Those from every tribe of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the Lord, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to the Lord, the God of their fathers. They strengthened the kindom of Judah. . .(2 Chron 11:16, 17).
King Solomon ruled over all of Israel from Jerusalem for 40 years. His son, Rheoboam took over when Solomon died. Jeroboam (I know; they all sound alike!), a rival of Solomon had fled to Egypt to escape Solomon's sword but returned after the old king died. He received a cold reception from the new king so he led a rebellion that resulted in most of Israel turning against Rheoboam and David's dynasty. This was the beginning of the split of Israel into two kingdoms, Israel and Judah. As part of the rebellion, Jeroboam set up his own gods and system of worship which excluded the Levites whom God had named as His priests. The Levites would have nothing to do with the idolatry so they left Jeroboam to return to king Rheoboam in Judah. A group of Israelites followed the Levites; a group whose hearts were set on seeking the Lord, the God of Israel and as a result Judah was strengthened.
Here's the lesson for us. We grossly underestimate, to our own peril, the extraordinary power that is released when the Spirit of God gets his hands on some hearts that are truly set on seeking the Lord. Judah was weakened by the exodus of most of the tribes of Israel but Judah was strengthened by the Spirit when a group of serious seekers after God moved out to honor and worship Him.
Get the serious God-seekers in your church family together and watch the Lord move to strengthen your church!
The Parson's Bench
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Friday, April 20, 2012
Holy Spirit Then and Now
1 Chronicles 21 begins by revealing how Satan influenced King David to take a census of the army, something the Lord had forbidden. Over the objections of Joab, David's commander in chief, the King issues the order and the census is taken. There are severe consequences for David's actions as there always are when we disobey the Lord.
As I pondered this story recently I was puzzled that a "man after God's own heart" could be so easily influenced to disobey God even after a warning from one of his most trusted leaders. As we know this was not David's only failure to resist temptation. Remember the Bathsheba and Uriah incident.
Being a person "after God's own heart", is apparently not enough when it comes to standing up against temptation and resisting the devil's attempts to deceive and misguide. We need something more, something only God can provide in order to live in true victory over sin and evil. We need the Holy Spirit.
But the Holy Spirit was active in Old Testament lives too. The Bible says that the Spirit came upon Samson (the strong man), Saul (Israel's first king), David and the prophets, to name a few. But they were all still powerless when it came to living a consistently righteous life. They were still vulnerable against temptation.
Here's the difference between then and now. David and the others failed in their attempts to resist temptation because there was no supernatural power within them that could do what weak human nature could not do. But you and I CAN live in victory because by faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is not only present with us but lives within us (1Cor 3:16). And when we live under the control of the Holy Spirit we will not give into the sinful nature (Gal 5:16).
You can live a consistently victorious spiritual life. Be filled with the Spirit! (Eph 5:18).
As I pondered this story recently I was puzzled that a "man after God's own heart" could be so easily influenced to disobey God even after a warning from one of his most trusted leaders. As we know this was not David's only failure to resist temptation. Remember the Bathsheba and Uriah incident.
Being a person "after God's own heart", is apparently not enough when it comes to standing up against temptation and resisting the devil's attempts to deceive and misguide. We need something more, something only God can provide in order to live in true victory over sin and evil. We need the Holy Spirit.
But the Holy Spirit was active in Old Testament lives too. The Bible says that the Spirit came upon Samson (the strong man), Saul (Israel's first king), David and the prophets, to name a few. But they were all still powerless when it came to living a consistently righteous life. They were still vulnerable against temptation.
Here's the difference between then and now. David and the others failed in their attempts to resist temptation because there was no supernatural power within them that could do what weak human nature could not do. But you and I CAN live in victory because by faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is not only present with us but lives within us (1Cor 3:16). And when we live under the control of the Holy Spirit we will not give into the sinful nature (Gal 5:16).
You can live a consistently victorious spiritual life. Be filled with the Spirit! (Eph 5:18).
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
The Vital Necessity of the Holy Spirit
The Easter holiday and celebration of the Lord's resurrection and ascension into heaven are barely over when I start anticipating the next 'big day' in the Church's history, Pentecost; the day when God fulfilled His promise to send the Holy Spirit to empower the newborn Church for it's world-changing work of advancing God's kingdom. The Church was born on the Day of Pentecost and the Holy Spirit of God was given so that he could indwell every follower of Jesus from that day forward.
I will probably write often about the Holy Spirit for the next several weeks. Not just because this is the season to recall the sending and the work of the Spirit but because I am profoundly moved by the person of the Spirit, by reading about him in the Bible and by meditating on his power and influence. I am personally moved because I know first hand the difference his presence and power make in the journey through life of any follower of Jesus. And I long for every follower of Jesus to have that same experience and to recognize it for the supernatural influence of God that it is. I pray for every church body to know that difference. Here's why:
The Presence of the Spirit is vital and central to the work of the Church. Nothing else avails. Apart from Him wisdom becomes folly, and strength weakness. The Church is called to be a "spiritual house" and a holy priesthood. Only spiritual people can be its "living stones," and only the Spirit-filled its priests. Scholarship is blind to spiritual truth till He reveals. Worship is idolatry till He inspires. Preaching is powerless if it be not a demonstration of His power. Prayer is vain unless He energizes. Human resources of learning and organization, wealth and enthusiasm, reform and philanthropy, are worse than useless if there be no Holy Ghost in them. The Church always fails at the point of self-confidence. When the Church is run on the same lines as a circus, there may be crowds, but there is no Shekinah (from The Way to Pentecost by Samuel Chadwick, page 7).
COME THOU HOLY SPIRIT!
I will probably write often about the Holy Spirit for the next several weeks. Not just because this is the season to recall the sending and the work of the Spirit but because I am profoundly moved by the person of the Spirit, by reading about him in the Bible and by meditating on his power and influence. I am personally moved because I know first hand the difference his presence and power make in the journey through life of any follower of Jesus. And I long for every follower of Jesus to have that same experience and to recognize it for the supernatural influence of God that it is. I pray for every church body to know that difference. Here's why:
The Presence of the Spirit is vital and central to the work of the Church. Nothing else avails. Apart from Him wisdom becomes folly, and strength weakness. The Church is called to be a "spiritual house" and a holy priesthood. Only spiritual people can be its "living stones," and only the Spirit-filled its priests. Scholarship is blind to spiritual truth till He reveals. Worship is idolatry till He inspires. Preaching is powerless if it be not a demonstration of His power. Prayer is vain unless He energizes. Human resources of learning and organization, wealth and enthusiasm, reform and philanthropy, are worse than useless if there be no Holy Ghost in them. The Church always fails at the point of self-confidence. When the Church is run on the same lines as a circus, there may be crowds, but there is no Shekinah (from The Way to Pentecost by Samuel Chadwick, page 7).
COME THOU HOLY SPIRIT!
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Eye Trouble
Last week I needed to have my vision checked. I had been seeing floating black spots and peripheral flashes of light in the vision of my right eye. The technical term for this in the world of optical medicine is 'floaters and flashers'. Thank the Lord, all checked out ok but these symptoms could have meant a detached retina, a threat to loss of vision. Loss of vision at any level is a scary thought. But we can have 20/20 vision and still have spiritual blind spots to the presence and work of God.
The Arameans, Israel's enemy, surrounded the city of Dothan in an effort to capture the prophet Elisha (2 Kings 6:8-20). Elisha's servant was predictably frightened when he saw the overwhelming force of horsemen and chariots surrounding the city. "What shall we do?", he asked the prophet. Elisha replied, "Don't be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." The servant must have thought, "With us? There's nobody here but us!" Then Elisha turned to the Lord in prayer, "Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see." When God opened the servant's eyes he was able to 'see' what Elisha had meant. "The hills full of horses and chariots of fire. . ." (6:17). When Elisha prayed for his servant to have 20/20 spiritual vision, God made His army visible to him. Elisha and his servant were NOT alone.
Neither are we. That is what the empty tomb reminds us of. When the forces against us seem overwhelming and situations seem hopeless, may God open our 'eyes', the eyes of faith, so that we may 'see' the power of God that raised Jesus from the grave and be encouraged.
The Arameans, Israel's enemy, surrounded the city of Dothan in an effort to capture the prophet Elisha (2 Kings 6:8-20). Elisha's servant was predictably frightened when he saw the overwhelming force of horsemen and chariots surrounding the city. "What shall we do?", he asked the prophet. Elisha replied, "Don't be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." The servant must have thought, "With us? There's nobody here but us!" Then Elisha turned to the Lord in prayer, "Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see." When God opened the servant's eyes he was able to 'see' what Elisha had meant. "The hills full of horses and chariots of fire. . ." (6:17). When Elisha prayed for his servant to have 20/20 spiritual vision, God made His army visible to him. Elisha and his servant were NOT alone.
Neither are we. That is what the empty tomb reminds us of. When the forces against us seem overwhelming and situations seem hopeless, may God open our 'eyes', the eyes of faith, so that we may 'see' the power of God that raised Jesus from the grave and be encouraged.
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