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Buying the Holy Spirit

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My apologies for not getting the information on this author. If it’s you, please let me know by contacting me.

I want to be quick to clarify that I am not saying that you can buy the Holy Spirit or that you should try to, I read this passage in Acts 8:18-19 last night and wanted to discuss it a little today:

“Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, ‘Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.'” – Acts 8:18-19

If you are to read the whole passage, your first reaction might be like mine…You might be appalled that someone would have the nerve to try and buy the working and power of the Holy Spirit.  You also may immediately think that this guy is crazy, you may think it is a rookie mistake because he was a young christian, or you may even think that Peter was a little hard on the former magician who was used to people paying for this type of thing.  After taking some time to really think about it, the thing that struck me the most about this passage is how close it hits to home for me and I believe probably many if not most other Christians in some way or another.  I by no means think that any of us have ever offered money to someone else or to GOD in exchange for the Holy Spirit’s power, but what I do mean is how this passage speaks to the evil in our hearts.  We want everything to be easy.  We want to be able to just call on Him and He do exactly what we want when we want it.  But the truth is that it’s not easy in the way we want it to be easy…Relationships never are.  It takes time, work, and sacrifice.  And not just time as in a 30 minute quiet time every day, or work as in showing up to church every week, or even sacrifice as in giving money to a church or ministry.  The thing about GOD is that He calls us to give up our whole lives to Him, to give our bodies as a living sacrifice (Romans 1) and to persevere through everything (James 1).  

I started to think about my own life in regards to this passage.  About how there have been many times where I knew I needed GOD’s power and His guidance in my life but I did not do anything to seek after it.  The great and difficult thing about Christianity is that it is a relationship rather than a religion.  It’s great and awe-inspiring because GOD wants a relationship with us so badly that He sent His Son Jesus to pursue us and die for us who subsequently left the Spirit who lives inside of us and guides us to Him.  That is an incredible pursuit that culminates in a relationship between a loving GOD and a sinful me.  But the difficult part about that is that I am terrible at being in a relationship.  I want things the way that I want them when I want them and where I want them.  I want to override the relational aspect of being the bride of Christ with the selfish desires and wants that I have every single day of my life…And is that not exactly where Simon found himself in this moment?

We may not offer money for the Holy Spirit but think about some things we may possibly do:

  • Have you ever gotten upset with GOD because you do not know the “direction” or “purpose” of your life just and then realize you have not spent any time with the GOD who is your direction and purpose?
  • Have you ever gotten upset with GOD because things have been going terribly only to realize that He was trying to bring you closer to Him through suffering and trials?
  • Have you ever wondered why GOD has not answered your prayers just to realize that you prayed the prayer once or twice and never really expected Him to respond?
  • Have you ever looked around and thought that GOD was blessing other people even though you are “better” than they are finally to realize that we are all sinners and our only hope is in the grace of Jesus Christ?
  • Do you ever wonder why the power of the Holy Spirit does not seem real in your life just to realize that you have spent less time asking for that than you have for every other physical need in the world (including but not limited to a better golf swing, better hair, more money, a better house, etc.).

What struck me last night is how similar to Simon the magician I actually am sometimes.  I don’t try to buy the Holy Spirit, but I certainly do cheapen who He is and what He does.  I want everything my way and I want it as fast as possible doing as little work as possible and receiving as much glory as possible.  Let’s be appalled at what Simon asked, but let’s also make sure we never do the same thing he did when he cheapened the work of the Holy Spirit and the relationship that we have with Jesus Christ by asking to buy them off.  Let’s begin to pursue Christ for who He is because He first pursued us even though we are who we are and then let that relationship be the thing that we desire.  Let’s begin to desire GOD, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit not because they can give us things but because we love them more than anything else in this world.

What I’ve Taught on Holy Spirit

Check out my messages and blog posts on Holy Spirit. I’ll keep this updated. Let me know if there is a specific topic you want covered in the comments.

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How to Integrate Biblical Teachings in our Everyday Married Lives

This guest post is by Rachael Pace of https://www.marriage.com Be sure to check out the site as it has a lot of great resources for marriage.

God is the originator of marriage, therefore, it goes without saying that His word is going to be the ultimate source for marriage advice. There are a lot of obstacles standing in the way of a successful marriage today, especially in the electronic age that we live in. But, if we take the right steps and follow biblical principles we can be strengthened by God knowing that marriage is his loving gift designed to change us, strengthen us, and enrich our lives.

From learning the best way to show love and respect to dealing with in-laws and infidelity, the Bible has practical advice for every aspect of our marriages. Here is how to integrate biblical teaching in our everyday married lives for a lifelong union full of love.

Marriage – Bonded for Life

Mark 10:9 reads “Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” God designed the woman to be a complement to the man. A complement means something added to complete or “make perfect”. A husband and wife are to leave their parents and join each other to become one flesh. This strong wording stresses the importance of putting one another first and taking your marriage seriously.

You can integrate this biblical teaching in married life by viewing marriage in the proper light. Marriage is not something you do on a whim or because you’re infatuated with someone. When you marry someone you do so with a view of being with them for the rest of your life, through thick and thin.

Love Your Wife as Yourself

Ephesians 5:28, 29 says “Husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. A man who loves his wife loves himself, for no man ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cherishes it, just as the Christ does the congregation.” (NWT)

A husband who is self-serving, demanding, or disrespectful makes his marriage a difficult relationship to be in. Opposite of this poor behavior, God expects the husband to treat the wife tenderly. To treat her with love and dignity, the same way he would take care of himself. Ephesians 5 even suggests that as the protector of your wife, you should be willing to put her interests ahead of your own.

Respect Your Husband

Ephesians 5:33 says that a wife should have deep respect for her husband. A large role of respect in the marriage is to be in subjection to your husband. Many women find the role of females in the marriage to be archaic or degrading by Bible standards. However, when a husband follows his Bible counsel and treats his wife as his own body this means she will be treated with love, compassion, patience, and respect. This makes being in subjection to him an honor and a true show of respect, instead of feeling conquered or “less” than a man.

Infidelity in the Marriage Bed – Mental and Physical

Ephesians 5:3 says “Let sexual immorality (…) not even be mentioned among you.” The Bible’s author knew the effects that adultery could have in a marriage and condemned it. Adultery can be damaging to the emotional health of your partner, can lead to divorce, and have a negative impact on your children.

In today’s age, smartphones and internet access have made it even easier to be unfaithful to your marriage mate. Pornography websites, dating and hookup apps, and social media can all contribute to infidelity in a marriage.

Apply the Bible’s counsel on in your life and stay true to your marriage vows by being determined to avoid pornography, do not flirt with the opposite sex, and do not allow your eyes to linger on temptations.

The Golden Rule

Matt 7:12 is one of the most popular scriptures, and for good reason. This scripture brings out the “Golden Rule” as set out by Jesus. Namely, “All things, therefore, that you want men to do to you, you also must do to them.” (NWT)

This teaching suggests that you should treat others, including your marriage mate, the way you would want to be treated. This causes you to do a self-examination. How would you like to be treated? Likely, you respond to honesty, fairness, respect, and compassion. These are the same traits you should show to your marriage mate for a healthy, happy relationship.

Show Patience and Forgiveness

No one is perfect. As happy as you are in your marriage, both mates are going to do something that will annoy, hurt, or affect the other. The best thing you can do? Practice forgiveness and patience. Jacob sets a great example of patience for true love. Genesis 29:20 brings out how Jacob had to work for seven years before he could have his heart’s desire, Rachel. The result? The account says the years seems like only days to him because of his love for her.

Showing Each Other the Marriage Dues

When God brought man and woman together he knew the importance of the marriage. Sex is an important part of any relationship and helps couples bond and increase trust. God also knew that a lack of regular sexual intercourse may incite marriage mates to look outside of the marriage for intimacy. 1 Corinthians 7:5 says: “Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent for an appointed time, so that you may devote time to prayer and may come together again, in order that Satan may not keep tempting you for your lack of self-control.”

Teach Your Children Together

Deuteronomy 6:5-7 brings up the importance of childrearing. It says “You must love your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your strength. These words that I am commanding you today must be on your heart, and you must inculcate them in your sons and speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road and when you lie down and when you get up.”

God wants you to raise your children and teach them about His ways so that they can develop a relationship with Him. Teaching your children about God from a young age will help strengthen their faith and their beliefs during their teenage years.

The Threefold Cord

A marriage is made up of two people and God. This is the strongest bond that there can be. When God is in your marriage it will be nearly impossible to separate your union. This means meditating on scriptures together, praying together and for one another, and having a regular spiritual routine as a married couple.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 brings out the importance of including scriptural principles and God’s Holy Spirit in your relationship. This scripture reads “Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their hard work. For if one of them falls, the other can help his partner up. But what will happen to the one who falls with no one to help him up? Moreover, if two lie down together, they will stay warm, but how can just one keep warm? And someone may overpower one alone, but two together can take a stand against him. And a threefold cord cannot quickly be torn apart.”

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Live Intentional

With our full lives, it’s ridiculous to think you can add much to it. What if living LIGHT is about living intentional, not additional. It starts with knowing you can hear the Father’s voice. You are His sheep, you know His voice. You need to also know you need to obey. Listen to this message to learn more.

I – live Intentional

Downloads: Live Intentional Notes | Live Intentional Daily Bible Reading Plan

Find out more about the free course at https://revtrev.com/friends

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What do you do when you face the impossible?

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What do you do when you face the impossible?

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Today we look at the story I knew we’d focus on when we started to look at the lives of the Kings of Judah.

It’s a big one. Right up there with the parting of the Red Sea. We just don’t have the account in

2 Chronicles 32:1-23

Also told in…
2 Kings 18:17-35 ; Isaiah 36:2-20

We also have it told in…
Herodutus; Josephus

And we have the account from the enemy as well.

We’ll get to all of that in a bit.

I want to tell you what happened and then focus on something we can apply in our own lives.

2 Chronicles 32:1

After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself.

1- 2 Chronicles 32-1
That doesn’t seem right does it?

Guess what? We live in a fallen world where God will doesn’t always get done like it does in heaven. IF it did, why would Jesus teach us to pray, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven?” He taught us that because we have a part in seeing God’s will done…

…but sometimes, even when we do our part, like Hezekiah did, bad things happen.

Don’t worry… it’s not the end of the story.

Who was Sennacherib?

King of Assyria – “Might makes right…at least for a while” Short lived empire (less than 100 years) They were brutal. They’d stick people on spikes and let the point work it’s way up to their heart.

BTW – History shows us administration is the key to lasting empires. Rome could be defeated time and time again, but they’d always have another army and could move it quickly along their roads. Assyria was just brutal. They ended the northern kingdom and were looking to end the southern kingdom as well.

Taylor Prism – Sennacherib account http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sennacherib

conquered 46 fortified cities…Hezekiah himself I shut up in Jerusalem, his capital city, like a bird in a cage, building towers round the city to hem him in, and raising banks of earth against the gates, so as to prevent escape… Then upon Hezekiah there fell the fear of the power of my arms, and he sent out to me the chiefs and the elders of Jerusalem with 30 talents of gold and 300 talents of silver, and diverse treasures, a rich and immense booty… All these things were brought to me at Nineveh, the seat of my government.

Now 2 Kings tells us about the 30 talents of gold and 300 talents of silver, but it’s clear after that Sennacherib attacked Jerusalem. BTW…we don’t have any Assyrian account of them ever being defeated. It’s only the Bible that tells failures along with victories.

Listen to the challenge the Assyrians made Hezekiah…

2 Chronicles 32:9-19

Note verse 20

2 Chronicles 32:20
King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to heaven about this.

2 Chronicles 32-20

We have the prayer in both Isaiah and 2 Kings.

2 Kings 19:15-19

Hezekiah prayed. Isaiah gave a prophecy, promising what would happen and we read the rest in 2 Chronicles:

2 Chronicles 32:21-22

We see in 2 Kings 19:25 and Isaiah 37:36 that it was 185,000 assyrians killed by the angel of the Lord.

That’s not something Sennacherib would write home about. God turned it around in the middle of the night, in the height of the crisis. It is just as impressive as a path through the sea.

Hezekiah faced an impossible situation and he and Isaiah cried out in prayer.

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You and I will face impossible situations. We probably have in the past. We will in the future.

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We can face impossibilities in relationships.
We can face impossibilities in finances.
We can face impossibilities in health.

Even when we’ve done everything right, we can face impossibilities.

When we haven’t been doing everything right, we can expect to face impossibilities.

Did you catch what Hezekiah did?

2 Chronicles 32-20

He AND Isaiah cried out to God.

In all the times I’ve read this story, this is the first time I’ve caught this. So I think it’s important for us to look at.

Do you have someone to pray with?

How many of you have someone you either regularly meet with or have known so long you can call whenever you face an impossible situation?

Currently I have two people I regularly meet with…

Why don’t we all have someone to pray with?

Stormie Omartin shares some of the reasons why Christians don’t pray and how to overcome it. {Video} You need to have an account at RightNowMedia.org to view this.

When we think of praying with others, it helps us to think of others first.

You have wisdom to share.

The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue,
to know the word that sustains the weary.
He wakens me morning by morning,
wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed. Isaiah 50:4 (NIV)

Isaiah 50-4

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You have experience to share.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV)

2 Corinthians 1-3-4

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You have friendship to share.

Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NIV)

Ecclesiastes 4-9-10

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You remember what I said about Assyrians not being great at administration? They didn’t plan for what was ahead.

The time to start looking for a prayer partner is before you need it.

Noah started building the ark before any rain fell on the earth.

For those of you have have one, great, nurture and develop that relationship.

For those of you who don’t have one, you can start by praying about a prayer partner.

Prayerpartner

Maybe you’re looking for mentor, someone who can share their experience?
Maybe you’re looking for someone to invest your life in?
Maybe it’s a friend, someone who will bless you as much as you bless them?

My experience is you don’t know which is right for this season of your life until you take it to God in prayer.

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You want to choose a person of character over someone with experience.

Prayerpartner2

Over time, you’ll want to trust this person with your struggles. You don’t want someone who will abuse that trust.

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Have grace for the process.

Prayerpartner3

Understand it takes time to develop transparency and deeper accountability.

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When you face the impossible, you need to have someone who has your back and who isn’t afraid to point out blind spots to you. God has created us to be in community and community is so much more than seeing the back of someone’s head every week. It takes time, it takes risk…but it’s well worth it….

Watch Why you should consider a Prayer Partner for more information

Pastors, do you want to easily make slides like the ones you see in the blog post? Check out Logos 6 Today.

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7 tips to help you work unto the Lord

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So you want to take seriously what Colossians 3:23-24 says

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ (Colossians 3:23-24).

How do you work “as unto the Lord?”

I’ve got some tips to help you. Here’s my video answer…the notes are below.

7 Tips to help you work unto the Lord


Watch 7 tips to help you work unto the Lord on YouTube

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Notes for 7 Tips to help you work unto the Lord

1. Let gratitude rule your thoughts.

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

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2. Work as an expression of love.

Let all that you do be done in love (1 Corinthians 16:14)

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3. Be honest in all your dealings.

A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is his delight (Proverbs 11:1)

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4. Grow in your skill-set.

Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men (Proverbs 22:29).

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5. Learn to let God’s plans prevail.

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that” (James 4:13-15)

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6. Focus on the work you’ve been given.

Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty (Proverbs 28:19).

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7. Always speak words of grace.

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear (Ephesians 4:29)

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There is no separation between the sacred and secular. You’ve been told,

“As you go”…

…make disciples. Matthew 28:19
…declare the Kingdom. Matthew 10:7
….heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons and raise the dead. Matthew 10:8-9

It’s in the day-to-day of everyday that people see your light and that people taste your salt.

It’s as you remove the false wall between the sacred and secular that you experience more and more of the goodness of God.

Keep God in your focus in all that you do.

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Is your life in the right balance?

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IsYourLifeinTheRightBalance

Is your life in the right balance?

You might think it is…but have you consider the balance Hezekiah’s life had?

Hezekiah’s balance…

In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered. 2 Chronicles 31:21 (NIV)

2 Chronicles 31_21

Even though Oliver Wendell Holmes said it, there is some truth the statement:

Some people are so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good.
– Oliver Wendell Holmes

OliverWendalHolmes

In my experience, the bigger problem is

Some Christians are so earthly minded that they are no heavenly good.

TrevorQuote

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Hezekiah strikes the balance that we all need to if we are to live the life we were created for. I believe Augustine encapsulated this balance correctly.

Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you. – Augustine

Augustinework

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Hezekiah sought his God and worked wholeheartedly.

HezekiahBalance

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What does that mean for us today?

First, let’s remember what it means to seek the Lord. When I was growing up, I thought it meant to pray longer and louder and if you were really serious, you should fast. That’s part of what it says in Scripture.

8 Ways to Seek the Lord

1. Think good. Isaiah 55:6-7
2. Speak good. 34:10;14
3. Do good. Psalm 24:4-6
4. Trust God. Psalm 9:10
5. Obey God. Matthew 6:33
6. Pray to God. Jeremiah 29:12-14
7. Serve God wholeheartedly. 1 Chronicles 28:9
8. Live Humbly. Zephaniah 2:3

8waystoseek

This is not a checklist, it’s a lifestyle. It’s how we work out the implications of the life of the Spirit. It’s not for a season or just when we’re really in trouble. This is how we need to live the life we were created for.

I think it’s time we unpack that a bit more.

1. Think good. Isaiah 55:6-7

Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake their ways
and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
Isaiah 55:6-7 (NIV)

Isaiah55_6-7

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Are you thoughts fixed on good things?

2. Speak good. Psalm 34:10;14

The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing…
…keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from telling lies.
Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
Psalm 34:10;14

Psalm34

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Are your lips speaking good things?

3. Do good. Psalm 24:4-6

The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not trust in an idol
or swear by a false god.
They will receive blessing from the Lord
and vindication from God their Savior.
Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek your face, God of Jacob.
Psalm 24:4-6

Psalm 24

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Are your hands doing good things?

4. Trust God. Psalm 9:10

Those who know your name trust in you,
for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. Psalm 9:10

Psalm9_10

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Are you trusting God or yourself?

5. Obey God. Matthew 6:33 (AMP)

But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides. Matthew 6:33 (AMP)

Matthew6_33

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Are you obeying God in every area of your life?

6. Pray to God. Jeremiah 29:12-13

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:12-13

Jeremiah29_12-13

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Is prayer a priority in your schedule?

7. Serve God wholeheartedly. 1 Chronicles 28:9

And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you…1 Chronicles 28:9

1Chron28_9

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Do you serve God with everything you do?

8. Live Humbly. Zephaniah 2:3

Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land,
you who do what he commands.
Seek righteousness, seek humility;
Zephaniah 2:3

Zeph2_3

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Do you live humbly?

We just can’t give this lip service, we need to work it into the day-to-day of everyday.

How we do that is the next part.

How do we work wholeheartedly?

Here’s a video to get you think about that. {The Florist} (You need an account at RightNow Media – join us at Harvest Church to get a free account)

So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. Romans 12:1-2 (The Message)

Hezekiah sought his God and worked wholeheartedly.

HezekiahBalance

Whatever work you’re doing, work as unto the Lord. If you’re a stay-at-home mom or retired grandparent, or you run your own business, or you serve tables, if your a professional a student or in the trades…whatever you do, it’s worship unto God.

There is no separation between the secular and the holy. You Are The Temple of the Living God! You bring God with you.

What you do matters…
…and you’ll know it matters more when you do it as unto the Lord.

So no matter what your task is, work hard. Always do your best as the Lord’s servant, not as man’s, because you know your reward is the Lord’s inheritance. You serve the Lord, the Anointed One Colossians 3:23-24 (VOICE)

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Do you want to live the life you were created for? Seek God and work wholeheartedly.

Want more? Watch and read: 7 Tips to help you work unto the Lord

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Are your motives right?

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Conflict is a good thing.

There is no story without conflict.

We’re skipping over two more kings of Judah because there really isn’t much conflict in their lives. The first was good…he had a good mom. The next was bad and reaped what he sowed.

We’re getting to the life of one of the top 3 most impressive kings in the history of Judah. We’ll be focussing on him for the next several lessons.

Let’s look at the life of Hezekiah.

2 Chronicles 29

Hezekiah became king when he was 25 years old and he reigned for 29 years. His mother’s name was Abijah, daughter of Zechariah. Since his mother was mentioned, you know the next verse is important

He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done.
2 Chronicles 29:2

His father Asa did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord. Hezekiah made it right. In the first month of the first year, he re-opened the doors of the temple. He called on the priests and the levites to consecrate themselves and the temple. They started the first day of the first month and in 16 days they had finished consecrating the temple.

It was revival… and there’s a curious footnote here that re-occurs throughout history.

v. 34 the Levites had been more conscientious in consecrating themselves than the priests had been.

When God starts to move on a people to turn them back to himself, he starts in the lives of the willing few…the rest catch up later.

The service of the temple was reestablished..

Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced at what God had brought about for his people, because it was done so quickly. 2 Chronicles 29:36 (NIV)

Hezekiah wasn’t done there. He wanted to revive the Passover.

We know the passover was celebrated when the children of Israel came out of Egypt (Exodus 12:21-28). Joshua celebrated it again when they entered the promised land (Joshua 5:10). Josiah had the people celebrate the passover and 2 Kings 23:22 records that it had not been done during the time of the judges or the kings up to that point.

Hezekiah wanted to do what was right. It was in the book, it had to be obeyed. He called the people together to celebrate.

Remember what I said about the priests not being as conscientious as the levites about consecrating the temple? The same sort of thing happened with the passover.

Family heads should kill the passover lamb, but many who came along weren’t consecrated so the Levites did it for them. That’s not what it was designed to be, the celebration is for the family, not the kingdom. A holy person was not supposed to take the place of spiritual head of the family. But people were excited and wanted to celebrate the passover together…

…and we get a glimpse of something amazing…

Even under the law we see evidence of grace.

Most of those who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not purified themselves. But King Hezekiah prayed for them, and they were allowed to eat the Passover meal anyway, even though this was contrary to the requirements of the Law. For Hezekiah said, “May the Lord, who is good, pardon those  who decide to follow the Lord, the God of their ancestors, even though they are not properly cleansed for the ceremony.”  And the Lord listened to Hezekiah’s prayer and healed the people. 2 Chronicles 30:18–20

Why do we see grace here?

Grace was not shown when Uzziah pridefully tried to burn incense before the Lord – he became a leper.

Grace was not shown when Amaziah bowed down to worship idols he had captured – he reaped what he had sown.

Grace was not shown when Joash murdered the son of his mentor – he became the first king of Judah to be assassinated.

Why is grace shown here? (It’s misplaced…it was for after the cross)

Why didn’t Hezekiah’s forefather’s experience grace like he did?

Let’s answer the second question first.

Even under grace, we have what is called the unpardonable sin. Jesus said:

Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”
Mark 3:28-29 (NIV)

That’s scary stuff. Let’s understand the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The role of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit convicts (John 16:8), comforts (John 14:16), empowers (Luke 4:14; 24:49; Romans 15:19; Acts 1:8) and teach and reminds us all things (John 14:26). There are about 65 other things we can find in Scripture…but this isn’t the place to unpack them all.

It’s enough to say, if we resist the Holy Spirit’s conviction, comfort, power or teaching, how can we ever repent to receive forgiveness?

If you are beyond repentance are you beyond forgiveness.

beyondrepentance

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Hezekiah’s forefathers were beyond repentance.

We have to watch that we never get there.

That’s a sober thought. That’s why when we take communion, it can never become a form. We need to examine our hearts and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth.

We cannot resist his prompting and excuse sin in our lives.

Let me give you an example of excusing sin in our lives.

Truth at the wrong time can get us into trouble.

If anyone loudly blesses their neighbour early in the morning,
it will be taken as a curse. Proverbs 27:14

blessestooearly

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An MIT linguistics professor was lecturing his class. “In English,” he said, “a double negative forms a positive. However, in some languages, such as Russian, a double negative remains a negative. But there isn’t a single language, not one, in which a double positive can express a negative.”

A voice from the back of the room piped up, “Yeah, right.”

There are two truths when placed together and said at the wrong time become negative.

Nobody’s perfect

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23

God will forgive

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

It is great to bring these truths together when someone is repenting, wanting forgiveness and ready to change their life. They are not resisting the Holy Spirit.

It is damnation to bring these truths together when someone is contemplating sin. Why? Because they know the good the ought to do, but don’t want to do it.

When you look for a loophole you are resisting the Holy Spirit.

lookforloophole

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Hezekiah was doing the exact opposite. He wasn’t looking for a loophole out of a law, he sought grace for people when they could not keep the law. He understood Faith takes precedence over ritual.

faithoverritual

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Faith taking precedence over ritual resonated with the heart of God…

And the Lord heard Hezekiah’s prayer and healed the people. 2 Chronicles 30:20

God loved Hezekiah’s motivation. Hezekiah was removing obstacles from people who wanted to seek the Lord.

Jesus did the same thing when he cleared the temple. The money changers were in the court of the gentiles. That’s where we would have to go if we wanted to worship God before the death and resurrection of Jesus. He took a whip to them 2 times – Synoptic gospels tell us one time was at the start of his ministry, John tells about the time he did it the last week before his crucifixion. It so incensed him that people who were seeking God would be kept from God.

Do you keep others from seeking after God?

doyoukeepothersfromGod

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You do when you resist the Holy Spirit.

The writer of Hebrews tells us:

Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies Hebrews 10:26-27 (NLT)

John the Baptist told the self-righteous pharisees that came to him to:

Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. Matthew 3:8 (NIV)

ProduceFruit

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You can’t live your life like everyone else does. You are the called-out ones, the ekklesia, you can’t resist the Holy Spirit, you need to keep in step with him.

Never forget…

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:25 NIV

KeepinStep

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Keep your motives for grace in line with God’s will.

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Here’s how to handle the options God gives you

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Are your options really options?

Asa was the great-grandson of Solomon. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.

He saw peace and had a huge army, and when another larger army came against him, he had the people seek the Lord and He struck down the enemy and gave Judah victory.

In the first part of Asa’s reign, we saw there is a price to pay for getting the best in life.

Remember we looked at what “Seeking the Lord” meant in Scripture.

8 Ways to Seek the Lord

  1. Think good. Isaiah 55:6-7
  2. Speak good. Psalm 34:14
  3. Do good. Psalm 34:15, Psalm 24:4-6
  4. Trust God. Psalm 24:4-6
  5. Obey God. Zephaniah 2:3
  6. Pray to God. Jeremiah 29:12-14
  7. Serve God wholeheartedly. 1 Chronicles 28:9
  8. Live Humbly. Zephaniah 2:3

 

Will we be wholly devoted to God?

Do you not think it’s for today? Check out Matthew 18:24-25

Read 2 Chronicles 16:1-6

It seems like Asa did a good thing. Let’s keep reading.

2 Chronicles 16:9 wholly committed to

Check his attitude…

Remember how he responded in the chapter before? 2 Chronicles 15:8

Look at how he respond now, after years of prosperity and peace.

2 Chronicles 16:10

Why can this happen?

Look at what it says in 2 Chronicles 15:17

Although he did not remove the high places from Israel, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life.

In the parallel verse that was earlier in 1 Kings 15:14

Although he did not remove the high places, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life.

The Chronicler pointed to the high places in Israel – remember Asa was King of the southern Kingdom of Judah – in Kings we see the problem was likely more widespread than that.

Do you understand the apparent contradiction of this statement?

His heart was fully committed to God, and yet he did not remove the high places.

What were the High places?

High places were the places the pagan Cannanites worshipped their gods. Israelites were told to destroy them. (Numbers 33:52; Deuteronomy 7:5; 12:3)

Altars to Jehovah were to be built only at divinely sanctioned sites (Exodus 20:24; Deuteronomy 12:5; 8, 13-14)

But it’s unclear whether or not worshipping at High places was was wrong, if it wasn’t formally a place of worship for a pagan God. (1 Kings 19:10,14; Leviticus 26:30-31; Deuteronomy 12; 1 Samuel 9:12)

Basically, Asa had an option. He had an option to get rid of all the high places or just the really bad ones. He got rid of the ones where the pagans worshipped, but then worshiped God in a way that was similar to the way he got rid of.

We know that in time, this would draw the people of God away from the worship of God.

And it’s the only indication we have in the text for why he changed so dramatically over time.

That compromise in Asa’s life led to a bigger one years later.

We like to live in the grey areas. But see what James 4:4 says about that.

He had another option. Once again he was faced with a threat. Israel was building defences against him. He could have sought God like he did when he was younger.

But he decided to rely on his own wit and wisdom…and it worked!

I’m sure he was patting himself on the back for creating his own defence fund building project when Hanani the seer came to him to call him to account.

It could be why he responded the way he did. He was pleased with his choice of option and he was confronted for it.

Look what else happened to Asa after his response to Hanani 2 Chronicles 16:11-14

Note verse 12 – wouldn’t seek God, even in sickness

(Please note, it isn’t saying to not seek the help of physicians…only to not rely on them alone and not God)

You and I

You and I can go from the place of seeking God in all things to not even crying out to Him when we really need it.

It comes when we think we have options along the way.

We have apparent options in our life as well. God isn’t going to strike us down with lightening if we don’t worship him the way he deserves. We can approach him the way other people approach their gods. I’m not say it’s going to end well.

God lets us reap what we sow. Galatians 6:7-9

 

We can really on our own skills, wit and wisdom and even see success with them. But if we’re doing something God hasn’t told us to do, well…God lets us reap what we sow. Galatians 6:7-9

Remember

For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. 2 Chronicles 16:9 (NIV)

 

Are you fully committed to God – or do you worship him on your terms?
Are you fully committed to God – or are you satisfied with your own accomplishments?

Look to the Lord and his strength;
seek his face always. 1 Chronicles 16:11

 

Final Thoughts

See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. Hebrews 3:12-13

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4 tips I’ve learned to hear the Spirit speak

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This message is part of our “Did God Really Say?” series, that shows us how to wisely use discernment. We’ve looked at why you can trust the Bible. We’re in the the middle of looking at why you can trust the Spirit by discussing how to know what the Spirit does and how to know how the Spirit speaks. In the future we’ll examine why you can trust the body. The Word, the Spirit and the Body are the three tools God has given His church to discern. 

“I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”

Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep.

“I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.

“The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”

When he said these things, the people were again divided in their opinions about him. Some said, “He’s demon possessed and out of his mind. Why listen to a man like that?” Others said, “This doesn’t sound like a man possessed by a demon! Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

John 10:1-21 (New Living Translation)

You are his sheep, you know His voice. How can we hear what the Spirit is saying? I have four tips to get you started. I’m going to use my own experience as examples…I’m sorry I don’t go into great details of these stories. You can ask me about them and I’ll tell them.  (Disclaimer: Don’t think I’m saying the Spirit will speak you the same way He’s spoken to me….)

1. Be open to hearing His voice.

Matthew 13 – parable of the sower.

Often taught in terms of someone coming to salvation. Actually it’s the good news of the Kingdom, not the good news of salvation. This parable is applicable every time we have the possibility of hearing the voice of God.

My story… how I sense a God-moment.

How can you be open to hearing His voice?
What do you fill your mind with?
What space do you give him in your day?
Instead of being offended at something that might be from God, figure out why your offended.

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2. Learn to recognize His voice.

After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice…I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. John 10:4; 11

My story…hearing the audible voice of God

How you can learn to recognize His voice…
Does it line up with Scripture?
Do trustworthy and Godly people agree with you?

There are always baby steps before a leap of faith.

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3. Understand His speech.

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter. Proverbs 25:2 (NASB)

God will speak differently to you at different times in your life.

My story…when automation didn’t work.

Is there a time in your life you once heard God clearly, but now it’s not the same?
It might be because He’s trusting you with more.
Learn to listen in other ways… maybe it’s finding a spiritual mother or father, maybe it’s journalling, maybe it’s spending time in silence. Maybe you need to go back and do what you did at first.

Don’t think Christianity is “How To”. It is a dance. We need to learn the unforced rhythms of grace (Matthew 11:28-30 – The Message). Some of you just knowing that God changes the way He speaks to us is all the permission you need to start listening to Him again.

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4. Respond to what He says…

The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers.
1 Peter 3:12

Sometimes we will not hear God clearly until we obey what He tells us.

My Story – getting into web development.

Have you obeyed what God has been saying to you?
If you haven’t sensed Him speaking to you lately – like you have in the past – ask the Spirit to remind you of the last thing He said to you. Have you obeyed it?

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What can we do to hear the Spirit

Be open to hearing His voice.
Learn to recognize His voice.
Understand His speech. 
Respond to what He says.

[Tweet “God is almost always speaking. You are His sheep. Know His voice. @revtrev”]

What I’ve Taught on Holy Spirit

Check out my messages and blog posts on Holy Spirit. I’ll keep this updated. Let me know if there is a specific topic you want covered in the comments.

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