Blog Archives -

Claiming the Promise

5/25/2015

Yesterday was Pentecost Sunday, a day that is so often overlooked in many Protestant churches. I heard a preacher once say, "Bethlehem is God with us. Easter is God for us. Pentecost is God in us.

This event is described in Acts 2, when about 120 believers were gathered. They prayed and asked for the Holy Spirit, and God complied. The Holy Spirit showed up and filled the believers in an amazing way, and not just to a select few. The Spirit doesn't discriminate. There were men and women, servants...all have access to this power.

They asked for the Holy Spirit. This does not happen spontaneously. The people gathered were mature in their faith. They understood what was required of them as Christians, and they carried out their responsibilities (preaching, teaching, praying, living in an honourable way, etc.). When we first become believers the Holy Spirit does come upon us and brings us into the body of believers. However, after we mature in our faith and learn what we've really signed up for, there is a second, powerful infilling of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Nazarenes call this entire sanctification. Other denominations have other names for it.

This is a very distinct experience. You know when it happens to you! It's not some warm, fuzzy feeling in your soul. It is power and authority and confidence! I remember my sanctification experience. It stays with me. It carries me through the tough times. The Holy Spirit encourages me and calms me. The Holy Spirit creates a fire in my soul.

So seek the Spirit. Learn about it. Ask God for the Holy Spirit and when you're ready, God will give you what you desire.

Scheming Swindler or Fervent Disciple?

5/12/2015

"The Bible is very easy to understand. But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we understand, we are obliged to act accordingly." - Soren Kierkegaard

I, like many, have experienced this in my life. Feigning ignorance at a job so I would be able to pawn the work off on someone else. Pretending I don't know what cycle to set on the washing machine so my sister or mom or dad would do laundry and I could do something more fun. Most of the time, as you mature, you get past those phases. I now have a desire to prove myself at work so I jump in when there's a job to get done. I am now fully able and willing to do my own laundry (although I still don't sort my clothes).

However, people often get stuck in this "phase" when it comes to their relationship with God. I have experienced this and even now I am still guilty of it every once in a while. Oh, we are excellent at justifying our own ignorance. The Bible is full of mysteries. God never meant for us to understand everything. We walk by faith not sight, right?

It's time to grow up. Stop making excuses for your spiritual laziness. Put in the work, because the reward will be way better than the raise you get at your job for your hard work. It will feel better than putting on freshly laundered clothes. You will get to feel the power of the Holy Spirit! You will experience sanctification and you will never be the same. Graduating from "scheming swindler" to disciple was one of the most liberating, important, and gratifying decisions I ever made.

Kierkegaard, one of my favourite philosophers had much to say to God's people. Please read this article in Relevant Magazine for more of his most challenging remarks.

0 Comments

Claiming the Promise

Scheming Swindler or Fervent Disciple?

Pastor Megan

Archives

Categories