God is ONE!
I think we have lost that in most church circles. God has been neatly divided into three separate parts. The Father spends His time in Heaven. Jesus is the relatable man-God. The Holy Spirit is the power of God in us.
I have been supremely challenged on this as of late.
I read a book this week called “Forgotten God” by Francis Chan. I was suffering in my relationship with God. I longed to see His Spirit alive in me yet I saw very little evidence of Him. Occasionally I felt Him leading me one way or another, but where were the miraculous results of His power in my life. Didn't His power live in me? Why wasn't He doing the things I was begging Him to do?
My view of God (especially the Holy Spirit) was all wrong. As I read through the pages of the book I was seeing the Holy Spirit in ways I never imagined I would. How could I have been so blind to this before?
GOD IS ONE. Perhaps the most poignant point I got from Francis’ book was brought to light through a common Christmas verse.
For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6 (NIV)
This is talking about Jesus, right? But I never noticed before that Jesus is also called in this verse the Wonderful Counselor (commonly used to refer to the Holy Spirit) and Everlasting Father!! While there are three distinct parts, they are all one. They cannot be separated.
But what really hit me hard was the reality that the Holy Spirit is not just the power of Christ in me, but God Himself indwelling me. And it is Him who guides me. When I tell God everything I expect from Him I don’t allow Him to lead me. His ways are mysterious. His ways are above mine. And so, as I steal the control from God the Holy Spirit He is not allowed to manifest Himself.
I think we have lost that in most church circles. God has been neatly divided into three separate parts. The Father spends His time in Heaven. Jesus is the relatable man-God. The Holy Spirit is the power of God in us.
I have been supremely challenged on this as of late.
I read a book this week called “Forgotten God” by Francis Chan. I was suffering in my relationship with God. I longed to see His Spirit alive in me yet I saw very little evidence of Him. Occasionally I felt Him leading me one way or another, but where were the miraculous results of His power in my life. Didn't His power live in me? Why wasn't He doing the things I was begging Him to do?
My view of God (especially the Holy Spirit) was all wrong. As I read through the pages of the book I was seeing the Holy Spirit in ways I never imagined I would. How could I have been so blind to this before?
GOD IS ONE. Perhaps the most poignant point I got from Francis’ book was brought to light through a common Christmas verse.
For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6 (NIV)
This is talking about Jesus, right? But I never noticed before that Jesus is also called in this verse the Wonderful Counselor (commonly used to refer to the Holy Spirit) and Everlasting Father!! While there are three distinct parts, they are all one. They cannot be separated.
But what really hit me hard was the reality that the Holy Spirit is not just the power of Christ in me, but God Himself indwelling me. And it is Him who guides me. When I tell God everything I expect from Him I don’t allow Him to lead me. His ways are mysterious. His ways are above mine. And so, as I steal the control from God the Holy Spirit He is not allowed to manifest Himself.
As I reflect on all the times in my life where the Holy
Spirit has guided me it has always been when I am ready to fully surrender to
Him, and not when I have a list of expectations. He has also led me most
clearly when I am not asking for a 1, 5, or 10 year plan. He doesn’t work that
way. When he asked Abraham to pick up his things and move,
He didn’t even tell Abraham where he was going! The Holy Spirit is spontaneous!
He leads us moment by moment and we need to be ready to follow Him.
I recently (as in last night) had my most vivid, real, and close encounter with God. I hesitate to talk about it because I know many people reading this would not be comfortable with it. But God has shown me this week that He is with me. That He has not abandoned me. He has shown me that He is God Himself, living in me and working through me.
I know I have not written an update lately, and perhaps that is because not much has happened as of late. The routine of the kids club is not necessarily something that I feel I can write about monthly. But forgive me for having been quiet for so long. God has been doing great things in the lives of the kids who come. He has been changing lives and changing families. But please do not give any credit to me or anyone else who works with the kids. God has done miracles through us, and I am proud to have been a part of the work of God where I am at.
Have you seen God at work through you lately? Are you following the lead of the Holy Spirit? I pray that you are!
Please keep me in prayer. I will not be returning to Ecuador next year. I go home on the 17th of July, and to be honest, I am looking forward to sharing what God has done in my life with others. I have a renewed passion for the church. That passion is to see a passion for God that goes FAR beyond the consumerist “me me me” church that can be found all over the world (and dare I say, especially in North America?). The church was always intended to be an outward flowing of Gods grace through us. Unfortunately it has become a “what about me?” church that seeks to feed the believer, while the believer rarely goes out and feeds those who really need it!
Please pray for my finances. As of right now I am receiving about $400 a month. What a blessing it is to have support. But this doesn’t even cover my basic needs. I only have 4 months left.
And most of all, please pray for the kids! They are learning a lot, but I long to see more souls won for Christ! Also pray for their family situations. Some of the kids have been very open with me about things happening at home. Pray that they will be filled with the Spirit and able to face these situations with love and courage. And pray that we in leadership would take the right actions to help the kids. It can be a messy process.
Thank-you all for reading and I hope you have been encouraged to seek the Spirit more! He is the lifeblood of the believer and the Church. If we do not know Him, then we do not know the Father or the Son either.
Blessings!!
I recently (as in last night) had my most vivid, real, and close encounter with God. I hesitate to talk about it because I know many people reading this would not be comfortable with it. But God has shown me this week that He is with me. That He has not abandoned me. He has shown me that He is God Himself, living in me and working through me.
I know I have not written an update lately, and perhaps that is because not much has happened as of late. The routine of the kids club is not necessarily something that I feel I can write about monthly. But forgive me for having been quiet for so long. God has been doing great things in the lives of the kids who come. He has been changing lives and changing families. But please do not give any credit to me or anyone else who works with the kids. God has done miracles through us, and I am proud to have been a part of the work of God where I am at.
Have you seen God at work through you lately? Are you following the lead of the Holy Spirit? I pray that you are!
Please keep me in prayer. I will not be returning to Ecuador next year. I go home on the 17th of July, and to be honest, I am looking forward to sharing what God has done in my life with others. I have a renewed passion for the church. That passion is to see a passion for God that goes FAR beyond the consumerist “me me me” church that can be found all over the world (and dare I say, especially in North America?). The church was always intended to be an outward flowing of Gods grace through us. Unfortunately it has become a “what about me?” church that seeks to feed the believer, while the believer rarely goes out and feeds those who really need it!
Please pray for my finances. As of right now I am receiving about $400 a month. What a blessing it is to have support. But this doesn’t even cover my basic needs. I only have 4 months left.
And most of all, please pray for the kids! They are learning a lot, but I long to see more souls won for Christ! Also pray for their family situations. Some of the kids have been very open with me about things happening at home. Pray that they will be filled with the Spirit and able to face these situations with love and courage. And pray that we in leadership would take the right actions to help the kids. It can be a messy process.
Thank-you all for reading and I hope you have been encouraged to seek the Spirit more! He is the lifeblood of the believer and the Church. If we do not know Him, then we do not know the Father or the Son either.
Blessings!!
