anger better than the most religious people do, and better than the traditional interpretations of the Law of Moses prescribed. I am responsible not only for letting the Spirit control my anger, but for doing what I can, led by the Spirit, to avoid giving a brother or sister an occasion to develop a grudge against me. If I love my brother or sister, I will try to reconcile with them promptly when I know I have aroused their anger.

Greatness in the Kingdom: Doing versus Breaking the Law

If I am truly living in the Kingdom of the Heavens, living under the direction and power of the Holy Spirit, God will be fulfilling the purpose of the Law through me, the same way Jesus did during his earthly ministry. But If I use my freedom as an opportunity for my flesh, to mistreat or exploit my fellow believers, I am breaking the Law. If I bite and devour another believer, I have broken the whole Law–and I should fear being bitten and devoured myself. If I teach others that there are exceptions to the Law of Love, I am teaching others to “break” God’s commandments and am the least in the Kingdom. Whenever I let the Holy Spirit do his walking through my feet, his work through my hands and his speaking through my mouth, I am free from the Law, free to do whatever the Spirit directs. I won’t be doing what the flesh tells me to do, biting and devouring my fellows. The Spirit then fulfills the Law in me, and I am free.

Love Never Behaves Inappropriately, a personal aside

To understand how to love people in each specific situation, I must ask God and listen to His answer. This is particularly important for me because of my condition. I can’t fake it.

Encouragers/ Exhorters: Be who you are!

Each member has his or her own gifts, which are not the same as those of other members. The Church needs all our gifts. We are to be the persons that God has made us to be fully, unreservedly, completely in proportion to the faith. To Encouragers/ Exhorters, God says: “Be who you are!” The rest of us would be in a bad place without you!

Warning: Spiritual Encouragement/ Exhortation Causes Paroxysms!

If we are doing what we are supposed to be doing, we should expect to see some earthquakes, volcanoes, seizures, fires, and other things that drastically change the lives of the people around us–though in a good direction–toward love and good deeds.

One who is born of the Holy Spirit is unpredictable like the wind, and so we will be, if we live by Him.

What is born of the Spirit is unpredictable, like the wind. But we generally prefer to avoid individuals who can trigger the types of violent course correction—paroxysmon—spoken of in Hebrews 10:24.

God’s Work and Voice in Me, Part 7E: God’s Voice in the New Testament

The voice of God as found being spoken to various people in the New Testament, both publicly and privately.

Part 7C: God Speaks to Us–He Never Quit Speaking

This post and the linked video discuss a few New Testament passages in which God tells us that he intends to continue communicating with us. This set of passages have at least plausible interpretations that do not require present-time vocal communication. The next video will cover passages that appear to require current-time spoken communication.

You Are Not the One to Build, Part 7A: God Uses No Cookie Cutters

God uses our uniqueness and gives unique gifts and roles. He does not make interchangeable, cookie-cutter believers for our administrative convenience. Examples: the first deacons, Stephen, Philip. Paul and the anomalous New Testament prophets.

You Are Not the One to Build, Part 6B: Spiritual Gifts: God Works through us for His Purpose

The modern emphasis on first identifying my “gift” so that I may then “help” God develop it gets the matter exactly backwards. The important thing isn’t identifying my gift, it is offering my body as a living sacrifice so that the Spirit may exercise any gift He chooses through me. Then any gift I am observed to be actually exercising can be identified as my gift, and its exercise will be genuine and have God’s power.