Dirty Bible, Clean Heart

  "God had one son on earth without sin, but never one without suffering ." -Saint Augustine  "For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ." -2 Cor 1:5 I don't think that any of us particularly enjoy suffering. In fact, we spend most of our time trying to avoid even the least bit of it. I was reminded of this during the beginning of this Covid-19 pandemic when I saw the massive crowds rushing to the grocery store purchasing what seemed like an excessive amount of food and toilet paper. I understand that these shopping patterns were mainly driven by fear, but it made my point nonetheless. As humans we cringe at even the thought of the slightest discomfort. Even natural forces such as wind and water do this. The theory is rightly termed the path of least resistance . And this is the path that we often take, sometimes even unknowingly to us. However following Jesus will at times require us to go through ...

"If we think of the Holy Spirit only as an impersonal power or influence, then our thought will constantly be, how can I get hold of and use the Holy Spirit; but if we think of Him in the biblical way as a divine Person , infinitely wise, infinitely holy, infinitely tender, then our thought will constantly be, 'How can the Holy Spirit get hold of and use me?" -R.A. Torrey After reading Part I of this series, you should be well aware that the Holy Spirit is not an it but a Person . I repeatedly stress this point because so long as we subconsciously think of the Holy Spirit as an it or gift, we will never treat Him as a Person nor seek a relationship with Him. So long as we consider Him a "lesser god" or an experience, we will use Him instead of being used by Him. But the life that Jesus lived on Earth gives us a very different picture of what our attitude towards and relationship with the Holy Spirit should look like. 1 Peter 2:21 states that Jesus is the exam...

"You might as well try to see without eyes, hear without ears, or breathe without lungs, as to try to live the Christian life without the Holy Spirit". -D.L. Moody Who is the Holy Spirit? The answer to this question has brought much confusion to the church (and even the secular world) in recent decades. Many have limited the Holy Spirit to speaking in tongues and outward manifestations of God's power. The Holy Spirit has become an  it  in some Christian circles while in others He is completely neglected and regarded as unnecessary. It is somewhat shocking how far we have strayed from God's plan for the Holy Spirit in our lives. A quick read of the book of Acts alone shows us the importance of this wonderful Person in our Christian walk. Apart from our salvation, which the Holy Spirit guarantees, there is nothing so important in our lives as knowing, loving, and yielding to the Holy Spirit. Though countless books, teachings, and sermons could be produced on Him...

"God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him."  -Andrew Murray  We have been talking a great deal on prayer. Why? Because prayer is absolutely essential to the Christian life. We pray because God loves us and prayer is simply our response to His love. True prayer is spending time with the Lord. One of my favorite Scriptures in the Bible is Romans 5:8 which says,  "But God commends his love toward us, in that,  while we were yet sinners , Christ died for us."  Many of us know this verse yet still look at prayer as something I  have  to do as opposed to something I  choose to invest  in. However, when the Holy Spirit bring us a true revelation of God's love for us, prayer will cease to be a chore. It will stop being the activity you dread but will become the  lifestyle  you adopt. Prayer is the exchange of two lives fully committed to each other. We know that God is fully committed to us for i...

"O, let the place of secret prayer become to me the most beloved spot on earth" -Andrew Murray  The Tabernacle described in the book of Exodus shows us a great roadmap into prayer (i.e. God's presence). In addition to this, it also demonstrates the three stages or realms of prayer. The Tabernacle was divided into three main parts: the Outer Court, the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies. Each of these sections were different both in size and purpose. Let's analyze the diagram below and use it as a visual aid to help us learn.  The outer court is represented by everything within the white linen veil before you get to the actual Tabernacle. The outer court held the altar of sacrifice and laver. Out of the three main sections of the Tabernacle, this was the largest in size. The purpose of the outer court was to hold animal sacrifices as atonement for sins. It was also the place where the priests and levites washed both hands and feet before serving. It made sense ...

"Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?"  -Corrie Ten Boom It is always interesting to see how often we call on God when we are in trouble. When difficulties and the trials of this life arise, we are often drawn towards prayer. It is during these circumstances that our prayers are oftentimes fervent and frequent. The prayer closet becomes our second home. Our tears and present affliction always move the heart of our Heavenly Father. Many times He will answer our prayers causing our hearts to be filled with joy and thanksgiving. Yet if we fast forward the timeline of our lives, a few months or even weeks later we will find ourselves going about our daily routine not giving much thought or time to prayer. Prayer will once again slip into the attic of our home only to be used in the case of an emergency.  The children of Israel were no different. The book of Judges shows us an endless cycle of complacency, trouble, prayer, deliverance, devotion, and once again c...