September 22, 2006

Here is part of an email I recently wrote to Chris (our minister) in regards to his sermon series on the Holy Spirit. I thought it might be interesting to get my friends in on this discussion to see what others have to say...

I have several of your lessons on the Holy Spirit downloaded to my MP3 player and listened to one that I missed on the train on the way to work this morning. Here’s what I’m struggling with. In your lesson, God in 3d, you spoke extensively about the trinity and attempted to explain the idea of 3 in one. The reason I say “attempted” is not because you didn’t do a great job. You did. But in my past experience with people explaining this, I have had so much difficulty wrapping my mind around it, that I have neglected thinking about it all together. I have just turned it off as one of those things I’ll never understand but just accept. I have heard the concept of the apple, how it’s got the skin, the meat and the seeds but it’s still an apple. But I don’t relate to an apple. I don’t relate to pie (crust, filling and sugar) very well either, or water (ice, steam, water). I just eat it (or drink it). You did a better job describing how you are a father, son and husband. But my question is about prayer. How do I relate in prayer to this one yet 3 being? It’s easy to be told I’ve done wrong by grieving the Holy Spirit with my anger, and that I’ve put out the Spirit’s fire by ignoring Godly wisdom and prophecy. I can work to fix that problem. But how do I pray?

The Bible says we are to pray to the Father (Matthew 6:9) in the name of the Son (John 14:14) and in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18). How do we do these all at once while relating to Him as he is, and without compartmentalizing and boxing him up to fit some formula? How do I know if I am praying in the Spirit? I know how to recognize the Spirit working in my life by His fruit, but I’m not sure how that pans out to prayer. How do I address the Spirit when talking to the Father? Am I even supposed to address Him? And if not, how do I have a relationship with someone I won’t even address. I’m feeling very jumbled in my prayer life, not just because you have brought up this discussion on the Holy Spirit, but because I’ve always had these questions and they have been brought to the surface more recently in this series. I want to have a fuller, deeper relationship with the Spirit of God, but I’m still not sure how to go about doing that. I have always been one to follow the rules and feel guilty if I don’t, but I want more than that. Can you help me see this more clearly?

Any Takers?

September 13, 2006

Tracy has a beautiful posting on her blog right now about how God places people in our lives at just the right moments as we need them. She has some precious friends that have been sent for just that purpose. If you have a chance, stop by her blog and look at it. www.cirquesisk.blogspot.com.

Our grandmother passed away on September 1, 2006, at a beautifully lived 92 years of age. Please be watching for a peice about my grandmother in the near future. She was a precious woman, and I'd love for you to hear her story (at least as I see it.)

Elijah's birthday is tomorrow. Today was the last day he will ever be one again. Tomorrow he will be two. A kid. Not a baby. A kid. I don't know how I feel about that yet.

Bye Bye baby boy.

September 12, 2006

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 4:7

So this is the scripture memory for our cell group this week. I already knew this one. Memorized it a long time ago for LTC. I did it when I memorized 100 scriptures. At the time, most of them meant very little to me. Most of them just sounded good, and were very useful for sounding much more spiritual than I was. But there was no heart change through them. There was nothing in my heart at the time that made me look more like Jesus. Just words. Words from God no less, but words. So rather than having to memorize this word from God this week, I have had to plant it in my heart. I know it in my mind, but I know very little of the gravity of it’s meaning. I’ve never felt very powerful, but I understand the sentiment of being a jar of clay, or “earthen vessel” as other translations put it. Someone else may be able to help me with this a little more, but don’t clay pots have to be baked at very high temperatures before they can be used? I feel like one of those “pre-baked” ones. I’m soft on the edges, and still wobbly. You wouldn’t want to leave me out too long or I might fall apart. And it seems like God has to constantly keep his hands moving on me to keep me in position. I don’t feel like I’ll ever be beautiful, not like some of those other jars I see on the shelves. And I certainly don’t feel useful right now. Not like the vases, and bowls, and pitchers for water. (That’s what I’d really like to be, a water pitcher.) And I hardly think I could withstand the heat that that baking will require. I only pray that I will. So the part about being an earthen vessel really hits home to me. But this “all surpassing power”. That’s the cool part. To think that God wants to use this piece of clay, this me, this speck of dirt in his awesome creation, to do great things with his “all surpassing power” is beyond me to even imagine. To think that he may use me to give water to the thirsty, food to the hungry, or become a lamp for the world to see his light, amazes me and even surprises me. I often find it so hard to believe that I just don’t. But He said it. It’s right there in black and white, and how can I expect for Him to show up in living color if I won’t even be faithful in the black and white. So for me, this scripture isn’t another rule in the rule book. But the way I must be faithful to it is simply to believe it. Friends, and God, help me believe. Let’s remind each other of the ALL SURPASSING POWER that God is just waiting to demonstrate through our earthen vessels.