After preaching on 2 Peter 1 yesterday, and the list of attitudes and characteristics we are to build upon for a sanctified life, I saw this devotion by Jill Driscoe. Taking a pen I wrote down the 2 lists side by said to see if or what differences there might be. I won’t tell you what I discovered because you may, if you desire, come up with something different for YOU! And how is that possible? The Holy Spirit! He is the PERSONAL teacher and Director of YOUR faith… YOUR Prompter! We are NOT the same and what he wants YOU to discover will be applicable for YOUR Gift and Call. So… WHAT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT PROMPTING YOU TO LEARN?
“But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law.” Galatians 5:22-23
What is the evidence of the Holy Spirit’s working in us? Present-tense Christianity doesn’t live itself out in memories of past churchgoing but vibrates with vitality in the here-and-now. Our “sinful nature loves to do evil” (Galatians 5:17), and it can easily be fed with wrong food, such as what we see on TV, what we read, and what we think about.
Even after we become believers, we still have that sin nature, and it declares war on the Holy Spirit. The reason for this conflict of interests between the old and new natures inside a Christian is that the old nature wants to go on being sinful and selfish, while the new nature of Christ, imparted by the Holy Spirit, wants to be just like Christ! “The Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires” (5:17). Christ urges us not to give in to the selfish, insistent voice that tells us to shut our ears to the Spirit’s prompting and do our own thing. He urges us to heed his whisper and obey his word. The prompter at a play stands in the wings, eyes fastened to the script. If an actor stumbles, the prompter is quick to prompt so that the actor can do and say the right thing at the right time. We need to listen to our prompter, Christ himself.
We are to keep in step with the Spirit. Only with his help can we live the holy lives that God wants us to live.
For further study: Galatians 5:16-26
In College, I had a GREAT History professor that said that we got Columbus Day all wrong! Chris wasn’t financed by the Queen of Spain.. but by Jews who were looking to find a place to go to escape the inquisition! He DIDN’T discover America but the West Indies! And History rewriters are working to rename this Indiginouse People’s Day… to celebrate the folks who USED to live here!!! Confused??
The point is… don’t be a wishy washy, non learning, non growing confused Believer in Jesus Christ. Because There WILL be a test! Your answers determine your future residence! Happy Whatever Day! Enjoy the Savior!
